Prenatal Alcohol Exposure Increases Histamine H3 Receptor-Mediated Inhibition of Glutamatergic Neurotransmission in Rat Dentate Gyrus.

BACKGROUND: We have reported that prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE)-induced deficits in dentate gyrus, long-term potentiation (LTP), and memory are ameliorated by the histamine H3 receptor inverse agonist ABT-239. Curiously, ABT-239 did not enhance LTP or memory in control offspring. Here, we initiated an investigation of how PAE alters histaminergic neurotransmission in the dentate gyrus and other brain regions employing combined radiohistochemical and electrophysiological approaches in vitro to examine histamine H3 receptor number and function. METHODS: Long-Evans rat dams voluntarily consumed either a 0% or 5% ethanol solution 4 hours each day throughout gestation. This pattern of drinking, which produces a mean peak maternal serum ethanol concentration of 60.8 ± 5.8 mg/dl, did not affect maternal weight gain, litter size, or offspring birthweight. RESULTS: Radiohistochemical studies in adult offspring revealed that specific [3 H]-A349821 binding to histamine H3 receptors was not different in PAE rats compared to controls. However, H3 receptor-mediated Gi /Go protein-effector coupling, as measured by methimepip-stimulated [35 S]-GTPγS binding, was significantly increased in cerebral cortex, cerebellum, and dentate gyrus of PAE rats compared to control. A LIGAND analysis of detailed methimepip concentration-response curves in dentate gyrus indicated that PAE significantly elevates receptor-effector coupling by a lower affinity H3 receptor population without significantly altering the affinities of H3 receptor subpopulations. In agreement with the [35 S]-GTPγS studies, a similar range of methimepip concentrations also inhibited electrically evoked field excitatory postsynaptic potential responses and increased paired-pulse ratio, a measure of decreased glutamate release, to a significantly greater extent in dentate gyrus slices from PAE rats than in controls. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that a PAE-induced elevation in H3 receptor-mediated inhibition of glutamate release from perforant path terminals as 1 mechanism contributing the LTP deficits previously observed in the dentate gyrus of PAE rats, as well as providing a mechanistic basis for the efficacy of H3 receptor inverse agonists for ameliorating these deficits.

Neuronal calcium sensor-1 deletion in the mouse decreases motivation and dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens.

Calcium sensors detect intracellular calcium changes and interact with downstream targets to regulate many functions. Neuronal Calcium Sensor-1 (NCS-1) or Frequenin is widely expressed in the nervous system, and involved in neurotransmission, synaptic plasticity and learning. NCS-1 interacts with and regulates dopamine D2 receptor (D2R) internalization and is implicated in disorders like schizophrenia and substance abuse. However, the role of NCS-1 in behaviors dependent on dopamine signaling in the striatum, where D2R is most highly expressed, is unknown. We show that Ncs-1 deletion in the mouse decreases willingness to work for food. Moreover, Ncs-1 knockout mice have significantly lower activity-dependent dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens core in acute slice recordings. In contrast, food preference, responding for conditioned reinforcement, ability to represent changes in reward value, and locomotor response to amphetamine are not impaired. These studies identify novel roles for NCS-1 in regulating activity-dependent striatal dopamine release and aspects of motivated behavior.

Differential effects of the histamine H(3) receptor agonist methimepip on dentate granule cell excitability, paired-pulse plasticity and long-term potentiation in prenatal alcohol-exposed rats.

BACKGROUND: We previously reported that prenatal alcohol-induced deficits in dentate gyrus (DG) long-term potentiation (LTP) are ameliorated by the histamine H3 receptor inverse agonist ABT-239. ABT-239 did not enhance LTP in control rats, suggesting that the possibility of a heightened H3 receptor-mediated inhibition of LTP in prenatal alcohol-exposed (PAE) offspring. METHODS: To further investigate this mechanism, we examined the effect of methimepip, a selective histamine H3 receptor agonist, on DG granule cell responses and LTP in saccharin control and PAE rats. Long-Evans rat dams voluntarily consumed either a 0 or 5% ethanol solution 4 hours each day throughout gestation. Adult male offspring from these dams were anesthetized with urethane and electrodes implanted into the entorhinal cortical perforant path and the DG. RESULTS: In control offspring, methimepip reduced the coupling of fast excitatory postsynaptic field potentials to population spikes (E-S coupling), the probability of glutamate release, as measured by paired-pulse ratio (PPR) and diminished DG LTP. Similar reductions in E-S coupling and LTP were observed in saline-treated PAE offspring. In contrast to the control group, methimepip did not exacerbate PAE-induced reductions in E-S coupling or LTP. CONCLUSIONS: While the effects of methimepip in control offspring were consistent with speculation of a PAE-induced enhancement of H3 receptor-mediated inhibition of E-S coupling and LTP, the absence of an added effect of methimepip in PAE offspring could indicate either an inability to further inhibit these responses with methimepip in PAE rats or the presence of more complex regulatory neural interactions with in vivo recordings in PAE rats. Follow-up studies of H3 receptor-mediated responses in DG slice preparations are under way to provide clearer insights into the role of the H3 receptor regulation of excitatory transmission in PAE rats.

Unaltered striatal dopamine release levels in young Parkin knockout, Pink1 knockout, DJ-1 knockout and LRRK2 R1441G transgenic mice.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most prevalent neurodegenerative brain diseases; it is accompanied by extensive loss of dopamine (DA) neurons of the substantia nigra that project to the putamen, leading to impaired motor functions. Several genes have been associated with hereditary forms of the disease and transgenic mice have been developed by a number of groups to produce animal models of PD and to explore the basic functions of these genes. Surprisingly, most of the various mouse lines generated such as Parkin KO, Pink1 KO, DJ-1 KO and LRRK2 transgenic have been reported to lack degeneration of nigral DA neuron, one of the hallmarks of PD. However, modest impairments of motor behavior have been reported, suggesting the possibility that the models recapitulate at least some of the early stages of PD, including early dysfunction of DA axon terminals. To further evaluate this possibility, here we provide for the first time a systematic comparison of DA release in four different mouse lines, examined at a young age range, prior to potential age-dependent compensations. Using fast scan cyclic voltammetry in striatal sections prepared from young, 6-8 weeks old mice, we examined sub-second DA overflow evoked by single pulses and action potential trains. Unexpectedly, none of the models displayed any dysfunction of DA overflow or reuptake. These results, compatible with the lack of DA neuron loss in these models, suggest that molecular dysfunctions caused by the absence or mutation of these individual genes are not sufficient to perturb the function and survival of mouse DA neurons.

Effects of a novel cognition-enhancing agent on fetal ethanol-induced learning deficits.

BACKGROUND: Drinking during pregnancy has been associated with learning disabilities in affected offspring. At present, there are no clinically effective pharmacotherapeutic interventions for these learning deficits. Here, we examined the effects of ABT-239, a histamine H3 receptor antagonist, on fetal ethanol-induced fear conditioning and spatial memory deficits. METHODS AND RESULTS: Long-Evans rat dams stably consumed a mean of 2.82 g ethanol/kg during a 4-hour period each day during pregnancy. This voluntary drinking pattern produced a mean peak serum ethanol level of 84 mg/dl. Maternal weight gain, litter size and birth weights were not different between the ethanol-consuming and control groups. Female adult offspring from the control and fetal alcohol-exposed (FAE) groups received saline or 1 mg ABT-239/kg 30 minutes prior to fear conditioning training. Three days later, freezing time to the context was significantly reduced in saline-treated FAE rats compared to control. Freezing time in ABT-239-treated FAE rats was not different than that in controls. In the spatial navigation study, adult male offspring received a single injection of saline or ABT-239 30 minutes prior to 12 training trials on a fixed platform version of the Morris Water Task. All rats reached the same performance asymptote on Trials 9 to 12 on Day 1. However, 4 days later, first-trial retention of platform location was significantly worse in the saline-treated FAE rats compared control offspring. Retention by ABT-239-treated FAE rats was similar to that by controls. ABT-239's effect on spatial memory retention in FAE rats was dose dependent. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that ABT-239 administered prior to training can improve retention of acquired information by FAE offspring on more challenging versions of hippocampal-sensitive learning tasks. Further, the differential effects of ABT-239 in FAE offspring compared to controls raises questions about the impact of fetal ethanol exposure on histaminergic neurotransmission in affected offspring.

Effects of the cognition-enhancing agent ABT-239 on fetal ethanol-induced deficits in dentate gyrus synaptic plasticity.

Prenatal ethanol exposure causes deficits in hippocampal synaptic plasticity and learning. At present, there are no clinically effective pharmacotherapeutic interventions for these deficits. In this study, we examined whether the cognition-enhancing agent 4-(2-{2-[(2R)-2-methylpyrrolidinyl]ethyl}-benzofuran-5-yl) benzonitrile (ABT-239), a histamine H(3) receptor antagonist, could ameliorate fetal ethanol-induced long-term potentiation (LTP) deficits. Long-Evans rat dams consumed a mean of 2.82 g/kg ethanol during a 4-h period each day. This voluntary drinking pattern produced a mean peak serum ethanol level of 84 mg/dl. Maternal weight gain, offspring litter size, and birth weights were not different between ethanol-consuming and control groups. A stimulating electrode was implanted in the entorhinal cortical perforant path, and a recording electrode was implanted in the dorsal dentate gyrus of urethane-anesthetized adult male offspring. Baseline input/output responses were not affected either by prenatal ethanol exposure or by 1 mg/kg ABT-239 administered 2 h before data collection. No differences were observed between prenatal treatment groups when a 10-tetanus train protocol was used to elicit LTP. However, LTP elicited by 3 tetanizing trains was markedly impaired by prenatal ethanol exposure compared with control. This fetal ethanol-induced LTP deficit was reversed by ABT-239. In contrast, ABT-239 did not enhance LTP in control offspring using the 3-tetanus train protocol. These results suggest that histamine H(3) receptor antagonists may have utility for treating fetal ethanol-associated synaptic plasticity and learning deficits. Furthermore, the differential effect of ABT-239 in fetal alcohol offspring compared with controls raises questions about the impact of fetal ethanol exposure on histaminergic modulation of excitatory neurotransmission in affected offspring.