Akihiro Mouri

Hyponatremia is the most common clinical electrolyte disorder. Once thought to be asymptomatic in response to adaptation by the brain, recent evidence suggests that chronic hyponatremia (CHN) may induce neurological manifestations, including psychological symptoms. However, the specific psychological symptoms induced by CHN, the mechanisms underlying these symptoms, and their potential reversibility remain unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to determine whether monoaminergic neurotransmission is associated with innate anxiety-like behaviors potentiated by CHN in a mouse model of CHN secondary to the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis. In the present study, using a mouse model of the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis presenting with CHN, we showed that the sustained reduction of serum sodium ion concentrations potentiated innate anxiety-like behaviors in the light/dark transition and open field tests. We also found that serotonin and dopamine levels in the amygdala were significantly lower in mice with CHN than in controls. Additionally, phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in the amygdala was significantly reduced in mice with CHN. Notably, after correcting for CHN, the increased innate anxiety-like behaviors, decreased serotonin and dopamine levels, and reduced phosphorylation of ERK in the amygdala were normalized. These findings further underscore the importance of treating CHN and highlight potential therapeutic strategies for alleviating anxiety in patients with CHN, which will improve their quality of life.

BACKGROUND: Nutrition is a key factor in cognitive function, and safe dietary interventions are promising to prevent cognitive impairment in pediatric psychiatric disorders. We previously demonstrated that childhood social isolation (SI) stress affects colonic function, leading to cognitive impairment. Cellulose, an insoluble dietary fiber, shows benefits to intestinal health, but its potential impact on cognitive impairment has not been explored. OBJECTIVES: This study investigated whether a high-cellulose diet ameliorates cognitive impairment induced by SI through modulation of gut microbiota and metabolic pathways. METHODS: C57BL/6J male mice (3 wk old; n = 10-15/group) were randomly divided into 2 groups: individually housed (SI) group and housed 5 mice per cage (group-housed) group. Each group received either a normal diet (5% cellulose) or a high-cellulose diet (30% cellulose) for 5 wk daily until the end of the behavioral testing. We evaluated behavior abnormalities, gut microbiota composition, and metabolites, and performed 2-way analysis of variance. RESULTS: Intake of a high-cellulose diet ameliorated cognitive impairment, including decreased time spent in a novel location of SI mice in novel object location test (NOLT; +30%; P < 0.01) with reduction of Iba-1 positive cells, microglia, in the hippocampus (-33%; P < 0.05). The high-cellulose diet indicated a significant difference in gut microbiota clustering plots (P < 0.01) and enhanced the variation in malate-aspartate shuttle pathways in SI mice (P < 0.01). Notably, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) from SI mice fed a high-cellulose diet after antibiotic treatment, replicated amelioration of cognitive impairment in NOLT (+46%; P < 0.01). Additionally, the FMT replicated a decrease of Iba-1 positive cells indicating suppressed hippocampal microglial activation (-52%; P < 0.01), and enhanced the variation in malate-aspartate shuttle pathways (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that a high-cellulose diet may ameliorate pediatric-specific cognitive impairment through modulation of the gut microbiota and metabolic pathways.

Abstract Background Rho-kinase is a serine/threonine kinase and regulates actin dynamics. There are two subtypes: Rho-kinase 1 and Rho-kinase 2. Recently, we found that a Rho-kinase1/2 inhibitor, fasudil, ameliorated schizophrenia-like behaviors in MK-801-treated mice (Takase et al., 2022). However, fasudil has been shown side effects, such as hypotension, which may hinder its clinical application for schizophrenia. Since Rho-kinase 2 is predominantly expressed in brain, we hypothesized that selective inhibition of Rho-kinase 2 might exhibit antipsychotic-like effects with fewer cardiovascular side effects. Aims &amp; Objectives To investigate the potential of a Rho-kinase 2 inhibitor as a therapeutic agent for schizophrenia, we evaluated the effect of a selective Rho-kinase 2 inhibitor, belumosudil (KD025), on MK-801-indued schizophrenia-like behaviors and blood pressure in mice. Method Effects of KD025 on schizophrenia-like behaviors in MK-801-treated mice were evaluated by locomotor activity test, novel object recognition test (NORT), and visual discrimination test (VD). KD025 (100-200 mg/kg) was orally administered 120 min before the behavioral tests. The blood pressure was also measured after KD025 treatment by tail-cuff method. Furthermore, we evaluated the depolarization-evoked extracellular dopamine and serotonin levels in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) using an in vivo microdialysis method. Results KD025 (100 or 200 mg/kg) restored MK-801-induced hyperlocomotion and the cognitive impairments in the NORT and VD, while KD025 showed little effect on systolic blood pressure, not like fasudil. In addition, local perfusion of KD025 (10-20 μ M) in the NAc suppressed the depolarization- evoked serotonin-, but not dopamine-release in the NAc. Discussion &amp; Conclusion Our findings indicate that Rho-kinase 2 has potential as a therapeutic target for schizophrenia and KD025 may be a candidate as an antipsychotic for schizophrenia. References TAKASE, S., LIAO, J., LIU, Y., TANAKA, R., MIYAGAWA, Y., SAWAHATA, M., SOBUE, A., MIZOGUCHI, H., NAGAI, T., KAIBUCHI, K., OZAKI, N. &amp;YAMADA, K. 2022. Antipsychotic-like effects of fasudil, a Rho- kinase inhibitor, in a pharmacologic animal model of schizophrenia. Eur J Pharmacol, 931, 175207.

Background and Purpose Alterations in tryptophan‐kynurenine (TRP‐KYN) pathway are implicated in major depressive disorder (MDD). α7 nicotinic acetylcholine (α7nACh) receptor regulates the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis. We have shown that deficiency of kynurenine 3‐monooxygenase (KMO) induces depression‐like behaviour via kynurenic acid (KYNA; α7nACh antagonist). In this study, we investigated the involvement of the TRP‐KYN pathway in stress‐induced behavioural changes and the regulation of the HPA axis. Experimental Approach Mice were exposed to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) and subjected to behavioural tests. We measured TRP‐KYN metabolites and the expression of their enzymes in the hippocampus. KMO heterozygous mice were used to investigate stress vulnerability. We also evaluated the effect of nicotine (s.c.) on CUMS‐induced behavioural changes and an increase in serum corticosterone (CORT) concentration. Key Results CUMS decreased social interaction time but increased immobility time under tail suspension associated with increased serum corticosterone concentration. CUMS increased KYNA levels via KMO suppression with microglial decline in the hippocampus. Kmo^+/− mice were vulnerable to stress: they exhibited social impairment and increased serum corticosterone concentration even after short‐term CUMS. Nicotine attenuated CUMS‐induced behavioural changes and increased serum corticosterone concentration by inhibiting the increase in corticotropin‐releasing hormone. Methyllycaconitine (α7nACh antagonist) inhibited the attenuating effect of nicotine. Conclusions and Implications CUMS‐induced behavioural changes and the HPA axis dysregulation could be induced by the increased levels of KYNA via KMO suppression. KYNA plays an important role in the pathophysiology of MDD as an α7nACh antagonist. Therefore, α7nACh receptor is an attractive therapeutic target for MDD.

Maternal immune activation (MIA) is recognized as one of the significant environmental risk factors for neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia in adult offspring. However, the pathophysiological mechanisms remain unknown. The tryptophan (TRP)-kynurenine (KYN) pathway, influenced by inflammation, may be implicated in the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disorders. We investigated whether abnormal behaviors in adult offspring could be induced by MIA through alterations in the TRP-KYN pathway. MIA increased not only IL-6 expression in the placenta but also reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in both the placenta and fetal brain and disrupted cortical layering in the fetal brain. We observed increased levels of 3-hydroxykynurenine (3-HK), a metabolite with oxidative stress properties, in both the placenta and fetal brain. In the knockout mice of kynurenine 3-monooxygenase (KMO), the enzyme responsible for 3-HK production, MIA failed to induce the abnormal behaviors in adult offspring. Notably, RO-618048, a KMO inhibitor that does not cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB), also blocked MIA-induced abnormal behaviors in adult offspring, reduced not only increased IL-6 expression in the placenta but also ROS levels in both the placenta and fetal brain, and prevented abnormal cortical development in the fetal brain. These findings suggest that MIA-induced abnormal behaviors in adult offspring may result from the increase in 3-HK levels through activation of KMO. Therefore, KMO is an attractive target for the prevention of neuropsychiatric disorders associated with MIA.