mRNA and microRNA profiles in the amygdala are relevant to Susceptible and Resilient mice induced by psychological stress

Abstract

Background Severe or prolonged stress increases the risk to develop psychopathologies. An individual's perception of stress exposure varies greatly, as do its consequences. Numerous individuals demonstrate resilience to psychological stress. The mRNA and microRNA profiles of stress susceptibility and resilience induced by psychological stress in the amygdala remain to be elucidated. Methods Psychological stress to an observer was given by witnessing the attacks of the aggressor on the similar. After five days of psychological stress, the degree of fear memory and anxiety of mice were measured by social interaction test and elevated plus-maze (EPM). mRNA and microRNA profiles were quantified by high-throughput sequencing in amygdala tissues harvested from Control, Susceptible and Resilient mice. Results In the amygdala from Susceptible mice versus Resilient mice, the upregulation of Peptide, Thyrotropin-releasing hormone, and ECM receptor, Glutamatergic synapse, Cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, Long-term depression, PI3K-Akt, Oxytocin, GnRH, HIF-1, Estrogen, Calcium signaling pathways may be related to psychological stress-induced susceptibility, and the downregulation may be related to resilience. The downregulation of Adrenergic synapse, Adherens junction, Wnt, Sphingolipid, B cell receptor, cAMP, Rap1, Toll-like receptor signaling pathways may be related to psychological stress-induced susceptibility, and the upregulation may be related to resilience. Results by sequencing mRNA and microRNA profiles are consistent, in which some of them are validated by qRT-PCR and dual-luciferase reporter assay. Conclusion Susceptible and Resilient induced by psychological stresses are caused by the imbalanced regulation of different synapses and signaling pathways in the amygdala.

Resting-state fMRI reveals altered functional connectivity associated with resilience and susceptibility to chronic social defeat stress in mouse brain

“…In addition to the vDG, the mesolimbic dopamine system is implicated in susceptibility to CSDS (41,42). The basolateral amygdala, a brain region that processes fear-and threat-related stimuli and is likewise implicated in the susceptibility to chronic stress along with other stress-related brain regions; including, the hypothalamus and the periaqueductal gray that modulates behavioural responses to threatening stimuli and pain (32,43,44). In contrast, resilience to chronic stress is associated with regions that support effective (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder.…”

Fear response-based prediction for stress susceptibility to PTSD-like phenotypes

“…Outbred mice have normally been used to assess and compare the stress susceptibility of individual animals [8]. One criteria used to assess stress susceptibility is anxiety, despite the revision of the criteria for PTSD in the DSM-5 [12][13][14]. The stress-enhanced fear learning (SEFL) paradigm, with exposure to brief stresses rather than chronic stress, has been used to help distinguish trauma-related disorders from anxiety disorders [14][15][16].…”