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Cited by 36Stress Responses and CortisolNeurotransmitter Receptor Influence on BehaviorNeuropeptides and Animal Physiology

Effects of chronic social defeat on expression of dopamine β‐hydroxylase in rat brains

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Fan, Yan, Chen, Ping, Li, Ying, Zhu, Meng‐Yang·2013·Synapse
DOI 10.1002/syn.21641PMC PMC9338777
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Abstract

It is documented that stress activates the locus coeruleus‐norepinephrine system. However, there are far few reports regarding effects of stress on the expression of dopamine β‐hydroxylase, a hallmark enzyme of the noradrenergic neuron. In the present study, adult Fischer 344 rats were subjected to chronic social defeat for 4 weeks. Dopamine β‐hydroxylase expressional levels in the locus coeruleus and its terminal regions were measured by in situ hybridization and western blotting. The results showed that immediately following chronic social defeat there are significantly increased mRNA and protein levels of dopamine β‐hydroxylase in the locus coeruleus, and dopamine β‐hydroxylase protein levels in the hippocampus, frontal cortex and amygdala, compared with those in the control. This chronic social defeat‐induced upregulation of dopamine β‐hydroxylase was completely abolished by adrenalectomy, and/or by treatment with corticosteroid receptor antagonists, mifepristone and spironolactone, either alone or in combination. Furthermore, treatment with desipramine, an antidepressant with specific inhibitory effects on norepinephrine transport, prevented an increased dopamine β‐hydroxylase expression by chronic social defeat in the locus coeruleus and its main terminal regions such as the hippocampus, frontal cortex and amygdala. However, treatment with fluoxetine, an antidepressant with specific inhibition for serotonin transport, only selectively blocked increased dopamine β‐hydroxylase protein levels in the hippocampus caused by CSD. The present findings indicate that chronic social defeat activates the locus coeruleus‐norepinephrine system by upregulating the expression of dopamine β‐hydroxylase, which may increase norepinephrine synthesis. This chronic social defeat induced upregulation of DBH expression was mediated through corticosterone and corticosteroid receptors, with possible interference from antidepressants. Synapse, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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  • The actions of norepinephrine are exaggerated with chronic stress exposure: there is increased expression of the synthetic enzymes tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine β-hydroxylase in noradrenergic neurons and axons in both rats and primates.

    “The actions of norepinephrine are exaggerated with chronic stress exposure: there is increased expression of the synthetic enzymes tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine β-hydroxylase in noradrenergic neurons and axons in both rats83–85 and primates86.”

    From Stress weakens prefrontal networks: molecular insults to higher cognition (2015) · cites this paper as [85]

    The Discussion (page not provided) reports increased dopamine β-hydroxylase (DBH) in the locus coeruleus and its terminal regions after chronic social defeat in rats. It discusses increased tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) expression but identifies the authors’ TH finding as unpublished; it also says increased norepinephrine synthesis may result, rather than measuring exaggerated norepinephrine actions. The primate finding has a separate citation in the citing sentence and is not attributed to this paper. (LLM, conf=0.85)

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Authors
Fan, Y., Chen, P., Li, Y., & Zhu, M.
Affiliations
  • East Tennessee State University (US)
  • Tongji University (CN)
Corresponding author
Zhu, Meng‐Yang
ORCID
Venue
Synapse
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2013-03-05
Volume
67
Issue
6
Pages
300-312
ISSN
  • 0887-4476 (ISSN-L)
  • 1098-2396
DOI
10.1002/syn.21641
PMC
PMC9338777
OpenAlex
W1786343825
Cited by
36
References
4
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 1
FWCI
1.82
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor)
Locations
  • Synapse (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • Digital Commons - East Tennessee State University (East Tennessee State University) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH080323, MH080323)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuropeptides and Animal Physiology
Keywords
chronic social defeat, dopamine beta-hydroxylase, locus coeruleus, noradrenergic system, stress, corticosterone, corticosteroid receptors, adrenalectomy, mifepristone, spironolactone, desipramine, fluoxetine, hippocampus, amygdala, frontal cortex, antidepressants
MeSH terms
Adrenalectomy, Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists, Animals, Antidepressive Agents, Brain, Desipramine, Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase, Fluoxetine, Hormone Antagonists, Male, Rats, Inbred F344, RNA, Messenger, Social Behavior, Spironolactone, Stress, Psychological, Transcription, Genetic, Mifepristone, Up-Regulation, Rats, Long-Evans, Rats

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