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β-Adrenergic Receptor Antagonism Prevents Anxiety-Like Behavior and Microglial Reactivity Induced by Repeated Social Defeat

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Wohleb, Eric S., Hanke, Mark L., Corona, Angela W., Powell, Nicole D., Stiner, La'Tonia M., Bailey, Michael T., Nelson, Randy J., Godbout, Jonathan P. +1 more·2011·The Journal of Neuroscience

Abstract

Psychosocial stress is associated with altered immune function and development of psychological disorders including anxiety and depression. Here we show that repeated social defeat in mice increased c-Fos staining in brain regions associated with fear and threat appraisal and promoted anxiety-like behavior in a β-adrenergic receptor-dependent manner. Repeated social defeat also significantly increased the number of CD11b + /CD45 high /Ly6C high macrophages that trafficked to the brain. In addition, several inflammatory markers were increased on the surface of microglia (CD14, CD86, and TLR4) and macrophages (CD14 and CD86) after social defeat. Repeated social defeat also increased the presence of deramified microglia in the medial amygdala, prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus. Moreover, mRNA analysis of microglia indicated that repeated social defeat increased levels of interleukin (IL)-1β and reduced levels of glucocorticoid responsive genes [glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper (GILZ) and FK506 binding protein-51 (FKBP51)]. The stress-dependent changes in microglia and macrophages were prevented by propranolol, a β-adrenergic receptor antagonist. Microglia isolated from socially defeated mice and cultured ex vivo produced markedly higher levels of IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 after stimulation with lipopolysaccharide compared with microglia from control mice. Last, repeated social defeat increased c-Fos activation in IL-1 receptor type-1-deficient mice, but did not promote anxiety-like behavior or microglia activation in the absence of functional IL-1 receptor type-1. These findings indicate that repeated social defeat-induced anxiety-like behavior and enhanced reactivity of microglia was dependent on activation of β-adrenergic and IL-1 receptors.

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Crossref · 10.1523/jneurosci.0450-11.2011

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  • Initial microglial activation during social defeat stress appeared to be a result of neuronal activation by catecholamines and decreased neuronal production of CX3CL1.

    “initial microglial activation during social defeat stress appeared to be a result of neuronal activation by catecholamines and decreased neuronal production of CX3C-chemokine ligand 1 (CX3CL1; also known as fractalkine), which maintains microglia in a quiescent state67,68.”

    From The role of inflammation in depression: from evolutionary imperative to modern treatment target (2016) · cites this paper as [67]

    The Introduction and Results (page unavailable) report that social defeat increased brain c-Fos activation and microglial inflammatory activity, and that β-adrenergic receptor antagonism blocked these changes. They do not establish that catecholamine-driven neuronal activation caused the microglial response. A search for CX3CL1 and fractalkine found no passage reporting decreased neuronal production of either. (LLM, conf=0.85)

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  • In social defeat stress, GFP-labelled monocytes coalesced in several brain regions associated with detection of threat, such as the amygdala, an effect dependent on CCL2 and facilitated by mobilization of monocytes from bone marrow due to stress-induced release of catecholamines.

    “in the context of social defeat stress, whereby GFP-labelled monocytes coalesced in several regions of the brain associated with the detection of threat (for example, amygdala) — an effect that was dependent on CCL2 and was facilitated by mobilization of monocytes from the bone marrow as a result of stress-induced release of catecholamines67,68”

    From The role of inflammation in depression: from evolutionary imperative to modern treatment target (2016) · cites this paper as [67]

    Split into 2 atoms — 0 confirmed, 2 partially supported, 0 disputed, 0 misattributed, 0 unverifiable. Expand the claim to see per-atom verdicts.

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  • Social defeat stress impacts immune regulation in the amygdala and changes in social behavior.

    “Previously, social defeat stress has been shown to impact immune regulation in the amygdala and changes in social behavior [62–64].”

    From Rapid changes in plasma corticosterone and medial amygdala transcriptome profiles during social status change reveal molecular pathways associated with a major life history transition in mouse dominance hierarchies (2025) · cites this paper as [64]

    The Abstract reports increased de-ramified microglia in the medial amygdala after repeated social defeat, supporting the immune-regulation portion. The Methods and Results report anxiety-like behavior measured with a light/dark preference test, not a change in social behavior specifically. (LLM, conf=0.85)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Drugs that limit HPA axis and downstream SNS signaling, such as β-adrenergic receptor antagonists, COX2 inhibitors, anti-VEGFC therapeutics, or dopamine, have been shown in animal experiments to improve anxiety-like behavior, inhibit chronic tumor-promoting tumor growth, and block stress-induced increase in angiogenesis and lymphatic metastasis.

    “These drugs have been shown in animal experiments to not only significantly improve anxiety-like behavior (47, 48), and inhibit chronic tumor-promoting tumor growth, but also to block a stress-induced increase in angiogenesis and lymphatic metastasis (60).”

    From Chronic Stress Promotes Cancer Development (2020) · cites this paper as [47]

  • Microglia from socially defeated mice have an increased inflammatory profile and produce more IL-6 after lipopolysaccharide stimulation.

    “Microglia from socially defeated mice have an increased inflammatory profile and produce more IL-6 after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation [191], similar to enhanced IL-6 release from the peripheral leukocytes of stressed mice [175].”

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Authors
Wohleb, E. S., Hanke, M. L., Corona, A. W., Powell, N. D., Stiner, L. M., Bailey, M. T., Nelson, R. J., Godbout, J. P., & Sheridan, J. F.
Affiliations
  • The Ohio State University (US)
  • Institute for Behavioral Medicine (US)
Corresponding author
Sheridan, John F.
Venue
The Journal of Neuroscience
Published
2011-04-27
Volume
31
Issue
17
Pages
6277-6288
ISSN
  • 0270-6474 (ISSN-L)
  • 1529-2401
OpenAlex
W2047570180
Cited by
638
References
59
Citations by year
2026: 27 · 2025: 27 · 2024: 33 · 2023: 45 · 2022: 44 · 2021: 51 · 2020: 47 · 2019: 60 · 2018: 49 · 2017: 50 · 2016: 42 · 2015: 48 · 2014: 33 · 2013: 36 · 2012: 38
FWCI
20.12
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Neuroscience (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institute on Aging (R01AG033028)
  • National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH046801, R01MH093473)
  • National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (T32DE014320)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Biological Psychiatry › Tryptophan and brain disorders
Keywords
beta-adrenergic receptor antagonism, propranolol, repeated social defeat, anxiety-like behavior, microglial activation, brain macrophages, psychosocial stress, c-fos, IL1R1, IL-1β, GILZ, FKBP51, neuroinflammation, microglial inflammation
MeSH terms
Tacrolimus Binding Protein 5, Adrenergic beta-Antagonists, Analysis of Variance, Animals, Anxiety Disorders, Behavior, Animal, Cells, Cultured, Dose-Response Relationship, Drug, Flow Cytometry, Gene Expression Regulation, Inflammation, Lipopolysaccharides, Male, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Propranolol, RNA, Messenger, Social Behavior, Stress, Psychological, Transcription Factors, Antigens, CD, Cytokines, Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos, Prefrontal Cortex, Receptors, Interleukin-1, Microglia, Mice, Knockout, Tacrolimus Binding Proteins, Toll-Like Receptor 4, Mice

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