Altered Immunomodulation by Glucocorticoids in Neonatal Pigs Exposed to a Psychosocial Stressor

Abstract

Stressful early life experiences can have short-and long-term effects on neuroendocrine and immune mechanisms of adaptation, which are primarily modulated by glucocorticoids. This study aimed to examine how the stress and immune systems interact to cope with psychosocial stress induced by a single social isolation (4 h) in neonatal pigs at 7, 21, or 35 d of age. This social isolation provoked increased plasma ACTH and cortisol concentrations and reduced TNF-␣ levels but had no significant effect on IL-6 levels. Socially isolated piglets had a higher lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated proliferative response of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) than controls, whereas concanavalin A (ConA)-induced proliferation was not affected by isolation. A single social isolation also induced a dose-dependent cortisol resistance in ConA-and LPS-stimulated PBMCs compared with controls, which may be an adaptive response in the short term. Moreover, LPS-stimulated cultures from control piglets showed a reduction in cortisol sensitivity with increasing age. Conclusively, these findings provide stress-related measures for the psychophysiological assessment of livestock handling practices but might also have implications for stress and health studies in young animals and humans. (Pediatr Res 68: 473-478, 2010)

Peripheral proinflammatory markers associated with ketamine response in a preclinical model of antidepressant-resistance

“…In line with this, Tuchscherer and colleagues (2010) found that in young pigs, single exposure to psychosocial stress (social isolation) promoted increased plasma ACTH concentration while reducing TNFα levels but not affecting IL-6 levels (Tuchscherer et al, 2010). Taken together, it is tempting to hypothesize that antidepressanttreatment resistant individuals with heightened circulating CRP concentration may show improved response to ketamine.…”

Social conditioned place preference in the captive ground squirrel (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus): Social reward as a natural phenotype.

“…Social isolation impairs brain development (Black & Greenough, 1998; Champagne & Curley, 2005; Wiedenmayer, 2009), immune reactivity (Boissy et al., 2007; Shanks, Renton, Zalcman, & Anisman, 1994; Tuchscherer, Kanitz, Puppe, & Tuchscherer, 2010), burn and wound healing (Detillion, Craft, Glasper, Prendergast, & DeVries, 2004; İşeri et al, 2010), response to ischemia (Norman et al, 2010), recovery from social defeat (Ruis et al, 1999), resiliency to metastasis (Wu et al, 2000), and competence in social hierarchies (van den Berg et al, 1999). These studies suggest that psychological responses to social context can moderate systemic physiology (e.g.…”

Social Reward and Empathy as Proximal Contributions to Altruism: The Camaraderie Effect

“…Social isolation also confers psychological and physiological costs to rodents. Social isolation impairs brain development (Black and Greenough 1998; Champagne and Curley 2005; Wiedenmayer 2009), immune reactivity (Boissy et al 2007; Shanks et al 1994; Tuchscherer et al 2010), healing from burns and wounds (Detillion et al 2004; İşeri et al 2010), response to ischemia (Norman et al 2010), recovery from social defeat (Ruis et al 1999), resiliency to metastasis (Wu et al 2000), social-emotional health (Seffer et al 2015), and competence in social hierarchies (van den Berg et al 1999). With empathy, psychological rejection or indifference could serve as a psychological surrogate for social isolation, resulting in physiological impairments similar to what might be expected from ostracism.…”