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Ottaviani MM, Vallone F, Micera S, Recchia FA. Closed-Loop Vagus Nerve Stimulation for the Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases: State of the Art and Future Directions. Front Cardiovasc Med 2022; 9:866957. [PMID: 35463766 PMCID: PMC9021417 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.866957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The autonomic nervous system exerts a fine beat-to-beat regulation of cardiovascular functions and is consequently involved in the onset and progression of many cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Selective neuromodulation of the brain-heart axis with advanced neurotechnologies is an emerging approach to corroborate CVDs treatment when classical pharmacological agents show limited effectiveness. The vagus nerve is a major component of the cardiac neuroaxis, and vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is a promising application to restore autonomic function under various pathological conditions. VNS has led to encouraging results in animal models of CVDs, but its translation to clinical practice has not been equally successful, calling for more investigation to optimize this technique. Herein we reviewed the state of the art of VNS for CVDs and discuss avenues for therapeutic optimization. Firstly, we provided a succinct description of cardiac vagal innervation anatomy and physiology and principles of VNS. Then, we examined the main clinical applications of VNS in CVDs and the related open challenges. Finally, we presented preclinical studies that aim at overcoming VNS limitations through optimization of anatomical targets, development of novel neural interface technologies, and design of efficient VNS closed-loop protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Maria Ottaviani
- Institute of Life Sciences, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Pisa, Italy
- Department of Excellence in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence, The BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Pisa, Italy
| | - Fabio Vallone
- Department of Excellence in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence, The BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Pisa, Italy
| | - Silvestro Micera
- Department of Excellence in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence, The BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Pisa, Italy
- Bertarelli Foundation Chair in Translational Neural Engineering, Center for Neuroprosthetics, Institute of Bioengineering, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Fabio A. Recchia
- Institute of Life Sciences, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Pisa, Italy
- Fondazione Toscana Gabriele Monasterio, Pisa, Italy
- Department of Physiology, Cardiovascular Research Center, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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Elsaafien K, Harden SW, Johnson DN, Kimball AK, Sheng W, Smith JA, Scott KA, Frazier CJ, de Kloet AD, Krause EG. A Novel Organ-Specific Approach to Selectively Target Sensory Afferents Innervating the Aortic Arch. Front Physiol 2022; 13:841078. [PMID: 35399269 PMCID: PMC8987286 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.841078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The brain maintains cardiovascular homeostasis, in part, via the arterial baroreflex which senses changes in blood pressure (BP) at the level of the aortic arch. Sensory afferents innervating the aortic arch employ baroreceptors to convert stretch exerted on the arterial wall into action potentials carried by the vagus nerve to second order neurons residing within the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS). Although the baroreflex was described more than 80 years ago, the specific molecular, structural, and functional phenotype of the baroreceptors remain uncharacterized. This is due to the lack of tools that provide the genetic and target organ specificity that is required to selectively characterize baroreceptor afferents. Here, we use a novel approach to selectively target baroreceptors. Male mice on a C57BL/6J background were anesthetized with isoflurane, intubated, and artificially ventilated. Following sternotomy, the aortic arch was exposed, and a retrograde adeno-associated virus was applied to the aortic arch to direct the expression of channelrhoropsin-2 (ChR2) and/or tdTomato (tdTom) to sensory afferents presumably functioning as baroreceptors. Consistent with the structural characteristics of arterial baroreceptors, robust tdTom expression was observed in nerve endings surrounding the aortic arch, within the fibers of the aortic depressor and vagus nerves, cell bodies of the nodose ganglia (NDG), and neural projections to the caudal NTS (cNTS). Additionally, the tdTom labeled cell bodies within the NDG also expressed mRNAs coding for the mechanically gated ion channels, PIEZO-1 and PIEZO-2. In vitro electrophysiology revealed that pulses of blue light evoked excitatory post-synaptic currents in a subset of neurons within the cNTS, suggesting a functional connection between the labeled aortic arch sensory afferents and second order neurons. Finally, the in vivo optogenetic stimulation of the cell bodies of the baroreceptor expressing afferents in the NDG produced robust depressor responses. Together, these results establish a novel approach for selectively targeting sensory neurons innervating the aortic arch. This approach may be used to investigate arterial baroreceptors structurally and functionally, and to assess their role in the etiology or reversal of cardiovascular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khalid Elsaafien
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Scott W. Harden
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Dominique N. Johnson
- Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Aecha K. Kimball
- Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Wanhui Sheng
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Justin A. Smith
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Karen A. Scott
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Charles J. Frazier
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Annette D. de Kloet
- Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Evelyn F. and William L. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Annette D. de Kloet,
| | - Eric G. Krause
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Evelyn F. and William L. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- *Correspondence: Eric G. Krause,
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Mehra R, Tjurmina OA, Ajijola OA, Arora R, Bolser DC, Chapleau MW, Chen PS, Clancy CE, Delisle BP, Gold MR, Goldberger JJ, Goldstein DS, Habecker BA, Handoko ML, Harvey R, Hummel JP, Hund T, Meyer C, Redline S, Ripplinger CM, Simon MA, Somers VK, Stavrakis S, Taylor-Clark T, Undem BJ, Verrier RL, Zucker IH, Sopko G, Shivkumar K. Research Opportunities in Autonomic Neural Mechanisms of Cardiopulmonary Regulation: A Report From the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the National Institutes of Health Office of the Director Workshop. JACC Basic Transl Sci 2022; 7:265-293. [PMID: 35411324 PMCID: PMC8993767 DOI: 10.1016/j.jacbts.2021.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
This virtual workshop was convened by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, in partnership with the Office of Strategic Coordination of the Office of the National Institutes of Health Director, and held September 2 to 3, 2020. The intent was to assemble a multidisciplinary group of experts in basic, translational, and clinical research in neuroscience and cardiopulmonary disorders to identify knowledge gaps, guide future research efforts, and foster multidisciplinary collaborations pertaining to autonomic neural mechanisms of cardiopulmonary regulation. The group critically evaluated the current state of knowledge of the roles that the autonomic nervous system plays in regulation of cardiopulmonary function in health and in pathophysiology of arrhythmias, heart failure, sleep and circadian dysfunction, and breathing disorders. Opportunities to leverage the Common Fund's SPARC (Stimulating Peripheral Activity to Relieve Conditions) program were characterized as related to nonpharmacologic neuromodulation and device-based therapies. Common themes discussed include knowledge gaps, research priorities, and approaches to develop novel predictive markers of autonomic dysfunction. Approaches to precisely target neural pathophysiological mechanisms to herald new therapies for arrhythmias, heart failure, sleep and circadian rhythm physiology, and breathing disorders were also detailed.
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Key Words
- ACE, angiotensin-converting enzyme
- AD, autonomic dysregulation
- AF, atrial fibrillation
- ANS, autonomic nervous system
- Ach, acetylcholine
- CNS, central nervous system
- COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- CSA, central sleep apnea
- CVD, cardiovascular disease
- ECG, electrocardiogram
- EV, extracellular vesicle
- GP, ganglionated plexi
- HF, heart failure
- HFpEF, heart failure with preserved ejection fraction
- HFrEF, heart failure with reduced ejection fraction
- HRV, heart rate variability
- LQT, long QT
- MI, myocardial infarction
- NE, norepinephrine
- NHLBI, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
- NPY, neuropeptide Y
- NREM, non-rapid eye movement
- OSA, obstructive sleep apnea
- PAH, pulmonary arterial hypertension
- PV, pulmonary vein
- REM, rapid eye movement
- RV, right ventricular
- SCD, sudden cardiac death
- SDB, sleep disordered breathing
- SNA, sympathetic nerve activity
- SNSA, sympathetic nervous system activity
- TLD, targeted lung denervation
- asthma
- atrial fibrillation
- autonomic nervous system
- cardiopulmonary
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- circadian
- heart failure
- pulmonary arterial hypertension
- sleep apnea
- ventricular arrhythmia
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Affiliation(s)
- Reena Mehra
- Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
- Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Olga A. Tjurmina
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Rishi Arora
- Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | | | - Mark W. Chapleau
- University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | | | | | | | - Michael R. Gold
- Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | | | - David S. Goldstein
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Beth A. Habecker
- Oregon Health and Science University School of Medicine, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - M. Louis Handoko
- Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | - James P. Hummel
- Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Marc A. Simon
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | | | - Stavros Stavrakis
- University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | | | | | - Richard L. Verrier
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - George Sopko
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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54
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Prescott SL, Liberles SD. Internal senses of the vagus nerve. Neuron 2022; 110:579-599. [PMID: 35051375 PMCID: PMC8857038 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.12.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The vagus nerve is an indispensable body-brain connection that controls vital aspects of autonomic physiology like breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, and gut motility, reflexes like coughing and swallowing, and survival behaviors like feeding, drinking, and sickness responses. Classical physiological studies and recent molecular/genetic approaches have revealed a tremendous diversity of vagal sensory neuron types that innervate different internal organs, with many cell types remaining poorly understood. Here, we review the state of knowledge related to vagal sensory neurons that innervate the respiratory, cardiovascular, and digestive systems. We focus on cell types and their response properties, physiological/behavioral roles, engaged neural circuits and, when possible, sensory receptors. We are only beginning to understand the signal transduction mechanisms used by vagal sensory neurons and upstream sentinel cells, and future studies are needed to advance the field of interoception to the level of mechanistic understanding previously achieved for our external senses.
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55
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de Nooij JC. Influencers in the Somatosensory System: Extrinsic Control of Sensory Neuron Phenotypes. Neuroscientist 2022:10738584221074350. [DOI: 10.1177/10738584221074350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Somatosensory neurons in dorsal root ganglia (DRG) comprise several main subclasses: high threshold nociceptors/thermoceptors, high- and low-threshold mechanoreceptors, and proprioceptors. Recent years have seen an explosion in the identification of molecules that underlie the functional diversity of these sensory modalities. They also have begun to reveal the developmental mechanisms that channel the emergence of this subtype diversity, solidifying the importance of peripheral instructive signals. Somatic sensory neurons collectively serve numerous essential physiological and protective roles, and as such, an increased understanding of the processes that underlie the specialization of these sensory subtypes is not only biologically interesting but also clinically relevant.
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56
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Abstract
This chapter broadly reviews cardiopulmonary sympathetic and vagal sensors and their reflex functions during physiologic and pathophysiologic processes. Mechanosensory operating mechanisms, including their central projections, are described under multiple sensor theory. In addition, ways to interpret evidence surrounding several controversial issues are provided, with detailed reasoning on how conclusions are derived. Cardiopulmonary sensory roles in breathing control and the development of symptoms and signs and pathophysiologic processes in cardiopulmonary diseases (such as cough and neuroimmune interaction) also are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerry Yu
- Department of Medicine (Pulmonary), University of Louisville, and Robley Rex VA Medical Center, Louisville, KY, United States.
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57
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Junkins MS, Bagriantsev SN, Gracheva EO. Towards understanding the neural origins of hibernation. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:273864. [PMID: 34982152 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.229542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Hibernators thrive under harsh environmental conditions instead of initiating canonical behavioral and physiological responses to promote survival. Although the physiological changes that occur during hibernation have been comprehensively researched, the role of the nervous system in this process remains relatively underexplored. In this Review, we adopt the perspective that the nervous system plays an active, essential role in facilitating and supporting hibernation. Accumulating evidence strongly suggests that the hypothalamus enters a quiescent state in which powerful drives to thermoregulate, eat and drink are suppressed. Similarly, cardiovascular and pulmonary reflexes originating in the brainstem are altered to permit the profoundly slow heart and breathing rates observed during torpor. The mechanisms underlying these changes to the hypothalamus and brainstem are not currently known, but several neuromodulatory systems have been implicated in the induction and maintenance of hibernation. The intersection of these findings with modern neuroscience approaches, such as optogenetics and in vivo calcium imaging, has opened several exciting avenues for hibernation research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeleine S Junkins
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.,Department of Neuroscience and Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration and Repair, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Sviatoslav N Bagriantsev
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Elena O Gracheva
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.,Department of Neuroscience and Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration and Repair, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
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58
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Abstract
Internal organs, including the airway, are innervated by neurons of the autonomic and sensory nervous systems. The airway-innervating sensory neurons primarily originate from the vagus nerve, whose cell bodies are found, in rodents, in the jugular and nodose ganglia complex (JNC). About half of these sensory neurons expressed the heat-sensing ion channel TRPV1 and evolved to limit tissue damage by detecting chemical, mechanical, or thermal threats and to initiate protective airway reflexes such as coughing and bronchoconstriction. They also help monitor the host homeostasis by sensing nutrients, pressure, and O2 levels and help mount airway defenses by controlling immune and goblet cell activity. To better appreciate the scope of the physiological role and pathological contributions of these neurons, we will review gain and loss-of-function approaches geared at controlling the activity of these neurons. We will also present a method to study transcriptomic changes in airway-innervating neurons and a co-culture approach designed to understand how nociceptors modulate immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jo-Chiao Wang
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Theo Crosson
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Sebastien Talbot
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.
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59
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Su Y, Barr J, Jaquish A, Xu J, Verheyden JM, Sun X. Identification of lung innervating sensory neurons and their target specificity. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2022; 322:L50-L63. [PMID: 34755535 PMCID: PMC8721910 DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00376.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Known as the gas exchange organ, the lung is also critical for responding to the aerosol environment in part through interaction with the nervous system. The diversity and specificity of lung innervating neurons remain poorly understood. Here, we interrogated the cell body location and molecular signature and projection pattern of lung innervating sensory neurons. Retrograde tracing from the lung coupled with whole tissue clearing highlighted neurons primarily in the vagal ganglia. Centrally, they project specifically to the nucleus of the solitary tract in the brainstem. Peripherally, they enter the lung alongside branching airways. Labeling of nociceptor Trpv1+ versus peptidergic Tac1+ vagal neurons showed shared and distinct terminal morphology and targeting to airway smooth muscles, vasculature including lymphatics, and alveoli. Notably, a small population of vagal neurons that are Calb1+ preferentially innervate pulmonary neuroendocrine cells, a demonstrated airway sensor population. This atlas of lung innervating neurons serves as a foundation for understanding their function in lung.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujuan Su
- 1Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, California
| | - Justinn Barr
- 1Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, California
| | - Abigail Jaquish
- 1Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, California
| | - Jinhao Xu
- 1Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, California
| | - Jamie M. Verheyden
- 1Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, California
| | - Xin Sun
- 1Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, California,2Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, California
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60
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Suksasilp C, Garfinkel SN. Towards a comprehensive assessment of interoception in a multi-dimensional framework. Biol Psychol 2022; 168:108262. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2022.108262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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61
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Zhao Q, Yu CD, Wang R, Xu QJ, Dai Pra R, Zhang L, Chang RB. A multidimensional coding architecture of the vagal interoceptive system. Nature 2022; 603:878-884. [PMID: 35296859 PMCID: PMC8967724 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04515-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Interoception, the ability to timely and precisely sense changes inside the body, is critical for survival1-4. Vagal sensory neurons (VSNs) form an important body-to-brain connection, navigating visceral organs along the rostral-caudal axis of the body and crossing the surface-lumen axis of organs into appropriate tissue layers5,6. The brain can discriminate numerous body signals through VSNs, but the underlying coding strategy remains poorly understood. Here we show that VSNs code visceral organ, tissue layer and stimulus modality-three key features of an interoceptive signal-in different dimensions. Large-scale single-cell profiling of VSNs from seven major organs in mice using multiplexed projection barcodes reveals a 'visceral organ' dimension composed of differentially expressed gene modules that code organs along the body's rostral-caudal axis. We discover another 'tissue layer' dimension with gene modules that code the locations of VSN endings along the surface-lumen axis of organs. Using calcium-imaging-guided spatial transcriptomics, we show that VSNs are organized into functional units to sense similar stimuli across organs and tissue layers; this constitutes a third 'stimulus modality' dimension. The three independent feature-coding dimensions together specify many parallel VSN pathways in a combinatorial manner and facilitate the complex projection of VSNs in the brainstem. Our study highlights a multidimensional coding architecture of the mammalian vagal interoceptive system for effective signal communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiancheng Zhao
- grid.47100.320000000419368710Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA ,grid.47100.320000000419368710Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA
| | - Chuyue D. Yu
- grid.47100.320000000419368710Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA ,grid.47100.320000000419368710Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA ,grid.47100.320000000419368710Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA
| | - Rui Wang
- grid.47100.320000000419368710Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA ,grid.47100.320000000419368710Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA
| | - Qian J. Xu
- grid.47100.320000000419368710Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA ,grid.47100.320000000419368710Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA ,grid.47100.320000000419368710Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA
| | - Rafael Dai Pra
- grid.47100.320000000419368710Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA
| | - Le Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Rui B. Chang
- grid.47100.320000000419368710Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA ,grid.47100.320000000419368710Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA
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62
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Neuhuber WL, Berthoud HR. Functional anatomy of the vagus system - Emphasis on the somato-visceral interface. Auton Neurosci 2021; 236:102887. [PMID: 34634680 PMCID: PMC8627476 DOI: 10.1016/j.autneu.2021.102887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Due to its pivotal role in autonomic networks, the vagus attracts continuous interest from both basic scientists and clinicians. In particular, recent advances in vagus nerve stimulation strategies and their application to pathological conditions beyond epilepsy provide a good opportunity to recall basic features of vagal peripheral and central anatomy. In addition to the "classical" vagal brainstem nuclei, i.e., dorsal motor nucleus, nucleus ambiguus and nucleus tractus solitarii, the spinal trigeminal and paratrigeminal nuclei come into play as targets of vagal afferents. On the other hand, the nucleus of the solitary tract receives and integrates not only visceral but also somatic afferents. Thus, the vagus system participates significantly in what may be defined as "somato-visceral interface".
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Affiliation(s)
- Winfried L Neuhuber
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Friedrich-Alexander University, Krankenhausstrasse 9, Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Hans-Rudolf Berthoud
- Neurobiology of Nutrition & Metabolism Department, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University, 6400 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70808, USA.
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63
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Abstract
Arterial baroreceptors (BRs) play a vital role in the regulation of the cardiopulmonary system. What is known about how these sensors operate at the subcellular level is limited, however. Until recently, one afferent axon was considered to be connected to a single baroreceptor (one-sensor theory). However, in the lung, a single airway mechanosensory unit is now known to house many sensors (multiple-sensor theory). Here we tested the hypothesis that multiple-sensor theory also operates in BR units, using both morphological and electrophysiological approaches in rabbit aortic arch (in whole mount) labeled with Na+/K+-ATPase, as well as myelin basic protein antibodies, and examined microscopically. Sensory structures presented in compact clusters, similar to bunches of grapes. Sensory terminals, like those in the airways, formed leaf-like or knob-like expansions. That is, a single myelinated axon connected with multiple sensors forming a network. We also recorded single-unit activities from aortic baroreceptors in the depressor nerve in anesthetized rabbits and examined the unit response to a bolus intravenous injection of phenylephrine. Unit activity increased progressively as blood pressure (BP) increased. Five of eleven units abruptly changed their discharge pattern to a lower activity level after BP attained a plateau for a minute or two (when BP was maintained at the high level). These findings clearly show that the high discharge baroreceptor deactivates after over-excitation and unit activity falls to a low discharge sensor. In conclusion, our morphological and physiological data support the hypothesis that multiple-sensory theory can be applied to BR units.
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64
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Parpaite T, Brosse L, Séjourné N, Laur A, Mechioukhi Y, Delmas P, Coste B. Patch-seq of mouse DRG neurons reveals candidate genes for specific mechanosensory functions. Cell Rep 2021; 37:109914. [PMID: 34731626 PMCID: PMC8578708 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A variety of mechanosensory neurons are involved in touch, proprioception, and pain. Many molecular components of the mechanotransduction machinery subserving these sensory modalities remain to be discovered. Here, we combine recordings of mechanosensitive (MS) currents in mechanosensory neurons with single-cell RNA sequencing. Transcriptional profiles are mapped onto previously identified sensory neuron types to identify cell-type correlates between datasets. Correlation of current signatures with single-cell transcriptomes provides a one-to-one correspondence between mechanoelectric properties and transcriptomically defined neuronal populations. Moreover, a gene-expression differential comparison provides a set of candidate genes for mechanotransduction complexes. Piezo2 is expectedly found to be enriched in rapidly adapting MS current-expressing neurons, whereas Tmem120a and Tmem150c, thought to mediate slow-type MS currents, are uniformly expressed in all mechanosensory neuron subtypes. Further knockdown experiments disqualify them as mediating MS currents in sensory neurons. This dataset constitutes an open resource to explore further the cell-type-specific determinants of mechanosensory properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thibaud Parpaite
- Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, LNC-UMR 7291, 13344 Marseille, France
| | - Lucie Brosse
- Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, LNC-UMR 7291, 13344 Marseille, France
| | - Nina Séjourné
- Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, LNC-UMR 7291, 13344 Marseille, France
| | - Amandine Laur
- Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, LNC-UMR 7291, 13344 Marseille, France
| | | | - Patrick Delmas
- Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, LNC-UMR 7291, 13344 Marseille, France
| | - Bertrand Coste
- Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, LNC-UMR 7291, 13344 Marseille, France.
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65
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Fancher IS. Cardiovascular mechanosensitive ion channels-Translating physical forces into physiological responses. CURRENT TOPICS IN MEMBRANES 2021; 87:47-95. [PMID: 34696889 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctm.2021.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Cells and tissues are constantly exposed to mechanical stress. In order to respond to alterations in mechanical stimuli, specific cellular machinery must be in place to rapidly convert physical force into chemical signaling to achieve the desired physiological responses. Mechanosensitive ion channels respond to such physical stimuli in the order of microseconds and are therefore essential components to mechanotransduction. Our understanding of how these ion channels contribute to cellular and physiological responses to mechanical force has vastly expanded in the last few decades due to engineering ingenuities accompanying patch clamp electrophysiology, as well as sophisticated molecular and genetic approaches. Such investigations have unveiled major implications for mechanosensitive ion channels in cardiovascular health and disease. Therefore, in this chapter I focus on our present understanding of how biophysical activation of various mechanosensitive ion channels promotes distinct cell signaling events with tissue-specific physiological responses in the cardiovascular system. Specifically, I discuss the roles of mechanosensitive ion channels in mediating (i) endothelial and smooth muscle cell control of vascular tone, (ii) mechano-electric feedback and cell signaling pathways in cardiomyocytes and cardiac fibroblasts, and (iii) the baroreflex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ibra S Fancher
- Department of Kinesiology and Applied Physiology, College of Health Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, United States.
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66
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Abstract
Mechanosensation is the ability to detect dynamic mechanical stimuli (e.g., pressure, stretch, and shear stress) and is essential for a wide variety of processes, including our sense of touch on the skin. How touch is detected and transduced at the molecular level has proved to be one of the great mysteries of sensory biology. A major breakthrough occurred in 2010 with the discovery of a family of mechanically gated ion channels that were coined PIEZOs. The last 10 years of investigation have provided a wealth of information about the functional roles and mechanisms of these molecules. Here we focus on PIEZO2, one of the two PIEZO proteins found in humans and other mammals. We review how work at the molecular, cellular, and systems levels over the past decade has transformed our understanding of touch and led to unexpected insights into other types of mechanosensation beyond the skin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcin Szczot
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA; .,Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, 583 30 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Alec R Nickolls
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA;
| | - Ruby M Lam
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA; .,NIH-Brown University Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, USA
| | - Alexander T Chesler
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA; .,National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
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67
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MacDonald AJ, Yang YHC, Cruz AM, Beall C, Ellacott KLJ. Brain-Body Control of Glucose Homeostasis-Insights From Model Organisms. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021; 12:662769. [PMID: 33868184 PMCID: PMC8044781 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2021.662769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Tight regulation of blood glucose is essential for long term health. Blood glucose levels are defended by the correct function of, and communication between, internal organs including the gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, liver, and brain. Critically, the brain is sensitive to acute changes in blood glucose level and can modulate peripheral processes to defend against these deviations. In this mini-review we highlight select key findings showcasing the utility, strengths, and limitations of model organisms to study brain-body interactions that sense and control blood glucose levels. First, we discuss the large platform of genetic tools available to investigators studying mice and how this field may yet reveal new modes of communication between peripheral organs and the brain. Second, we discuss how rats, by virtue of their size, have unique advantages for the study of CNS control of glucose homeostasis and note that they may more closely model some aspects of human (patho)physiology. Third, we discuss the nascent field of studying the CNS control of blood glucose in the zebrafish which permits ease of genetic modification, large-scale measurements of neural activity and live imaging in addition to high-throughput screening. Finally, we briefly discuss glucose homeostasis in drosophila, which have a distinct physiology and glucoregulatory systems to vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Kate L. J. Ellacott
- Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, United Kingdom
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68
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Carvalho GB, Damasio A. Interoception and the origin of feelings: A new synthesis. Bioessays 2021; 43:e2000261. [PMID: 33763881 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202000261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Revised: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Feelings are conscious mental events that represent body states as they undergo homeostatic regulation. Feelings depend on the interoceptive nervous system (INS), a collection of peripheral and central pathways, nuclei and cortical regions which continuously sense chemical and anatomical changes in the organism. How such humoral and neural signals come to generate conscious mental states has been a major scientific question. The answer proposed here invokes (1) several distinctive and poorly known physiological features of the INS; and (2) a unique interaction between the body (the 'object' of interoception) and the central nervous system (which generates the 'subject' of interoception). The atypical traits of the INS and the direct interactions between neural and non-neural physiological compartments of the organism, neither of which is present in exteroceptive systems, plausibly explain the qualitative and subjective aspects of feelings, thus accounting for their conscious nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gil B Carvalho
- Brain and Creativity Institute, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Antonio Damasio
- Brain and Creativity Institute, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
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69
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Min S, Oh Y, Verma P, Whitehead SC, Yapici N, Van Vactor D, Suh GS, Liberles S. Control of feeding by Piezo-mediated gut mechanosensation in Drosophila. eLife 2021; 10:63049. [PMID: 33599608 PMCID: PMC7920550 DOI: 10.7554/elife.63049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Across animal species, meals are terminated after ingestion of large food volumes, yet underlying mechanosensory receptors have so far remained elusive. Here, we identify an essential role for Drosophila Piezo in volume-based control of meal size. We discover a rare population of fly neurons that express Piezo, innervate the anterior gut and crop (a food reservoir organ), and respond to tissue distension in a Piezo-dependent manner. Activating Piezo neurons decreases appetite, while Piezo knockout and Piezo neuron silencing cause gut bloating and increase both food consumption and body weight. These studies reveal that disrupting gut distension receptors changes feeding patterns and identify a key role for Drosophila Piezo in internal organ mechanosensation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soohong Min
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Department of Cell Biology, Boston, United States
| | - Yangkyun Oh
- Skirball Institute, NYU School of Medicine, New York, United States
| | - Pushpa Verma
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Cell Biology, Boston, United States
| | | | - Nilay Yapici
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, United States
| | - David Van Vactor
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Cell Biology, Boston, United States
| | - Greg Sb Suh
- Skirball Institute, NYU School of Medicine, New York, United States.,KAIST, Department of Biological Sciences, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Stephen Liberles
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Department of Cell Biology, Boston, United States
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70
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Lu HJ, Nguyen TL, Hong GS, Pak S, Kim H, Kim H, Kim DY, Kim SY, Shen Y, Ryu PD, Lee MO, Oh U. Tentonin 3/TMEM150C senses blood pressure changes in the aortic arch. J Clin Invest 2021; 130:3671-3683. [PMID: 32484458 DOI: 10.1172/jci133798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The baroreceptor reflex is a powerful neural feedback that regulates arterial pressure (AP). Mechanosensitive channels transduce pulsatile AP to electrical signals in baroreceptors. Here we show that tentonin 3 (TTN3/TMEM150C), a cation channel activated by mechanical strokes, is essential for detecting AP changes in the aortic arch. TTN3 was expressed in nerve terminals in the aortic arch and nodose ganglion (NG) neurons. Genetic ablation of Ttn3 induced ambient hypertension, tachycardia, AP fluctuations, and impaired baroreflex sensitivity. Chemogenetic silencing or activation of Ttn3+ neurons in the NG resulted in an increase in AP and heart rate, or vice versa. More important, overexpression of Ttn3 in the NG of Ttn3-/- mice reversed the cardiovascular changes observed in Ttn3-/- mice. We conclude that TTN3 is a molecular component contributing to the sensing of dynamic AP changes in baroreceptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan-Jun Lu
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, Korea.,College of Pharmacy
| | - Thien-Luan Nguyen
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, Korea.,College of Pharmacy
| | - Gyu-Sang Hong
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, Korea
| | - Sungmin Pak
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, Korea
| | - Hyesu Kim
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, Korea
| | - Hyungsup Kim
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, Korea
| | | | - Sung-Yon Kim
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, and
| | - Yiming Shen
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Pan Dong Ryu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | | | - Uhtaek Oh
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, Korea
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71
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Liu J, Hu YS, Tang Y. Commentary: Vagal P2RY1 Receptors: A Novel Target for Airway Disease. Front Pharmacol 2021; 11:596003. [PMID: 33390983 PMCID: PMC7774324 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.596003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Juan Liu
- School of Sports Medicine and Health, Chengdu Sport University, Chengdu, China.,Sports Medicine Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
| | - Yu-Shi Hu
- School of Sports Medicine and Health, Chengdu Sport University, Chengdu, China.,Sports Medicine Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
| | - Yong Tang
- School of Sports Medicine and Health, Chengdu Sport University, Chengdu, China.,Sports Medicine Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
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72
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Okonogi T, Sasaki T. Optogenetic Manipulation of the Vagus Nerve. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 1293:459-470. [PMID: 33398833 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-15-8763-4_30] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The vagus nerve plays a pivotal role in communication between the brain and peripheral organs involved in the sensory detection and the autonomic control of visceral activity. While the lack of appropriate experimental techniques to manipulate the physiological activity of the vagus nerve has been a long-standing problem, recent advancements in optogenetic tools, including viral vectors and photostimulation devices, during the late 2010s have begun to overcome this technical hurdle. Furthermore, identifying promoters for expressing transgenes in a cell-type-specific subpopulation of vagal neurons enables the selective photoactivation of afferent/efferent vagal neurons and specific visceral organ-innervating vagal neurons. In this chapter, we describe recent optogenetic approaches to study vagus nerve physiology and describe how these approaches have provided novel findings on the roles of vagus nerve signals in the cardiac, respiratory, and gastrointestinal systems. Compared with studies of the central nervous system, there are still few insights into vagus nerve physiology. Further studies with optogenetic tools will be useful for understanding the fundamental characteristics of vagus nerve signals transferred throughout the body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toya Okonogi
- Laboratory of Chemical Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takuya Sasaki
- Laboratory of Chemical Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
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73
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Ghazavi A, González-González MA, Romero-Ortega MI, Cogan SF. Intraneural ultramicroelectrode arrays for function-specific interfacing to the vagus nerve. Biosens Bioelectron 2020; 170:112608. [PMID: 33035896 PMCID: PMC7654841 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2020.112608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Selective interfacing to small multifunctional nerves such as the vagus nerve (VN) which is the main multimodal autonomic nerve that provides a major communication pathway from vital peripheral organs to the brain, can have significant potential in treating and diagnosing diseases as well as enhancing our understanding of peripheral nerve circuits. Here we describe the fabrication of a 16-channel intraneural electrode array with ultramicro-dimensioned electrodes to achieve improved functionally selective recording. We demonstrate that the amorphous silicon carbide ultramicroelectrode arrays (a-SiC UMEAs) provide selectivity in the detection of neural activity in the cVN related to changes in systemic oxygenation and blood pressure. We will also demonstrate spatially selective recording of micro-compound action potentials (μCAPs) by electrical stimulation of the subdiaphragmatic branches of the VN. Distinct neural activity was recorded on electrodes separated by less than about 100 μm. This is the first time that this level of spatially selectivity recording has been demonstrated in the cVN with an intraneural multielectrode array.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atefeh Ghazavi
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | | | - Mario I Romero-Ortega
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204, USA
| | - Stuart F Cogan
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA.
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74
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Prescott SL, Umans BD, Williams EK, Brust RD, Liberles SD. An Airway Protection Program Revealed by Sweeping Genetic Control of Vagal Afferents. Cell 2020; 181:574-589.e14. [PMID: 32259485 PMCID: PMC7197391 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2020.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Revised: 02/08/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Sensory neurons initiate defensive reflexes that ensure airway integrity. Dysfunction of laryngeal neurons is life-threatening, causing pulmonary aspiration, dysphagia, and choking, yet relevant sensory pathways remain poorly understood. Here, we discover rare throat-innervating neurons (∼100 neurons/mouse) that guard the airways against assault. We used genetic tools that broadly cover a vagal/glossopharyngeal sensory neuron atlas to map, ablate, and control specific afferent populations. Optogenetic activation of vagal P2RY1 neurons evokes a coordinated airway defense program-apnea, vocal fold adduction, swallowing, and expiratory reflexes. Ablation of vagal P2RY1 neurons eliminates protective responses to laryngeal water and acid challenge. Anatomical mapping revealed numerous laryngeal terminal types, with P2RY1 neurons forming corpuscular endings that appose laryngeal taste buds. Epithelial cells are primary airway sentinels that communicate with second-order P2RY1 neurons through ATP. These findings provide mechanistic insights into airway defense and a general molecular/genetic roadmap for internal organ sensation by the vagus nerve.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara L Prescott
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Benjamin D Umans
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Erika K Williams
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Rachael D Brust
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Stephen D Liberles
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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75
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Abstract
Soohong et al. (2019) reveal a class of vagal afferents-defined by Piezo2 expression-that innervate the aorta and function to sense blood pressure fluctuations. Their study describes the morphologies and role of these neurons in vascular regulation.
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