Primary afferent input to and receptive field properties of cells in rat lumbar area X

Supraspinal modulation of neuronal synchronization by nociceptive stimulation induces an enduring reorganization of dorsal horn neuronal connectivity

KEY POINTS

The state of central sensitization induced by the intradermic injection of capsaicin leads to structured (non-random) changes in functional connectivity between dorsal horn neuronal populations distributed along the spinal lumbar segments in anaesthetized cats. The capsaicin-induced changes in neuronal connectivity and the concurrent increase in secondary hyperalgesia are transiently reversed by the systemic administration of small doses of lidocaine, a clinically effective procedure to treat neuropathic pain. The effects of both capsaicin and lidocaine are greatly attenuated in spinalized preparations, showing that supraspinal influences play a significant role in the shaping of nociceptive-induced changes in dorsal horn functional neuronal connectivity. We conclude that changes in functional connectivity between segmental populations of dorsal horn neurones induced by capsaicin and lidocaine result from a cooperative adaptive interaction between supraspinal and spinal neuronal networks, a process that may have a relevant role in the pathogenesis of chronic pain and analgesia.

ABSTRACT

Despite a profusion of information on the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in the central sensitization produced by intense nociceptive stimulation, the changes in the patterns of functional connectivity between spinal neurones associated with the development of secondary hyperalgesia and allodynia remain largely unknown. Here we show that the state of central sensitization produced by the intradermal injection of capsaicin is associated with structured transformations in neuronal synchronization that lead to an enduring reorganization of the functional connectivity within a segmentally distributed ensemble of dorsal horn neurones. These changes are transiently reversed by the systemic administration of small doses of lidocaine, a clinically effective procedure to treat neuropathic pain. Lidocaine also reduces the capsaicin-induced facilitation of the spinal responses evoked by weak mechanical stimulation of the skin in the region of secondary but not primary hyperalgesia. The effects of both intradermic capsaicin and systemic lidocaine on the segmental correlation and coherence between ongoing cord dorsum potentials and on the responses evoked by tactile stimulation in the region of secondary hyperalgesia are greatly attenuated in spinalized preparations, showing that supraspinal influences are involved in the reorganization of the nociceptive-induced structured patterns of dorsal horn neuronal connectivity. We conclude that the structured reorganization of the functional connectivity between the dorsal horn neurones induced by capsaicin nociceptive stimulation results from cooperative interactions between supraspinal and spinal networks, a process that may have a relevant role in the shaping of the spinal state in the pathogenesis of chronic pain and analgesia.

Histological identification of phrenic afferent projections to the spinal cord

Limited data are available regarding the spinal projections of afferent fibers in the phrenic nerve. We describe a method that robustly labels phrenic afferent spinal projections in adult rats. The proximal end of the cut phrenic nerve was secured in a microtube filled with a transganglionic tracer (cholera toxin β-subunit, CT-β, or Cascade Blue) and tissues harvested 96-h later. Robust CT-β labeling occurred in C3-C5 dorsal root ganglia cell bodies and phrenic afferent projections were identified in the mid-cervical dorsal horn (laminae I-III), intermediate grey matter (laminae IV, VII) and near the central canal (laminae X). Afferent fiber labeling was reduced or absent when CT-β was delivered to the intrapleural space or directly to the hemidiaphragm. Soaking the phrenic nerve with Cascade Blue also produced robust labeling of mid-cervical dorsal root ganglia cells bodies, and primary afferent fibers were observed in spinal grey matter and dorsal white matter. Our results show that the 'nerve soak' method effectively labels both phrenic motoneurons and phrenic afferent projections, and show that primary afferents project throughout the ipsilateral mid-cervical gray matter.

An evolving NGF-Hoxd1 signaling pathway mediates development of divergent neural circuits in vertebrates

Species are endowed with unique sensory capabilities encoded by divergent neural circuits. One potential explanation for how divergent circuits have evolved is that conserved extrinsic signals are differentially interpreted by developing neurons of different species to yield unique patterns of axonal connections. Although NGF controls survival, maturation and axonal projections of nociceptors of different vertebrates, whether the NGF signal is differentially transduced in different species to yield unique features of nociceptor circuits is unclear. We identified a species-specific signaling module induced by NGF and mediated by a rapidly evolving Hox transcription factor, Hoxd1. Mice lacking Hoxd1 display altered nociceptor circuitry which resembles that normally found in chicks. Conversely, ectopic expression of Hoxd1 in developing chick nociceptors promotes a pattern of axonal projections reminiscent of the mouse. We propose that conserved growth factors control divergent neuronal transcriptional events which mediate interspecies differences in neural circuits and the behaviors they control.

Pain modulation by nitric oxide in the spinal cord

Nitric oxide (NO) is a versatile messenger molecule first associated with endothelial relaxing effects. In the central nervous system (CNS), NO synthesis is primarily triggered by activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors and has a Janus face, with both beneficial and harmful properties. There are three isoforms of the NO synthesizing enzyme nitric oxide synthase (NOS): neuronal (nNOS), endothelial (eNOS), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), each one involved with specific events in the brain. In the CNS, nNOS is involved with modulation of synaptic transmission through long-term potentiation in several regions, including nociceptive circuits in the spinal cord. Here, we review the role played by NO on central pain sensitization.

Anatomical and functional characterization of neuropil in the gracile fasciculus

A fundamental organizational principle of the central nervous system is that gray matter is the province of neuronal somata, white matter their processes. However, the rat and primate dorsal columns (archetypal spinal "white matter" tracts) are actually of intermediate character, insofar as they contain a surprisingly prominent neuropil of unknown function. Here I report on the morphology, inputs, projections, and functional properties of these neurons. Small fusiform and larger lentiform neurons are most abundant in the gracile fasciculus of the cervical and lumbar enlargements and are absent from the cuneate fasciculus and corticospinal tract. Many have dendrites that run along the dorsal pia, and, although in transverse sections these neurons appear isolated from the gray matter, they are also connected to area X by varicose and sometimes loosely fasciculated dendrites. These neurons receive neurochemically diverse, compartmentalized synaptic inputs (primary afferent, intrinsic and descending), half express the substance P receptor, and some project supraspinally. Unlike substantia gelatinosa neurons, they do not express protein kinase C gamma. Functionally, they have small receptive fields, which are somatotopically appropriate with respect to their anterior-posterior position along the neuraxis. They respond to innocuous and/or noxious mechanical stimulation of the distal extremities, and some are prone to central sensitization or "windup." Morphologically, neurochemically, and functionally, therefore, these cells most closely resemble neurons in laminae III-VI in the dorsal horn. The proximity of their dorsal dendrites to the pia mater may also reflect an ability to integrate internal (e.g., changes in cerebrospinal fluid compostition) and external (e.g., somatic) stimuli.

Histochemical characterization, distribution and morphometric analysis of NADPH diaphorase neurons in the spinal cord of the agouti

We evaluated the neuropil distribution of the enzymes NADPH diaphorase (NADPH-d) and cytochrome oxidase (CO) in the spinal cord of the agouti, a medium-sized diurnal rodent, together with the distribution pattern and morphometrical characteristics of NADPH-d reactive neurons across different spinal segments. Neuropil labeling pattern was remarkably similar for both enzymes in coronal sections: reactivity was higher in regions involved with pain processing. We found two distinct types of NADPH-d reactive neurons in the agouti's spinal cord: type I neurons had large, heavily stained cell bodies while type II neurons displayed relatively small and poorly stained somata. We concentrated our analysis on type I neurons. These were found mainly in the dorsal horn and around the central canal of every spinal segment, with a few scattered neurons located in the ventral horn of both cervical and lumbar regions. Overall, type I neurons were more numerous in the cervical region. Type I neurons were also found in the white matter, particularly in the ventral funiculum. Morphometrical analysis revealed that type I neurons located in the cervical region have dendritic trees that are more complex than those located in both lumbar and thoracic regions. In addition, NADPH-d cells located in the ventral horn had a larger cell body, especially in lumbar segments. The resulting pattern of cell body and neuropil distribution is in accordance with proposed schemes of segregation of function in the mammalian spinal cord.

The VR1-Positive Primary Afferent-Mediated Expression of pERK in the Lumbosacral Neurons in Response to Mechanical and Chemical Stimulation of the Urinary Bladder in Rats

OBJECTIVE

This study characterized the neurons in the lumbosacral cord that express phospho ERK (pERK) after distension or irritation of the bladder, and their relation to the vanilloid receptor 1 (VR1) positive primary afferents.

METHODS

Mechanical distension and chemical irritation of the bladder were induced by intravesical injection of the saline and mustard oil, respectively. Spinal neurons expressing pERK and the primary afferent fibers were characterized using multiple immunofluorescence for neurokinin 1 (NK1), neuronal nitric oxide synthetase (nNOS) and VR1.

RESULTS

Neurons in lamina I, medial dorsal horn (MDH), dorsal gray commissure (DGC) and sacral parasympathetic nucleus (SPN) were immunoreactive for pERK after either mechanical or chemical stimulation. The majority of pERK positive cells were positive for NK1 in lamina I and SPN, but not in the DGC. Most of pERK positive cells are not stained for nNOS except in a small population of the cells in the SPN and DGC. Contacts between perikarya and dendrites of pERK-positive cells and terminals of primary afferents expressing VR1 were identified in lamina I, lateral collateral path (LCP) and SPN.

CONCLUSION

In this study, the lumbosacral neurons activated by mechanical and chemical stimulation of the urinary bladder were identified with expression of the pERK, and also provided the evidence that VR1-positive primary afferents may mediate the activation of these neurons.

The neurophysiology of sexual arousal

Our understanding of the process and initiation of sexual arousal is being enhanced by both animal and human studies, inclusive of basic science principles and research on clinical outcomes. Sexual arousal is dependent on neural (sensory and cognitive) factors, hormonal factors, genetic factors and, in the human case, the complex influences of culture and context. Sexual arousal activates the cognitive and physiologic processes that can eventually lead to sexual behavior. Sexual arousal comprises a particular subset of central nervous system arousal functions which depend on primitive, fundamental arousal mechanisms that cause generalized brain activity, but are manifest in a sociosexual context. The neurophysiology of sexual arousal is seen as a bidirectional system universal to all vertebrates. The following review includes known neural and genomic mechanisms of a hormone-dependent circuit for simple sex behavior. New information about hormone effects on causal steps related to sex hormones' nuclear receptor isoforms expressed by hypothalamic neurons continues to enrich our understanding of this neurophysiology.

Androgens regulate the sexually dimorphic production of co-contained galanin and cholecystokinin in lumbar laminae VII and X neurons

A population of rat lumbar laminae VII and X putative spinothalamic (STT) neurons that co-contain cholecystokinin-8 (CCK) and galanin (GAL) are sexually dimorphic. Males have a significantly greater number of these neurons, as well as having greater optical densities for both neuropeptides than females. Optical densities for GAL and CCK immunoreactivities in these lumbar neurons in rats that have the testicular feminization mutation (Tfm) are not significantly different from females; however, the number of these lumbar neurons in Tfm rats is significantly smaller than in females. These data suggest that androgens, as well as functional androgen receptors (that Tfm rats lack), are necessary for the establishment of these sexual dimorphisms. Functionally, these CCK- and GAL-containing neurons in the deep lumbar laminae may contribute to the establishment of known sex differences in the affective component of somatic and visceral nociception, as well as the sexually dimorphic nature of some pelvic diseases, e.g., irritable bowel syndrome or cystitis.

Modulation of GABAergic synaptic transmission by terminal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the central autonomic nucleus of the neonatal rat spinal cord

Using patch clamp recordings from an in vitro spinal cord slice preparation of neonatal rats (9-15days old), we characterized the GABAergic synaptic transmission in sympathetic preganglionic neurones (SPN) of the central autonomic nucleus (CA) of lamina X. Local applications of isoguvacine (100microM), a selective agonist at GABA(A) receptors, induced in all cells tested a chloride current which was abolished by bicuculline, a competitive antagonist at GABA(A) receptors. In addition, 25% of the recorded cells displayed spontaneous tetrodotoxin-insensitive and bicuculline-sensitive chloride miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents (mIPSCs). Acetylcholine (100microM) increased the frequency of GABAergic mIPSCs without affecting their amplitudes or their kinetic properties indicating a presynaptic site of action. The presynaptic effect of ACh was restricted to GABAergic neurones synapsing onto sympathetic preganglionic neurones. The facilitatory effect of ACh was abolished in the absence of external calcium or in the presence of 100microM cadmium added to the bath solution. Choline 10mM, an agonist at alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) or muscarine (10microM), a muscarinic receptor agonist, did not reproduce the presynaptic effect of ACh. The presynaptic effect of ACh was blocked by 1microM of dihydro-beta-erythroidine (DHbetaE), an antagonist of non-alpha7 nAChRs but was insensitive to alpha7 nAChRs antagonists (strychnine, alpha-bungarotoxin and methyllycaconitine) or to the muscarinic receptor antagonist atropine (10microM). It was concluded that SPNs of the central autonomic nucleus displayed a functional GABAergic transmission which is facilitated by terminal non alpha7 nAChRs.

Magnetically evoked inter-enlargement response: an assessment of ascending propriospinal fibers following spinal cord injury

The aim of the present study was to characterize a novel electrophysiological assessment, the magnetically evoked interenlargement response (MIER), by defining the anatomical location of the fast conducting (large myelinated) ascending axons that mediate the response and the relationship between the response and locomotor function following experimental spinal cord injury. Electromyographic (EMG) responses were recorded from the triceps muscles following magnetic stimulation of one hip. Short-latency (approximately 6 ms) EMGs were recorded from triceps muscles in normal controls and following different laceration injuries (dorsal, lateral or dorsal and lateral hemisections) or a 150-kilodyne (kd) contusion injury at the T9 level. The amplitude of the triceps MIER was significantly correlated to the area of spared white matter in the lateral funiculus and to hindlimb function during open field locomotion (r2 = 0.55). Following a complete lateral hemisection, MIERs were present in the triceps bilaterally following stimulation of either hip. Responses could also be recorded from the masseter muscles indicating that the influence of this pathway extends beyond the spinal cord. Anatomical evidence of a bilaterally distributed propriospinal pathway was found when biotinylated dextran amine (BDA) was injected into the lateral white matter on one side of the spinal cord at T9. BDA-labeled axons with varicosities were found bilaterally in the intermediate and ventral gray matter of the caudal region of the cervical enlargement. These observations suggest that MIERs may be useful to quantitatively assess neurotransmission and functional recovery over time after experimental spinal cord injury.

Activation and circuitry of uterine-cervix-related neurons in the lumbosacral dorsal root ganglia and spinal cord at parturition

Stimulation of the uterine cervix at parturition activates neural circuits involving primary sensory nerves and supraspinally projecting neurons of the lumbosacral spinal cord, resulting in output of hypothalamic neurohormones. Dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and spinal neurons of these circuits are not well-characterized. The objectives of this study were to detail the activation of DRG and spinal neurons of the L6/S1 levels that are stimulated at late pregnancy, verify hypothalamic projections of activated spinal neurons, and determine whether activated neurons express estrogen receptor-alpha (ERalpha). Expression of phosphorylated cyclic-AMP response element-binding protein (PCREB) and Fos immunohistochemistry were used to "mark" activated DRG and spinal neurons, respectively. Retrograde tracing identified uterine-cervix-related and spinohypothalamic neurons. Baseline PCREB expression in the DRG increased during pregnancy and peaked during the last trimester. Some PCREB-expressing neurons contained retrograde tracer identifying them as cervix-related neurons. Fos-expressing neurons were few in spinal cords of nonpregnant and day 22 pregnant rats but were numerous in parturient animals. Some Fos-expressing neurons located in the dorsal half of the spinal cord contained retrograde tracer identifying them as spinohypothalamic neurons. Some DRG neurons expressing PCREB also expressed ERalpha, and some spinal neurons activated at parturition projected axons to the hypothalamus and expressed ERalpha. These results indicate that DRG and spinal cord neurons are activated at parturition; that those in the spinal cord are present in areas involved in autonomic and sensory processing; that some spinal neurons project axons to the hypothalamus, ostensibly part of a neuroendocrine reflex; and that sensory and spinal neurons can respond to estrogens. Moreover, some activated sensory neurons may be involved in the animal's perception of labor pain.

The rat spinal cord slice: Its use in generating pharmacological evidence for cholinergic transmission using the α7 subtype of nicotinic receptors in the central autonomic nucleus

Lamina X surrounds the central canal of the spinal cord and is an important site for the convergence of somatic and visceral afferent inputs relaying nociceptive information. Lamina X contains sympathetic preganglionic neurons (SPN) in the so-called central autonomic nucleus which may participate to viscero-autonomic reflexes. Here, we describe a transversal slice preparation of postnatal rat thoracolumbar spinal cord which allows the detailed characterization of the morphology, electrophysiological properties, synaptic activities and receptor pharmacology of neurons surrounding the central canal. By means of the patch clamp technique, in its whole cell configuration, and by the use of various pharmacological tools, we show here that lamina X neurons of the central autonomic nucleus express functional alpha7 nicotinic receptors which are located postsynaptically on SPNs where they are involved in a fast cholinergic transmission. Thus, this in vitro preparation is useful to study the mechanisms and the pharmacology of viscero-autonomic reflexes.

The distribution of small and intermediate conductance calcium-activated potassium channels in the rat sensory nervous system

Small (SK) and intermediate (IK) conductance calcium-activated potassium channels are candidate ion channels for the regulation of excitability in nociceptive neurones. We have used unique peptide-directed antisera to describe the immunocytochemical distribution of the known isoforms of these ion channels in dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and spinal cord of the rat. These investigations sought to characterize further the phenotype and hence possible functions of nociceptive neurone subpopulations in the rat. In addition, using Western blotting, we sought to determine the level of protein expression of SK and IK channels in sensory nervous tissues following induction of inflammation (Freund's Complete Adjuvant (FCA) arthritis model) or nerve injury (chronic constriction injury model). We show that SK1, SK2, SK3 and IK1 are all expressed in DRG and spinal cord. Morphometric analysis revealed that SK1, SK2 and IK1 were preferentially localized to neurones having cell bodies <1000 microm2 (putative nociceptors) in DRG. Dual labeling immunocytochemistry showed that these ion channels co-localize with both CGRP and IB4, known markers of nociceptor sub-populations. SK2 was localized almost exclusively in the superficial laminae of the spinal cord dorsal horn, the region in which many sensory afferents terminate; the distribution of SK1 and IK1 was more widespread in spinal cord, although some preferential labeling within the dorsal horn was observed in the case of IK1. Here we show evidence for a distinctive pattern of expression for certain members of the calcium-activated potassium channel family in the rat DRG.

Locations and morphologies of sympathetically correlated neurons in the T(10) spinal segment of the rat

We precisely localized and morphologically characterized sympathetically correlated neurons in the acutely transected spinal cord of the rat. We have shown that these neurons are likely members of the spinal networks that generate sympathetic activity after spinal cord transection. In humans with injured spinal cords, these networks are responsible for hypertensive crises that occur in response to ordinarily innocuous stimuli. We recorded from neurons in the dorsal horn of the T(10) spinal segment of anesthetized rats after acute spinal cord transection at C(2). Neurons with activities closely correlated to renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) were considered to be putative components of spinal sympathetic systems. These neurons had receptive fields on the left flank and abdomen. After characterizing their ongoing activities, receptive fields, and degrees of correlation with RSNA, we juxtacellularly labeled neurons with biotinamide and subsequently reconstructed their somas and dendrites histologically. Confirming our earlier studies, sympathetically correlated neurons were found in dorsal horn laminae III, IV, and V. For the first time, we also identified sympathetically correlated neurons in laminae I and II. The dendrites of all sympathetically correlated neurons projected to multiple lamina. By virtue of the positions of their somas and the broad projections of their dendrites, we concluded that sympathetically correlated neurons may receive direct input both from supraspinal systems and from nociceptive and non-nociceptive primary afferents.

Estrogen Receptors in the Spinal Cord, Sensory Ganglia, and Pelvic Autonomic Ganglia

Until relatively recently, most studies of the effects of estradiol in the nervous system focused on hypothalamic, limbic, and other brain centers involved in reproductive hormone output, feedback, and behaviors. Almost no studies addressed estradiol effects at the spinal cord or peripheral nervous system level. Prior to the mid-1960s-1970s, few studies examined neural components of reproductive endocrine organs (e.g., ovary or testis) or the genital organs (e.g., uterus or penis) because available data supported endocrine regulation of these structures. Over the last two decades interest in and studies on the innervation of the genital organs have burgeoned. Because of the responsiveness of genital organs to sex steroid hormones, these neural studies seeded interest in whether or not autonomic and sensory neurons that innervate these organs, along with their attendant spinal cord circuits, also are responsive to sex hormones. From the mid-1980s there has been a steady growth of interest in, and studies of the neuroanatomy, neurochemistry, neural connectivity, and neural functional aspects in reproductive organs and the response of these parameters to sex steroids. Thus, with the growth of probes and techniques, has come studies of anatomy, neurochemistry, and circuitry of sex hormone-responsive neurons and circuits in the spinal cord and peripheral nervous system. This review focuses on estrogen receptors in sensory, autonomic, and spinal cord neurons in locales that are associated with innervation of female reproductive organs.