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Yang L, Ding W, Dong Y, Chen C, Zeng Y, Jiang Z, Gan S, You Z, Zhao Y, Zhang Y, Ren X, Wang S, Dai J, Chen Z, Zhu S, Chen L, Shen S, Mao J, Xie Z. Electroacupuncture attenuates surgical pain-induced delirium-like behavior in mice via remodeling gut microbiota and dendritic spine. Front Immunol 2022; 13:955581. [PMID: 36003380 PMCID: PMC9393710 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.955581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Surgical pain is associated with delirium in patients, and acupuncture can treat pain. However, whether electroacupuncture can attenuate the surgical pain-associated delirium via the gut-brain axis remains unknown. Leveraging a mouse model of foot incision-induced surgical pain and delirium-like behavior, we found that electroacupuncture stimulation at specific acupoints (e.g., DU20+KI1) attenuated both surgical pain and delirium-like behavior in mice. Mechanistically, mice with incision-induced surgical pain and delirium-like behavior showed gut microbiota imbalance, microglia activation in the spinal cord, somatosensory cortex, and hippocampus, as well as an enhanced dendritic spine elimination in cortex revealed by two-photon imaging. The electroacupuncture regimen that alleviated surgical pain and delirium-like behavior in mice also effectively restored the gut microbiota balance, prevented the microglia activation, and reversed the dendritic spine elimination. These data demonstrated a potentially important gut-brain interactive mechanism underlying the surgical pain-induced delirium in mice. Pending further studies, these findings revealed a possible therapeutic approach in preventing and/or treating postoperative delirium by using perioperative electroacupuncture stimulation in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liuyue Yang
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China,Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Weihua Ding
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Yuanlin Dong
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Cynthia Chen
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Yanru Zeng
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Zhangjie Jiang
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Shuyuan Gan
- Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zerong You
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Yilin Zhao
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Yiying Zhang
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Xinghua Ren
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Shiyu Wang
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jiajia Dai
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Zhong Chen
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shengmei Zhu
- Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lucy Chen
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Shiqian Shen
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States,*Correspondence: Shiqian Shen, ; Jianren Mao, ; Zhongcong Xie,
| | - Jianren Mao
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States,*Correspondence: Shiqian Shen, ; Jianren Mao, ; Zhongcong Xie,
| | - Zhongcong Xie
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States,*Correspondence: Shiqian Shen, ; Jianren Mao, ; Zhongcong Xie,
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Batool S, Akhter B, Zaidi J, Visser F, Petrie G, Hill M, Syed NI. Neuronal Menin Overexpression Rescues Learning and Memory Phenotype in CA1-Specific α7 nAChRs KD Mice. Cells 2021; 10:3286. [PMID: 34943798 PMCID: PMC8699470 DOI: 10.3390/cells10123286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The perturbation of nicotinic cholinergic receptors is thought to underlie many neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders, such as Alzheimer's and schizophrenia. We previously identified that the tumor suppressor gene, MEN1, regulates both the expression and synaptic targeting of α7 nAChRs in the mouse hippocampal neurons in vitro. Here we sought to determine whether the α7 nAChRs gene expression reciprocally regulates the expression of menin, the protein encoded by the MEN1 gene, and if this interplay impacts learning and memory. We demonstrate here that α7 nAChRs knockdown (KD) both in in vitro and in vivo, initially upregulated and then subsequently downregulated menin expression. Exogenous expression of menin using an AAV transduction approach rescued α7 nAChRs KD mediated functional and behavioral deficits specifically in hippocampal (CA1) neurons. These effects involved the modulation of the α7 nAChR subunit expression and functional clustering at the synaptic sites. Our data thus demonstrates a novel and important interplay between the MEN1 gene and the α7 nAChRs in regulating hippocampal-dependent learning and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shadab Batool
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada; (S.B.); (B.A.); (F.V.); (G.P.); (M.H.)
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Basma Akhter
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada; (S.B.); (B.A.); (F.V.); (G.P.); (M.H.)
| | - Jawwad Zaidi
- Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada;
| | - Frank Visser
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada; (S.B.); (B.A.); (F.V.); (G.P.); (M.H.)
| | - Gavin Petrie
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada; (S.B.); (B.A.); (F.V.); (G.P.); (M.H.)
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Matthew Hill
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada; (S.B.); (B.A.); (F.V.); (G.P.); (M.H.)
| | - Naweed I. Syed
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
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Resham K, Khare P, Bishnoi M, Sharma SS. Neuroprotective effects of isoquercitrin in diabetic neuropathy via Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway inhibition. Biofactors 2020; 46:411-420. [PMID: 31960520 DOI: 10.1002/biof.1615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2019] [Accepted: 11/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Diabetic neuropathy is a peripheral nervous system disorder affecting both somatic and autonomic components of nervous system. A growing body of evidence have depicted that high glucose levels can induce activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, however there are no studies targeting this pathway in DN. The intent of the present study was to investigate the effects of isoquercitrin (ISQ), a Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway inhibitor, in diabetic neuropathy. Streptozotocin (50 mg/kg, i.p.) was used to induce diabetes in rats. 6-week diabetic rats were treated intrathecally with ISQ at 10 and 30 μM doses for 3 days. Furthermore, to confirm the results of the intrathecal study, a 2-week intraperitoneal treatment of ISQ was given to diabetic rats. After 6 weeks, diabetic rats developed neuropathy which was evident from reduced thermal and mechanical hyperalgesia thresholds and significant deterioration in motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV), nerve blood flow (NBF). Sciatic nerves of diabetic neuropathy rats showed increased expression of Wnt pathway proteins namely β-catenin, c-myc and MMP2. Treatment with ISQ, both intrathecally (10 and 30 μM) and intraperitoneally (10 mg/kg), significantly ameliorated the alterations in behavioral pain thresholds and improved functional parameters in diabetic rats. Moreover, ISQ also downregulated the expression of Wnt/β-catenin pathway proteins significantly in diabetic rats as compared to vehicle-treated diabetic rats. Results of the present study suggest the neuroprotective potential of ISQ in the treatment of DN via inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kahkashan Resham
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Punjab, India
| | - Pragyanshu Khare
- Food and Nutritional Biotechnology Division, National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute, Punjab, India
| | - Mahendra Bishnoi
- Food and Nutritional Biotechnology Division, National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute, Punjab, India
| | - Shyam S Sharma
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Punjab, India
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Immunopotentiator thymosin alpha-1 attenuates inflammatory pain by modulating the Wnt3a/β-catenin pathway in spinal cord. Neuroreport 2020; 31:69-75. [PMID: 31764244 DOI: 10.1097/wnr.0000000000001370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The mechanism of inflammatory pain involves the central nervous system (CNS) and the immune system. It is reported that immunopotentiator thymosin alpha-1 (Tα1) can reduce inflammation, protect neurons and strengthen the immune function. However, the roles of Tα1 in inflammatory pain still remain unclear. In this study, we found Tα1 can attenuate the complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced mechanical allodynia and heat hyperalgesia. Meanwhile, it reduced the upregulation of CFA-induced inflammatory mediators (interferon (IFN)-γ, tumor necrosis factor-α and brain-derived neurotrophic factor). In addition, we found the Wnt3a/β-catenin pathway was activated in spinal cord after the injection of CFA, paralleling with pain hypersensitivity. However, Tα1 reversed this status. In summary, Tα1 could attenuate inflammatory pain by modulating the Wnt3a/β-catenin pathway. It might be related to the downregulation of inflammatory mediators.
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Jiang R, Li P, Yao YX, Li H, Liu R, Huang LE, Ling S, Peng Z, Yang J, Zha L, Xia LP, Chen X, Feng Z. Pulsed radiofrequency to the dorsal root ganglion or the sciatic nerve reduces neuropathic pain behavior, decreases peripheral pro-inflammatory cytokines and spinal β-catenin in chronic constriction injury rats. Reg Anesth Pain Med 2019; 44:rapm-2018-100032. [PMID: 31092705 DOI: 10.1136/rapm-2018-100032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2018] [Revised: 04/15/2019] [Accepted: 04/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) is a minimal neurodestructive interventional pain therapy. However, its analgesic mechanism remains largely unclear. We aimed to investigate the peripheral and spinal mechanisms of PRF applied either adjacent to the ipsilateral L5 dorsal root ganglion (PRF-DRG) or PRF to the sciatic nerve (PRF-SN) in the neuropathic pain behavior induced by chronic constriction injury (CCI) in rats. METHODS On day 0, CCI or sham surgeries were performed. Rats then received either PRF-DRG, PRF-SN, or sham PRF treatment on day 4. Pain behavioral tests were conducted before surgeries and on days 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 14. After the behavioral tests, the rats were sacrificed. The venous blood or sciatic nerve samples were collected for ELISAs and the dorsal horns of the L4-L6 spinal cord were collected for western blot examination. RESULTS The mechanical allodynia and the thermal hyperalgesia has been relieved by a single PRF-DRG or PRF-SN application. In addition, the analgesic effect of PRF-DRG was superior to PRF-SN on CCI-induced neuropathic pain. Either PRF-DRG or PRF-SN reversed the enhancement of interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) levels in the blood of CCI rats. PRF-DRG or PRF-SN also downregulated spinal β-catenin expression. CONCLUSIONS PRF treatment either to DRG or to sciatic nerve reduced neuropathic pain behavior, and reduced peripheral levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and spinal β-catenin expression in CCI rats. PRF to DRG has a better analgesic effect than PRF to the nerve.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ren Jiang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, Yinzhou No. 2 Hospital, Ningbo, China
| | - Ping Li
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, Yinzhou No. 2 Hospital, Ningbo, China
| | - Yong-Xing Yao
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hong Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, Yinzhou No. 2 Hospital, Ningbo, China
| | - Rongjun Liu
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Ling-Er Huang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Sunbin Ling
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhiyou Peng
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Juan Yang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Leiqiong Zha
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Li-Ping Xia
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaowei Chen
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Zhiying Feng
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
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Khangura RK, Sharma J, Bali A, Singh N, Jaggi AS. An integrated review on new targets in the treatment of neuropathic pain. THE KOREAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY & PHARMACOLOGY : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN PHYSIOLOGICAL SOCIETY AND THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF PHARMACOLOGY 2019; 23:1-20. [PMID: 30627005 PMCID: PMC6315088 DOI: 10.4196/kjpp.2019.23.1.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2018] [Revised: 09/12/2018] [Accepted: 09/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Neuropathic pain is a complex chronic pain state caused by the dysfunction of somatosensory nervous system, and it affects the millions of people worldwide. At present, there are very few medical treatments available for neuropathic pain management and the intolerable side effects of medications may further worsen the symptoms. Despite the presence of profound knowledge that delineates the pathophysiology and mechanisms leading to neuropathic pain, the unmet clinical needs demand more research in this field that would ultimately assist to ameliorate the pain conditions. Efforts are being made globally to explore and understand the basic molecular mechanisms responsible for somatosensory dysfunction in preclinical pain models. The present review highlights some of the novel molecular targets like D-amino acid oxidase, endoplasmic reticulum stress receptors, sigma receptors, hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated cation channels, histone deacetylase, Wnt/β-catenin and Wnt/Ryk, ephrins and Eph receptor tyrosine kinase, Cdh-1 and mitochondrial ATPase that are implicated in the induction of neuropathic pain. Studies conducted on the different animal models and observed results have been summarized with an aim to facilitate the efforts made in the drug discovery. The diligent analysis and exploitation of these targets may help in the identification of some promising therapies that can better manage neuropathic pain and improve the health of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ravneet Kaur Khangura
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Research, Punjabi University, Patiala 147002, India
| | - Jasmine Sharma
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Research, Punjabi University, Patiala 147002, India
| | - Anjana Bali
- Akal College of Pharmacy and Technical Education, Mastuana Sahib 148002, Sangrur, India
| | - Nirmal Singh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Research, Punjabi University, Patiala 147002, India
| | - Amteshwar Singh Jaggi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Research, Punjabi University, Patiala 147002, India
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Getz AM, Wijdenes P, Riaz S, Syed NI. Uncovering the Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Synapse Formation and Functional Specificity Using Central Neurons of Lymnaea stagnalis. ACS Chem Neurosci 2018. [PMID: 29528213 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.7b00448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
All functions of the nervous system are contingent upon the precise organization of neuronal connections that are initially patterned during development, and then continually modified throughout life. Determining the mechanisms that specify the formation and functional modulation of synaptic circuitry are critical to advancing both our fundamental understanding of the nervous system as well as the various neurodevelopmental, neurological, neuropsychiatric, and neurodegenerative disorders that are met in clinical practice when these processes go awry. Defining the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying nervous system development, function, and pathology has proven challenging, due mainly to the complexity of the vertebrate brain. Simple model system approaches with invertebrate preparations, on the other hand, have played pivotal roles in elucidating the fundamental mechanisms underlying the formation and plasticity of individual synapses, and the contributions of individual neurons and their synaptic connections that underlie a variety of behaviors, and learning and memory. In this Review, we discuss the experimental utility of the invertebrate mollusc Lymnaea stagnalis, with a particular emphasis on in vitro cell culture, semi-intact and in vivo preparations, which enable molecular and electrophysiological identification of the cellular and molecular mechanisms governing the formation, plasticity, and specificity of individual synapses at a single-neuron or single-synapse resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela M. Getz
- Department of Cell Biology & Anatomy, Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
- Department of Neuroscience, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Pierre Wijdenes
- Department of Cell Biology & Anatomy, Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
- Biomedical Engineering Graduate Program, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Saba Riaz
- Department of Cell Biology & Anatomy, Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Naweed I. Syed
- Department of Cell Biology & Anatomy, Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
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Dong N, Senzel A, Li K, Lu TZ, Guo CH, Aleksic M, Feng ZP. MEN1 Tumor Suppressor Gene is Required for Long-term Memory Formation in an Aversive Operant Conditioning Model of Lymnaea stagnalis. Neuroscience 2018; 379:22-31. [PMID: 29496634 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2018.02.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2017] [Revised: 02/04/2018] [Accepted: 02/09/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Activity-dependent transcription factors critically coordinate the gene expression program underlying memory formation. The tumor suppressor gene, MEN1, encodes a ubiquitously expressed transcription regulator required for synaptogenesis and synaptic plasticity in invertebrate and vertebrate central neurons. In this study, we investigated the role of MEN1 in long-term memory (LTM) formation in an aversive operant conditioning paradigm in the freshwater pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis (L. stagnalis). We demonstrated that LTM formation is associated with an increased expression of MEN1 coinciding with an up-regulation of creb1 gene expression. In vivo knockdown of MEN1 prevented LTM formation and conditioning-induced changes in neuronal activity in the identified pacemaker neuron RPeD1. Our findings suggest the involvement of a new pathway in LTM consolidation that requires MEN1-mediated gene regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy Dong
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Anthony Senzel
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Kathy Li
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Tom Z Lu
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Cong-Hui Guo
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Mila Aleksic
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Zhong-Ping Feng
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada.
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Chen CJ, Liu DZ, Yao WF, Gu Y, Huang F, Hei ZQ, Li X. Identification of key genes and pathways associated with neuropathic pain in uninjured dorsal root ganglion by using bioinformatic analysis. J Pain Res 2017; 10:2665-2674. [PMID: 29180893 PMCID: PMC5694199 DOI: 10.2147/jpr.s143431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Neuropathic pain is a complex chronic condition occurring post-nervous system damage. The transcriptional reprogramming of injured dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) drives neuropathic pain. However, few comparative analyses using high-throughput platforms have investigated uninjured DRG in neuropathic pain, and potential interactions among differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and pathways were not taken into consideration. The aim of this study was to identify changes in genes and pathways associated with neuropathic pain in uninjured L4 DRG after L5 spinal nerve ligation (SNL) by using bioinformatic analysis. Materials and methods The microarray profile GSE24982 was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database to identify DEGs between DRGs in SNL and sham rats. The prioritization for these DEGs was performed using the Toppgene database followed by gene ontology and pathway enrichment analyses. The relationships among DEGs from the protein interactive perspective were analyzed using protein–protein interaction (PPI) network and module analysis. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Western blotting were used to confirm the expression of DEGs in the rodent neuropathic pain model. Results A total of 206 DEGs that might play a role in neuropathic pain were identified in L4 DRG, of which 75 were upregulated and 131 were downregulated. The upregulated DEGs were enriched in biological processes related to transcription regulation and molecular functions such as DNA binding, cell cycle, and the FoxO signaling pathway. Ctnnb1 protein had the highest connectivity degrees in the PPI network. The in vivo studies also validated that mRNA and protein levels of Ctnnb1 were upregulated in both L4 and L5 DRGs. Conclusion This study provides insight into the functional gene sets and pathways associated with neuropathic pain in L4 uninjured DRG after L5 SNL, which might promote our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the development of neuropathic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao-Jin Chen
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - De-Zhao Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei-Feng Yao
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu Gu
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Fei Huang
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Zi-Qing Hei
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiang Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
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10
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Getz AM, Xu F, Visser F, Persson R, Syed NI. Tumor suppressor menin is required for subunit-specific nAChR α5 transcription and nAChR-dependent presynaptic facilitation in cultured mouse hippocampal neurons. Sci Rep 2017; 7:1768. [PMID: 28496137 PMCID: PMC5432004 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-01825-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2016] [Accepted: 04/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
In the central nervous system (CNS), cholinergic transmission induces synaptic plasticity that is required for learning and memory. However, our understanding of the development and maintenance of cholinergic circuits is limited, as the factors regulating the expression and clustering of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) remain poorly defined. Recent studies from our group have implicated calpain-dependent proteolytic fragments of menin, the product of the MEN1 tumor suppressor gene, in coordinating the transcription and synaptic clustering of nAChRs in invertebrate central neurons. Here, we sought to determine whether an analogous cholinergic mechanism underlies menin's synaptogenic function in the vertebrate CNS. Our data from mouse primary hippocampal cultures demonstrate that menin and its calpain-dependent C-terminal fragment (C-menin) regulate the subunit-specific transcription and synaptic clustering of neuronal nAChRs, respectively. MEN1 knockdown decreased nAChR α5 subunit expression, the clustering of α7 subunit-containing nAChRs at glutamatergic presynaptic terminals, and nicotine-induced presynaptic facilitation. Moreover, the number and function of glutamatergic synapses was unaffected by MEN1 knockdown, indicating that the synaptogenic actions of menin are specific to cholinergic regulation. Taken together, our results suggest that the influence of menin on synapse formation and synaptic plasticity occur via modulation of nAChR channel subunit composition and functional clustering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela M Getz
- Department of Cell Biology & Anatomy, Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada
- Department of Neuroscience, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Fenglian Xu
- Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada
- Department of Biology, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, Missouri, 63103, USA
| | - Frank Visser
- Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | | | - Naweed I Syed
- Department of Cell Biology & Anatomy, Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada.
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Getz AM, Visser F, Bell EM, Xu F, Flynn NM, Zaidi W, Syed NI. Two proteolytic fragments of menin coordinate the nuclear transcription and postsynaptic clustering of neurotransmitter receptors during synaptogenesis between Lymnaea neurons. Sci Rep 2016; 6:31779. [PMID: 27538741 PMCID: PMC4990912 DOI: 10.1038/srep31779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2016] [Accepted: 07/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Synapse formation and plasticity depend on nuclear transcription and site-specific protein targeting, but the molecular mechanisms that coordinate these steps have not been well defined. The MEN1 tumor suppressor gene, which encodes the protein menin, is known to induce synapse formation and plasticity in the CNS. This synaptogenic function has been conserved across evolution, however the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unidentified. Here, using central neurons from the invertebrate Lymnaea stagnalis, we demonstrate that menin coordinates subunit-specific transcriptional regulation and synaptic clustering of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) during neurotrophic factor (NTF)-dependent excitatory synaptogenesis, via two proteolytic fragments generated by calpain cleavage. Whereas menin is largely regarded as a nuclear protein, our data demonstrate a novel cytoplasmic function at central synapses. Furthermore, this study identifies a novel synaptogenic mechanism in which a single gene product coordinates the nuclear transcription and postsynaptic targeting of neurotransmitter receptors through distinct molecular functions of differentially localized proteolytic fragments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela M Getz
- Department of Cell Biology &Anatomy, Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada.,Department of Neuroscience, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Frank Visser
- Department of Physiology &Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Erin M Bell
- Department of Cell Biology &Anatomy, Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Fenglian Xu
- Department of Physiology &Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada.,Department of Biology, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, Missouri, 63103, USA
| | - Nichole M Flynn
- Department of Cell Biology &Anatomy, Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada.,Department of Neuroscience, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Wali Zaidi
- Department of Cell Biology &Anatomy, Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Naweed I Syed
- Department of Cell Biology &Anatomy, Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada
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12
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Miranpuri GS, Schomberg DT, Alrfaei B, King KC, Rynearson B, Wesley VS, Khan N, Obiakor K, Wesley UV, Resnick DK. Role of Matrix Metalloproteinases 2 in Spinal Cord Injury-Induced Neuropathic Pain. Ann Neurosci 2016; 23:25-32. [PMID: 27536019 PMCID: PMC4934446 DOI: 10.1159/000443553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2015] [Accepted: 12/24/2015] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuropathic pain (NP) affects approximately 4 million people in the United States with spinal cord injury (SCI) being a common cause. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play an integral role in mediating inflammatory responses, cellular signaling, cell migration, extracellular matrix degradation and tissue remodeling and repair. As such, they are major components in the pathogenesis of secondary injury within the central nervous system. Other gene regulatory pathways, specifically MAPK/extracellular signaling-regulated kinase (ERK) and Wnt/β-catenin, are also believed to participate in secondary injury likely intersect. The study aims to examine the MMP-2 signaling pathway associated with ERK and Wnt/β-catenin activity during contusion SCI (cSCI)-induced NP in a rat model. This is an experimental study investigating the implication of MMP-2 in SCI-induced NP and its association with the cellular and molecular changes in the interactions between extracellular signaling kinase and β-catenin. Adult Sprague-Dawley rats received cSCI injury by NYU impactor by dropping 10 g weight from a height of 12.5 mm. Locomotor functional recovery of injured rats was measured on post cSCI day 1, and weekly thereafter for 6 weeks using Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan scores. Thermal hyperalgesia (TH) testing was performed on days 21, 28, 35 and 42 post cSCI. The expression and/or activity of MMP-2, β-catenin and ERK were studied following harvest of spinal cord tissues between 3 and 6 weeks post cSCI. All experiments were funded by the department of Neurological Surgery at the University of Wisconsin, School of Medicine and Public Health having no conflict of interest. MMP-2 and β-catenin expression were elevated and gradually increased from days 21 to 42 compared to sham-operated rats and injured rats that did not exhibit TH. The expression of phosphorylated ERK (phospho-ERK) increased on day 21 but returned to baseline levels on day 42 whereas total ERK levels remained relatively unchanged and constant. Chronic NP is associated with changes in the expression of MMP-2, β-catenin and ERK. Our data suggest that the transient upregulation of phospho-ERK is involved in the initial upregulation of both β-catenin and MMP-2 following cSCI-induced NP states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gurwattan S Miranpuri
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wis., USA
| | - Dominic T Schomberg
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wis., USA
| | - Bahauddeen Alrfaei
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wis., USA
| | - Kevin C King
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wis., USA
| | - Bryan Rynearson
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wis., USA
| | - Vishwas S Wesley
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wis., USA
| | - Nayab Khan
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wis., USA
| | - Kristen Obiakor
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wis., USA
| | - Umadevi V Wesley
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wis., USA
| | - Daniel K Resnick
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wis., USA
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13
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Up-Regulation of the Biosynthesis and Release of Substance P through Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway in Rat Dorsal Root Ganglion Cells. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0129701. [PMID: 26054011 PMCID: PMC4459973 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0129701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2014] [Accepted: 05/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
To examine regulatory effects of β-catenin on the biosynthesis and release of substance P, a rat chronic constriction injury (CCI) model and a rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG) cell culture model were used in the present study. The CCI treatment significantly induced the overall expression of β-catenin (158 ± 6% of sham) in the ipsilateral L5 DRGs in comparison with the sham group (109 ± 4% of sham). The CCI-induced aberrant expression of β-catenin was significantly attenuated by oral administration of diclofenac (119 ± 6% of the sham value; 10 mg/kg). Importantly, aberrant nuclear accumulation of β-catenin in cultured DRG cells resulted in up-regulation of the PPT-A mRNA expression and the substance P release. The up-regulation of both the PPT-A mRNA expression and the substance P release by either a GSK-3β inhibitor TWS119 (10 μM) or a Wnt signaling agonist Wnt-3a (100 ng/ml) were significantly abolished by an inhibitor of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2; NS-398, 1 μM). Collectively, these data suggest that nociceptive input-activated β-catenin signaling plays an important role in regulating the biosynthesis and release of substance P, which may contribute to the inflammation responses related to chronic pain.
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14
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Schomberg D, Miranpuri G, Duellman T, Crowell A, Vemuganti R, Resnick D. Spinal cord injury induced neuropathic pain: Molecular targets and therapeutic approaches. Metab Brain Dis 2015; 30:645-58. [PMID: 25588751 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-014-9642-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2014] [Accepted: 12/05/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Neuropathic pain, especially that resulting from spinal cord injury, is a tremendous clinical challenge. A myriad of biological changes have been implicated in producing these pain states including cellular interactions, extracellular proteins, ion channel expression, and epigenetic influences. Physiological consequences of these changes are varied and include functional deficits and pain responses. Developing therapies that effectively address the cause of these symptoms require a deeper knowledge of alterations in the molecular pathways. Matrix metalloproteinases and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases are two promising therapeutic targets. Matrix metalloproteinases interact with and influence many of the studied pain pathways. Gene expression of ion channels and inflammatory mediators clearly contributes to neuropathic pain. Localized and time dependent targeting of these proteins could alleviate and even prevent neuropathic pain from developing. Current therapeutic options for neuropathic pain are limited primarily to analgesics targeting the opioid pathway. Therapies directed at molecular targets are highly desirable and in early stages of development. These include transplantation of exogenously engineered cell populations and targeted gene manipulation. This review describes specific molecular targets amenable to therapeutic intervention using currently available delivery systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominic Schomberg
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 600 Highland Ave, Madison, WI, 53792, USA
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15
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Flynn N, Getz A, Visser F, Janes TA, Syed NI. Menin: a tumor suppressor that mediates postsynaptic receptor expression and synaptogenesis between central neurons of Lymnaea stagnalis. PLoS One 2014; 9:e111103. [PMID: 25347295 PMCID: PMC4210270 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0111103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2014] [Accepted: 09/27/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurotrophic factors (NTFs) support neuronal survival, differentiation, and even synaptic plasticity both during development and throughout the life of an organism. However, their precise roles in central synapse formation remain unknown. Previously, we demonstrated that excitatory synapse formation in Lymnaea stagnalis requires a source of extrinsic NTFs and receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) activation. Here we show that NTFs such as Lymnaea epidermal growth factor (L-EGF) act through RTKs to trigger a specific subset of intracellular signalling events in the postsynaptic neuron, which lead to the activation of the tumor suppressor menin, encoded by Lymnaea MEN1 (L-MEN1) and the expression of excitatory nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). We provide direct evidence that the activation of the MAPK/ERK cascade is required for the expression of nAChRs, and subsequent synapse formation between pairs of neurons in vitro. Furthermore, we show that L-menin activation is sufficient for the expression of postsynaptic excitatory nAChRs and subsequent synapse formation in media devoid of NTFs. By extending our findings in situ, we reveal the necessity of EGFRs in mediating synapse formation between a single transplanted neuron and its intact presynaptic partner. Moreover, deficits in excitatory synapse formation following EGFR knock-down can be rescued by injecting synthetic L-MEN1 mRNA in the intact central nervous system. Taken together, this study provides the first direct evidence that NTFs functioning via RTKs activate the MEN1 gene, which appears sufficient to regulate synapse formation between central neurons. Our study also offers a novel developmental role for menin beyond tumour suppression in adult humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nichole Flynn
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, and the Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Angela Getz
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, and the Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Frank Visser
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, and the Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Tara A. Janes
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, and the Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Naweed I. Syed
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, and the Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
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16
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Shen X, Liu Y, Xu S, Zhao Q, Wu H, Guo X, Shen R, Wang F. Menin regulates spinal glutamate-GABA balance through GAD65 contributing to neuropathic pain. Pharmacol Rep 2014; 66:49-55. [PMID: 24905306 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharep.2013.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2012] [Revised: 06/18/2013] [Accepted: 06/25/2013] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Our previous work found that tumor suppressor menin potentiates spinal synaptic plasticity in the context of peripheral nerve injury-induced neuropathic hypersensitivity, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are not clear. We hereby assessed the role of menin in regulating the spinal balance between glutamate and GABA and its contribution to the pathological condition of nerve injury-induced hypersensitivity. METHODS In spared nerve injury induced C57BL/6 mice, mechanical withdrawal threshold was measured with von Frey filaments after intrathecal administration of small interfering RNA (siRNA) of MEN1 or/and subcutaneous histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors to control the level of glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GAD65). Immunoblotting and high-performance liquid chromatography were used to detect the level of protein expression and spinal glutamate and GABA, respectively. RESULTS Genetic knockdown of spinal menin alleviated nerve injury evoked mechanical hypersensitivity, which was strongly associated with the alteration of the spinal level of GAD65 that resulted in an imbalance of glutamate/GABA ratio from the baseline ratio of 5.8 ± 0.9 (×10(-4)) to the peak value of 58.6 ± 11.8 (×10(-4)) at the day 14 after SNI (p < 0.001), which was reversed by MEN1 siRNA to 14.7 ± 2.1 (×10(-4)) at the day 14 after nerve injury (p < 0.01). In further, selective inhibitors of HDACs considerably reversed the ratio of spinal glutamate and GABA, and also alleviated the mechanical withdrawal threshold markedly. CONCLUSION Our findings provide mechanistic insight into the contribution of the upregulated spinal menin to peripheral nerve injury induced neuropathic hypersensitivity by regulating glutamate-GABA balance through deactivating GAD65.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofeng Shen
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yusheng Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shiqin Xu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Qingsong Zhao
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Haibo Wu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xirong Guo
- The Institute of Pediatrics, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Rong Shen
- The Institute of Pediatrics, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Fuzhou Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China; Division of Neuroscience, Bonoi Academy of Science & Education, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
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17
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Weng HR, Gao M, Maixner DW. Glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta regulates glial glutamate transporter protein expression in the spinal dorsal horn in rats with neuropathic pain. Exp Neurol 2013; 252:18-27. [PMID: 24275526 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2013.11.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2013] [Revised: 10/07/2013] [Accepted: 11/13/2013] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Dysfunctional glial glutamate transporters and over production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (including interleukin-1β, IL-1β) are two prominent mechanisms by which glial cells enhance neuronal activities in the spinal dorsal horn in neuropathic pain conditions. Endogenous molecules regulating production of IL-1β and glial glutamate functions remain poorly understood. In this study, we revealed a dynamic alteration of GSK3β activities and its role in regulating glial glutamate transporter 1 (GLT-1) protein expression in the spinal dorsal horn and nociceptive behaviors following the nerve injury. Specifically, GSK3β was expressed in both neurons and astrocytes in the spinal dorsal horn. GSK3β activities were suppressed on day 3 but increased on day 10 following the nerve injury. In parallel, protein expression of GLT-1 in the spinal dorsal horn was enhanced on day 3 but reduced on day 10. In contrast to these time-dependent changes, the activation of astrocytes and over-production of IL-1β were found on both day 3 and day 10. Meanwhile, thermal hyperalgesia was observed from day 2 through day 10 and mechanical allodynia from day 4 through day 10. Pre-emptive pharmacological inhibition of GSK3β activities significantly ameliorated thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia at the late stage but did not have effects at the early stage. These were accompanied with the suppression of GSK3β activities, prevention of decreased GLT-1 protein expression, inhibition of astrocytic activation, and reduction of IL-1β in the spinal dorsal horn on day 10. These data indicate that the increased GSK3β activity in the spinal dorsal horn is attributable to the downregulation of GLT-1 protein expression in neuropathic rats at the late stage. Further, we also demonstrated that the nerve-injury-induced thermal hyperalgesia on day 10 was transiently suppressed by pharmacological inhibition of GSK3β. Our study suggests that GSK3β may be a potential target for the development of analgesics for chronic neuropathic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han-Rong Weng
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Georgia College of Pharmacy, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - Mei Gao
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Georgia College of Pharmacy, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Dylan W Maixner
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Georgia College of Pharmacy, Athens, GA 30602, USA
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18
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Xu S, Wu H, Wang X, Shen X, Guo X, Shen R, Wang F. Tumor suppressor menin mediates peripheral nerve injury-induced neuropathic pain through potentiating synaptic plasticity. Neuroscience 2012; 223:473-85. [PMID: 22858595 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2012.07.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2012] [Revised: 07/21/2012] [Accepted: 07/24/2012] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Synaptic plasticity is a crucial step in the development of central sensitization in the pathogenesis of neuropathic hyperalgesia. Menin, the product of the multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) gene, possesses the property of synaptogenesis which plays an essential role in neuronal activity. We tested the contributing role of spinal menin in peripheral nerve injury-induced neuropathic hypersensitivity through modulating neuronal synaptic plasticity. After approval by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, nociceptive responses were detected with von Frey filaments and thermal plate after spared nerve injury in C57BL/6 mice who were treated with either intrathecal antisense oligonucleotide of MEN1 (ASO) or vehicle. Extracellular spontaneous discharge frequency, field excitatory postsynaptic potential (fEPSP), and monosynaptic excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) were measured electrophysiologically. Intrathecal ASO alleviated nerve injury-induced mechanical and thermal hypersensitivity. Upregulated spinal menin after nerve injury colocalized with NeuN in the superficial laminae; genetic knockdown of spinal menin reduced nerve injury induced in vivo spontaneous activity and instantaneous frequency and in vitro field potentials; ASO decreased the frequency and amplitude of monosynaptic EPSCs, and reduced synaptic strength and total charge. Collectively, these findings highlight the role of upregulated neuronal menin in the spinal cord in potentiating spinal synaptic plasticity in peripheral nerve injury-induced neuropathic hypersensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210004, China
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Shi Y, Yuan S, Li B, Wang J, Carlton SM, Chung K, Chung JM, Tang SJ. Regulation of Wnt signaling by nociceptive input in animal models. Mol Pain 2012; 8:47. [PMID: 22713358 PMCID: PMC3472283 DOI: 10.1186/1744-8069-8-47] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2012] [Accepted: 06/04/2012] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Central sensitization-associated synaptic plasticity in the spinal cord dorsal horn (SCDH) critically contributes to the development of chronic pain, but understanding of the underlying molecular pathways is still incomplete. Emerging evidence suggests that Wnt signaling plays a crucial role in regulation of synaptic plasticity. Little is known about the potential function of the Wnt signaling cascades in chronic pain development. Results Fluorescent immunostaining results indicate that β-catenin, an essential protein in the canonical Wnt signaling pathway, is expressed in the superficial layers of the mouse SCDH with enrichment at synapses in lamina II. In addition, Wnt3a, a prototypic Wnt ligand that activates the canonical pathway, is also enriched in the superficial layers. Immunoblotting analysis indicates that both Wnt3a a β-catenin are up-regulated in the SCDH of various mouse pain models created by hind-paw injection of capsaicin, intrathecal (i.t.) injection of HIV-gp120 protein or spinal nerve ligation (SNL). Furthermore, Wnt5a, a prototypic Wnt ligand for non-canonical pathways, and its receptor Ror2 are also up-regulated in the SCDH of these models. Conclusion Our results suggest that Wnt signaling pathways are regulated by nociceptive input. The activation of Wnt signaling may regulate the expression of spinal central sensitization during the development of acute and chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqiang Shi
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
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