Immediate early gene expression invoked by electrical intracochlear stimulation in some but not all types of neurons in the rat auditory brainstem

Age-Dependent FOSB/ΔFOSB Response to Acute and Chronic Stress in the Extended Amygdala, Hypothalamic Paraventricular, Habenular, Centrally-Projecting Edinger-Westphal, and Dorsal Raphe Nuclei in Male Rats

FOS proteins are early-responding gene products that contribute to the formation of activator protein-1. Several acute and chronic stimuli lead to Fos gene expression, accompanied by an increase of nuclear FOS, which appears to decline with aging. FOSB is another marker to detect acute cellular response, while ΔFOSB mirrors long-lasting changes in neuronal activity upon chronic stress. The notion that the occurrence of stress-related mood disorders shows some age dependence suggests that the brain's stress sensitivity is also a function of age. To study age-dependent stress vulnerability at the immediate-early gene level, we aimed to describe how the course of aging affects the neural responses of FOSB/ΔFOSB in the acute restraint stress (ARS), and chronic variable mild stress (CVMS) in male rats. Fourteen brain areas [central, medial, basolateral (BLA) amygdala; dorsolateral- (BNSTdl), oval- (BNSTov), dorsomedial-, ventral- (BNSTv), and fusiform- (BNSTfu) divisions of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis; medial and lateral habenula, hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN), centrally-projecting Edinger-Westphal nucleus, dorsal raphe nucleus, barrel field of somatosensory cortex (S1)] were examined in the course of aging. Eight age groups [1-month-old (M), 1.5 M, 2 M, 3 M, 6 M, 12 M, 18 M, and 24 M] of rats were exposed to a single ARS vs. controls. In addition, rats in six age groups (2, 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 M) were subjected to CVMS. The FOSB/ΔFOSB immunoreactivity (IR) was a function of age in both controls, ARS- and CVMS-exposed rats. ARS increased the FOSB/ΔFOSB in all nuclei (except in BLA), but only BNSTfu, BNSTv, and PVN reacted throughout the examined lifespan. The CVMS did not increase the FOSB/ΔFOSB in BLA, BNSTov, BNSTdl, and S1. PVN showed a constantly maintained FOSB/ΔFOSB IR during the examined life period. The maximum stress-evoked FOSB/ΔFOSB signal was detected at 2-3 M periods in the ARS- and at 6 M, 18 M in CVMS- model. Corresponding to our previous observations on FOS, the FOSB/ΔFOSB response to stress decreased with age in most of the examined nuclei. Only the PVN exerted a sustained age-independent FOSB/ΔFOSB, which may reflect the long-lasting adaptation response and plasticity of neurons that maintain the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis response throughout the lifespan.

Interaction of auditory and pain pathways: Effects of stimulus intensity, hearing loss and opioid signaling

Moderate intensity sounds can reduce pain sensitivity (i.e., audio-analgesia) whereas intense sounds can induce aural pain, evidence of multisensory interaction between auditory and pain pathways. To explore auditory-pain pathway interactions, we used the tail-flick (TF) test to assess thermal tail-pain sensitivity by measuring the latency of a rat to remove its tail from 52 °C water. In Experiment 1, TF latencies were measured in ambient noise and broadband noise (BBN) presented from 80 to 120 dB SPL. TF latencies gradually increased from ambient to 90 dB SPL (audio-analgesia), but then declined. At 120 dB, TF latencies were significantly shorter than normal, evidence for audio-hyperalgesia near the aural threshold for pain. In Experiment II, the opioid pain pathway was modified by treating rats with a high dose of fentanyl known to induce post-treatment hyperalgesia. TF latencies in ambient noise were normal 10-days post-fentanyl. However, TF latencies became shorter than normal from 90 to 110 dB indicating that fentanyl pre-treatment had converted audio-analgesia to audio-hyperalgesia. In Experiment III, we tested the hypothesis that hearing loss could alter pain sensitivity by unilaterally exposing rats to an intense noise that induced a significant hearing loss. TF latencies in ambient noise gradually declined from 1- to 4-weeks post-exposure indicating that noise-induced hearing loss had increased pain sensitivity. Our results suggest that auditory and pain pathways interact in ways that depend on intensity, hearing loss and opioid pain signaling, results potentially relevant to pain hyperacusis.

Corticotropin-Releasing Factor-Producing Cells in the Paraventricular Nucleus of the Hypothalamus and Extended Amygdala Show Age-Dependent FOS and FOSB/DeltaFOSB Immunoreactivity in Acute and Chronic Stress Models in the Rat

Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) immunoreactive (ir) neurons of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) play pivotal role in the coordination of stress response. CRF-producing cells in the central nucleus of amygdala (CeA) and oval division of the bed nucleus of stria terminalis (BNSTov) are also involved in stress adaptation and mood control. Immediate early gene products, subunits of the transcription factor activator protein 1 (AP1) are commonly used as acute (FOS) and/or chronic (FOSB/deltaFOSB) markers for the neuronal activity in stress research. It is well known that the course of aging affects stress adaptation, but little is known about the aging-related stress sensitivity of CRF neurons. To the best of our knowledge, the stress-induced neuronal activity of CRF neurons in the course of aging in acute and chronic stress models was not studied systematically yet. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to quantify the acute restraint stress (ARS) and chronic variable mild stress (CVMS) evoked neuronal activity in CRF cells of the PVN, CeA, and BNSTov using triple-label immunofluorescence throughout the whole lifespan in the rat. We hypothesized that the FOS and FOSB content of CRF cells upon ARS or CVMS decreases with age. Our results showed that the FOS and FOSB response to ARS declined with age in the PVN-CRF cells. BNSTov and CeA CRF cells did not show remarkable stress-induced elevation of these markers neither in ARS, nor in CVMS. Exposure to CVMS resulted in an age-independent significant increase of FOSB/delta FOSB immunosignal in PVN-CRF neurons. Unexpectedly, we detected a remarkable stress-independent FOSB/deltaFOSB signal in CeA- and BNSTov-CRF cells that declined with the course of aging. In summary, PVN-CRF cells show decreasing acute stress sensitivity (i.e., FOS and FOSB immunoreactivity) with the course of aging, while their (FOSB/deltaFOSB) responsivity to chronic challenge is maintained till senescence. Stress exposure does not affect the occurrence of the examined Fos gene products in CeA- and BNSTov-CRF cells remarkably suggesting that their contribution to stress adaptation response does not require AP1-controlled transcriptional changes.

Both Basal and Acute Restraint Stress-Induced c-Fos Expression Is Influenced by Age in the Extended Amygdala and Brainstem Stress Centers in Male Rats

The hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) is the main regulator of the stress response. The key of the HPA is the parvocellular paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (pPVN) controlled by higher-order limbic stress centers. The reactivity of the HPA axis is considered to be a function of age, but to date, little is known about the background of this age-dependency. Sporadic literature data suggest that the stress sensitivity as assessed by semi-quantitation of the neuronal activity marker c-Fos may also be influenced by age. Here, we aimed at investigating the HPA activity and c-Fos immunoreactivity 2 h after the beginning of a single 60 min acute restraint stress in eight age groups of male Wistar rats. We hypothesized that the function of the HPA axis (i.e., pPVN c-Fos and blood corticosterone (CORT) level), the neuronal activity of nine stress-related limbic areas (i.e., magnocellular PVN (mPVN), medial (MeA), central (CeA), basolateral nuclei of the amygdala, the oval (ovBNST), dorsolateral (dlBNST), dorsomedial (dmBNST), ventral and fusiform (fuBNST) divisions of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST)), and two brainstem stress centers such as the centrally projecting Edinger-Westphal nucleus (cpEW) and dorsal raphe nucleus (DR) show age dependency in their c-Fos response. The somatosensory barrel cortex area (S1) was evaluated to test whether the age dependency is specific for stress-centers. Our results indicate that the stress-induced rise in blood CORT titer was lower in young age reflecting relatively low HPA activity. All 12 stress-related brain areas showed c-Fos response that peaked at 2 months of age. The magnitude of c-Fos immunoreactivity correlated negatively with age in seven regions (MeA, CeA, ovBNST, dlBNST, dmBNST, fuBNST and pPVN). Unexpectedly, the CeA, ovBNST and cpEW showed a considerable basal c-Fos expression in 1-month-old rats which decreased with age. The S1 showed a U-shaped age-related dynamics in contrast to the decline observed in stress centers. We conclude that the age- and brain area dependent dynamics in stress-induced neuronal activity pattern may contribute to the age dependance of the stress reactivity. Further studies are in progress to determine the neurochemical identity of neurons showing age-dependent basal and/or stress-induced c-Fos expression.

Astrocyte Hypertrophy and Microglia Activation in the Rat Auditory Midbrain Is Induced by Electrical Intracochlear Stimulation

Neuron–glia interactions contribute to tissue homeostasis and functional plasticity in the mammalian brain, but it remains unclear how this is achieved. The potential of central auditory brain tissue for stimulation-dependent cellular remodeling was studied in hearing-experienced and neonatally deafened rats. At adulthood, both groups received an intracochlear electrode into the left cochlea and were continuously stimulated for 1 or 7 days after waking up from anesthesia. Normal hearing and deafness were assessed by auditory brainstem responses (ABRs). The effectiveness of stimulation was verified by electrically evoked ABRs as well as immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization for the immediate early gene product Fos on sections through the auditory midbrain containing the inferior colliculus (IC). Whereas hearing-experienced animals showed a tonotopically restricted Fos response in the IC contralateral to electrical intracochlear stimulation, Fos-positive neurons were found almost throughout the contralateral IC in deaf animals. In deaf rats, the Fos response was accompanied by a massive increase of GFAP indicating astrocytic hypertrophy, and a local activation of microglial cells identified by IBA1. These glia responses led to a noticeable increase of neuron–glia approximations. Moreover, staining for the GABA synthetizing enzymes GAD65 and GAD67 rose significantly in neuronal cell bodies and presynaptic boutons in the contralateral IC of deaf rats. Activation of neurons and glial cells and tissue re-composition were in no case accompanied by cell death as would have been apparent by a Tunel reaction. These findings suggest that growth and activity of glial cells is crucial for the local adjustment of neuronal inhibition to neuronal excitation.

Specific immediate early gene expression induced by high doses of salicylate in the cochlear nucleus and inferior colliculus of the rat

INTRODUCTION

Salicylate at high doses induces tinnitus in humans and experimental animals. However, the mechanisms and loci of action of salicylate in inducing tinnitus are still not well known. The expression of Immediate Early Genes (IEG) is traditionally associated with long-term neuronal modifications but it is still not clear how and where IEGs are activated in animal models of tinnitus.

OBJECTIVES

Here we investigated the expression of c-fos and Egr-1, two IEGs, in the Dorsal Cochlear Nucleus (DCN), the Inferior Colliculus (IC), and the Posterior Ventral Cochlear Nucleus (pVCN) of rats.

METHODS

Rats were treated with doses known to induce tinnitus in rats (300mg/kg i.p. daily, for 3 days), and c-fos and Egr-1 protein expressions were analyzed using western blot and immunocytochemistry.

RESULTS

After administration of salicylate, c-fos protein expression increased significantly in the DCN, pVCN and IC when assayed by western blot. Immunohistochemistry staining showed a more intense labeling of c-fos in the DCN, pVCN and IC and a significant increase in c-fos positive nuclei in the pVCN and IC. We did not detect increased Egr-1 expression in any of these areas.

CONCLUSION

Our data show that a high dose of salicylate activates neurons in the DCN, pVCN and IC. The expression of these genes by high doses of salicylate strongly suggests that plastic changes in these areas are involved in the genesis of tinnitus.

Transient Down-Regulation of Sound-Induced c-Fos Protein Expression in the Inferior Colliculus after Ablation of the Auditory Cortex

We tested whether lesions of the excitatory glutamatergic projection from the auditory cortex (AC) to the inferior colliculus (IC) induce plastic changes in neurons of this nucleus. Changes in neuronal activation in the IC deprived unilaterally of the cortico-collicular projection were assessed by quantitative c-Fos immunocytochemistry. Densitometry and stereology measures of sound-induced c-Fos immunoreactivity in the IC showed diminished labeling at 1, 15, 90, and 180 days after lesions to the AC suggesting protein down-regulation, at least up to 15 days post-lesion. Between 15 and 90 days after the lesion, c-Fos labeling recovers, approaching control values at 180 days. Thus, glutamatergic excitation from the cortex maintains sound-induced activity in neurons of the IC. Subdivisions of this nucleus receiving a higher density of cortical innervation such as the dorsal cortex showed greater changes in c-Fos immunoreactivity, suggesting that the anatomical strength of the projection correlates with effect strength. Therefore, after damage of the corticofugal projection, neurons of the IC down-regulate and further recover sound-induced c-Fos protein expression. This may be part of cellular mechanisms aimed at balancing or adapting neuronal responses to altered synaptic inputs.

The expression of mitogen-activated protein kinases and brain-derived neurotrophic factor in inferior colliculi after acoustic trauma

Acoustic trauma is well known to cause peripheral damage with subsequent effects in the central auditory system. The inferior colliculus (IC) is a major auditory center for the integration of ascending and descending information and is involved in noise-induced tinnitus and central hyperactivity. Here we show that the early effects of acoustic trauma, that eventually result in permanent damage to auditory system, lead to a transient activation of BDNF and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) including extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38 in the IC. In contrast, the early effects of acoustic trauma that result in a temporary damage produced a reversible activation only of p38. The transient activation of MAPK and BDNF in the IC after permanent acoustic trauma is attributed to the plastic changes triggered by a decreased signal input from the damaged periphery. The pattern of MAPK and BDNF activation in the IC is different from that previously described for the cochlea from this laboratory. The differences in the pattern of MAPK and BDNF expression in the IC highlight unique molecular mechanisms underlying temporary and permanent acoustic damage to the central auditory system.

Neuronal subtype identity in the rat auditory brainstem as defined by molecular profile and axonal projection

The nuclei of the auditory brainstem harbor a diversity of neuronal cell types and are interconnected by excitatory as well as inhibitory ascending, descending, and commissural pathways. Classically, neurons have been characterized by size and shape of their cell body and by the geometry of their dendrites. Our study is based on the use of axonal tracers in combination with immunocytochemistry to identify and distinguish neuronal subtypes by their molecular signature in dorsal and ventral cochlear nucleus, lateral superior olive, medial superior olive, medial nucleus of the trapezoid body, and inferior colliculus of the adult rat. The presumed neurotransmitters glutamate, glycine, and GABA were used alongside the calcium-binding proteins parvalbumin, calretinin, and calbindin-D28k as molecular markers. Our data provide distinct extensions to previous characterizations of neuronal subtypes and reveal regularities and differences across auditory brainstem nuclei that are discussed for their functional implications.

Stimulation by cochlear implant in unilaterally deaf rats reverses the decrease of inhibitory transmission in the inferior colliculus

In the last decade, numerous studies have investigated synaptic transmission changes in various auditory nuclei after unilateral cochlear injury. However, few data are available concerning the potential effect of electrical stimulation of the deafferented auditory nerve on the inhibitory neurotransmission in these nuclei. We report here for the first time the effect of chronic electrical stimulation of the deafferented auditory nerve on alpha1 subunit of the glycinergic receptor (GlyRalpha1) and glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD)67 expression in the central nucleus of inferior colliculus (CIC). Adult rats were unilaterally cochleectomized by intracochlear neomycin sulphate injection. Fifteen days later, the ipsilateral auditory nerve was chronically stimulated either 4, 8 or 22 h daily, for 5 days using intracochlear bipolar electrodes. GlyRalpha1 and GAD67 mRNA and protein were quantified in the CIC using in situ hybridization and immunohistofluorescence methods. Our data showed that as after surgical ablation, GlyRalpha1 and GAD67 expression were strongly decreased in the contralateral CIC after unilateral chemical cochleectomy. Most importantly, these postlesional down-modulations were significantly reversed by chronic electrical stimulation of the deafferented auditory nerve. This recovery, however, did not persist for more than 5 days after the cessation of the deafferented auditory nerve electrical stimulation. Thus, downregulations of GlyRalpha1 and GAD67 may be involved both in the increased excitability observed in the CIC after unilateral deafness and consequently in the tinnitus frequently observed in unilateral adult deaf patients. Electrical stimulation of the deafferented auditory nerve in patients may be a potential new approach for treating tinnitus with unilateral hearing loss.

AP-1 activity rises by stimulation-dependent c-Fos expression in auditory neurons

Acoustical or intracochlear stimulation may induce expression of the immediate early gene product c-Fos in neurons throughout the auditory brainstem. Attempting to estimate its consequences, we sought to determine if c-Fos expression occurs in neurons that also contain c-Jun p39 with which it could form the heterodimeric transcription factor AP-1 to activate a large number of genes, among them several involved in neuroplastic remodeling. Following intracochlear stimulation, c-Fos and c-Jun were found to be colocalized in nuclei of many neurons at all levels of the subcortical auditory system. We conclude that stimulation triggers Fos-Jun dimerization, causing cascades of gene expression that potentially culminate in structural changes of neurons affected by the specific pattern of activity imposed on the neuronal system.