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Paul SM, Yohn SE, Brannan SK, Neugebauer NM, Breier A. Muscarinic Receptor Activators as Novel Treatments for Schizophrenia. Biol Psychiatry 2024; 96:627-637. [PMID: 38537670 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Achieving optimal treatment outcomes for individuals living with schizophrenia remains challenging, despite 70 years of drug development efforts. Many chemically distinct antipsychotics have been developed over the past 7 decades with improved safety and tolerability but with only slight variation in efficacy. All antipsychotics currently approved for the treatment of schizophrenia act as antagonists or partial agonists at the dopamine D2 receptor. With only a few possible exceptions, antipsychotic drugs have similar and modest efficacy for treating positive symptoms and are relatively ineffective in addressing the negative and cognitive symptoms of the disease. The development of novel treatments focused on targeting muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) has been of interest for more than 25 years following reports that treatment with a dual M1/M4-preferring mAChR agonist resulted in antipsychotic-like effects and procognitive properties in individuals living with Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia; more recent clinical trials have confirmed these findings. In addition, advances in our understanding of the receptor binding and activation properties of xanomeline at specific mAChRs have the potential to inform future drug design targeting mAChRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven M Paul
- Karuna Therapeutics, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry and Neurology, Washington University of St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri.
| | | | | | | | - Alan Breier
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
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2
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Cadeddu R, Braccagni G, Branca C, van Luik ER, Pittenger C, Thomsen MS, Bortolato M. Activation of M 4 muscarinic receptors in the striatum reduces tic-like behaviours in two distinct murine models of Tourette syndrome. Br J Pharmacol 2024; 181:3064-3081. [PMID: 38689378 DOI: 10.1111/bph.16392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Current pharmacotherapies for Tourette syndrome (TS) are often unsatisfactory and poorly tolerated, underscoring the need for novel treatments. Insufficient striatal acetylcholine has been suggested to contribute to tic ontogeny. Thus, we tested whether activating M1 and/or M4 receptors-the two most abundant muscarinic receptors in the striatum-reduced tic-related behaviours in mouse models of TS. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Studies were conducted using CIN-d and D1CT-7 mice, two TS models characterized by early-life depletion of striatal cholinergic interneurons and cortical neuropotentiation, respectively. First, we tested the effects of systemic and intrastriatal xanomeline, a selective M1/M4 receptor agonist, on tic-like and other TS-related responses. Then, we examined whether xanomeline effects were reduced by either M1 or M4 antagonists or mimicked by the M1/M3 agonist cevimeline or the M4 positive allosteric modulator (PAM) VU0467154. Finally, we measured striatal levels of M1 and M4 receptors and assessed the impact of VU0461754 on the striatal expression of the neural marker activity c-Fos. KEY RESULTS Systemic and intrastriatal xanomeline reduced TS-related behaviours in CIN-d and D1CT-7 mice. Most effects were blocked by M4, but not M1, receptor antagonists. VU0467154, but not cevimeline, elicited xanomeline-like ameliorative effects in both models. M4, but not M1, receptors were down-regulated in the striatum of CIN-d mice. Additionally, VU0467154 reduced striatal c-Fos levels in these animals. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS Activation of striatal M4, but not M1, receptors reduced tic-like manifestations in mouse models, pointing to xanomeline and M4 PAMs as novel putative therapeutic strategies for TS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Cadeddu
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Giulia Braccagni
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Caterina Branca
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Easton R van Luik
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Christopher Pittenger
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Psychology, School of Arts and Sciences, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Child Study Center, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Center for Brain and Mind Health, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | | | - Marco Bortolato
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
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Xu Y, Lin Y, Yu M, Zhou K. The nucleus accumbens in reward and aversion processing: insights and implications. Front Behav Neurosci 2024; 18:1420028. [PMID: 39184934 PMCID: PMC11341389 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2024.1420028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The nucleus accumbens (NAc), a central component of the brain's reward circuitry, has been implicated in a wide range of behaviors and emotional states. Emerging evidence, primarily drawing from recent rodent studies, suggests that the function of the NAc in reward and aversion processing is multifaceted. Prolonged stress or drug use induces maladaptive neuronal function in the NAc circuitry, which results in pathological conditions. This review aims to provide comprehensive and up-to-date insights on the role of the NAc in motivated behavior regulation and highlights areas that demand further in-depth analysis. It synthesizes the latest findings on how distinct NAc neuronal populations and pathways contribute to the processing of opposite valences. The review examines how a range of neuromodulators, especially monoamines, influence the NAc's control over various motivational states. Furthermore, it delves into the complex underlying mechanisms of psychiatric disorders such as addiction and depression and evaluates prospective interventions to restore NAc functionality.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Kuikui Zhou
- School of Health and Life Sciences, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Qingdao, China
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4
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Özçete ÖD, Banerjee A, Kaeser PS. Mechanisms of neuromodulatory volume transmission. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02608-3. [PMID: 38789677 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02608-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
A wealth of neuromodulatory transmitters regulate synaptic circuits in the brain. Their mode of signaling, often called volume transmission, differs from classical synaptic transmission in important ways. In synaptic transmission, vesicles rapidly fuse in response to action potentials and release their transmitter content. The transmitters are then sensed by nearby receptors on select target cells with minimal delay. Signal transmission is restricted to synaptic contacts and typically occurs within ~1 ms. Volume transmission doesn't rely on synaptic contact sites and is the main mode of monoamines and neuropeptides, important neuromodulators in the brain. It is less precise than synaptic transmission, and the underlying molecular mechanisms and spatiotemporal scales are often not well understood. Here, we review literature on mechanisms of volume transmission and raise scientific questions that should be addressed in the years ahead. We define five domains by which volume transmission systems can differ from synaptic transmission and from one another. These domains are (1) innervation patterns and firing properties, (2) transmitter synthesis and loading into different types of vesicles, (3) architecture and distribution of release sites, (4) transmitter diffusion, degradation, and reuptake, and (5) receptor types and their positioning on target cells. We discuss these five domains for dopamine, a well-studied monoamine, and then compare the literature on dopamine with that on norepinephrine and serotonin. We include assessments of neuropeptide signaling and of central acetylcholine transmission. Through this review, we provide a molecular and cellular framework for volume transmission. This mechanistic knowledge is essential to define how neuromodulatory systems control behavior in health and disease and to understand how they are modulated by medical treatments and by drugs of abuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Özge D Özçete
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Aditi Banerjee
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Pascal S Kaeser
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
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5
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Wadsworth HA, Warnecke AMP, Barlow JC, Robinson JK, Steimle E, Ronström JW, Williams PE, Galbraith CJ, Baldridge J, Jakowec MW, Davies DL, Yorgason JT. Ivermectin increases striatal cholinergic activity to facilitate dopamine terminal function. Cell Biosci 2024; 14:50. [PMID: 38632622 PMCID: PMC11025261 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-024-01228-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Ivermectin (IVM) is a commonly prescribed antiparasitic treatment with pharmacological effects on invertebrate glutamate ion channels resulting in paralysis and death of invertebrates. However, it can also act as a modulator of some vertebrate ion channels and has shown promise in facilitating L-DOPA treatment in preclinical models of Parkinson's disease. The pharmacological effects of IVM on dopamine terminal function were tested, focusing on the role of two of IVM's potential targets: purinergic P2X4 and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Ivermectin enhanced electrochemical detection of dorsal striatum dopamine release. Although striatal P2X4 receptors were observed, IVM effects on dopamine release were not blocked by P2X4 receptor inactivation. In contrast, IVM attenuated nicotine effects on dopamine release, and antagonizing nicotinic receptors prevented IVM effects on dopamine release. IVM also enhanced striatal cholinergic interneuron firing. L-DOPA enhances dopamine release by increasing vesicular content. L-DOPA and IVM co-application further enhanced release but resulted in a reduction in the ratio between high and low frequency stimulations, suggesting that IVM is enhancing release largely through changes in terminal excitability and not vesicular content. Thus, IVM is increasing striatal dopamine release through enhanced cholinergic activity on dopamine terminals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hillary A Wadsworth
- Department of Cellular Biology and Physiology, and Neuroscience Program, Brigham Young University, 4005 LSB, Provo, UT, 84602, USA
| | - Alicia M P Warnecke
- Titus Family Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, 1985 Zonal Avenue, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Joshua C Barlow
- Department of Cellular Biology and Physiology, and Neuroscience Program, Brigham Young University, 4005 LSB, Provo, UT, 84602, USA
| | - J Kayden Robinson
- Department of Cellular Biology and Physiology, and Neuroscience Program, Brigham Young University, 4005 LSB, Provo, UT, 84602, USA
| | - Emma Steimle
- Department of Cellular Biology and Physiology, and Neuroscience Program, Brigham Young University, 4005 LSB, Provo, UT, 84602, USA
| | - Joakim W Ronström
- Department of Cellular Biology and Physiology, and Neuroscience Program, Brigham Young University, 4005 LSB, Provo, UT, 84602, USA
| | - Pacen E Williams
- Department of Cellular Biology and Physiology, and Neuroscience Program, Brigham Young University, 4005 LSB, Provo, UT, 84602, USA
| | - Christopher J Galbraith
- Department of Cellular Biology and Physiology, and Neuroscience Program, Brigham Young University, 4005 LSB, Provo, UT, 84602, USA
| | - Jared Baldridge
- Department of Cellular Biology and Physiology, and Neuroscience Program, Brigham Young University, 4005 LSB, Provo, UT, 84602, USA
| | - Michael W Jakowec
- Titus Family Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, 1985 Zonal Avenue, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Daryl L Davies
- Department of Neurology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 1333 San Pablo Street, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA
| | - Jordan T Yorgason
- Department of Cellular Biology and Physiology, and Neuroscience Program, Brigham Young University, 4005 LSB, Provo, UT, 84602, USA.
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Mu R, Hou X, Liu Q, Wang W, Qin C, Li H. Up-regulation of GPR139 in the medial septum ameliorates cognitive impairment in two mouse models of Alzheimer's disease. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 130:111786. [PMID: 38447415 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.111786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute the largest class of cell surface receptors and present prominent drug targets. GPR139 is an orphan GPCR detected in the septum of the brain. However, its roles in cognition are still unclear. Here we first established a mouse model of cognitive impairment by a single intracerebroventricular injection of aggregated amyloid-beta peptide 1-42 (Aβ1-42). RNA-sequencing data analysis showed that Aβ1-42 induced a significant decrease of GPR139 mRNA in the basal forebrain. Using GPR139 agonist JNJ-63533054 and behavioral tests, we found that GPR139 activation in the brain ameliorated Aβ1-42-induced cognitive impairment. Using western blot, TUNEL apoptosis and Golgi staining assays, we showed that GPR139 activation alleviated Aβ1-42-induced apoptosis and synaptotoxicity in the basal forebrain rather than prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. The further study identified that GPR139 was widely expressed in cholinergic neurons of the medial septum (MS). Using the overexpression virus and transgenic animal model, we showed that up-regulation of GPR139 in MS cholinergic neurons ameliorated cognitive impairment, apoptosis and synaptotoxicity in APP/PS1 transgenic mice. These findings reveal that GPR139 of MS cholinergic neurons could be a critical node in cognition and potentially provides insight into the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronghao Mu
- Department of Pharmacology, Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China; Department of Child Developmental Behavior, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China.
| | - Xiaoying Hou
- Department of Pharmacology, Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Qi Liu
- Department of Child Developmental Behavior, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Wan Wang
- Department of Child Developmental Behavior, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Chi Qin
- Department of Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Huixian Li
- Department of Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
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7
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Cerri DH, Albaugh DL, Walton LR, Katz B, Wang TW, Chao THH, Zhang W, Nonneman RJ, Jiang J, Lee SH, Etkin A, Hall CN, Stuber GD, Shih YYI. Distinct neurochemical influences on fMRI response polarity in the striatum. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1916. [PMID: 38429266 PMCID: PMC10907631 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46088-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024] Open
Abstract
The striatum, known as the input nucleus of the basal ganglia, is extensively studied for its diverse behavioral roles. However, the relationship between its neuronal and vascular activity, vital for interpreting functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) signals, has not received comprehensive examination within the striatum. Here, we demonstrate that optogenetic stimulation of dorsal striatal neurons or their afferents from various cortical and subcortical regions induces negative striatal fMRI responses in rats, manifesting as vasoconstriction. These responses occur even with heightened striatal neuronal activity, confirmed by electrophysiology and fiber-photometry. In parallel, midbrain dopaminergic neuron optogenetic modulation, coupled with electrochemical measurements, establishes a link between striatal vasodilation and dopamine release. Intriguingly, in vivo intra-striatal pharmacological manipulations during optogenetic stimulation highlight a critical role of opioidergic signaling in generating striatal vasoconstriction. This observation is substantiated by detecting striatal vasoconstriction in brain slices after synthetic opioid application. In humans, manipulations aimed at increasing striatal neuronal activity likewise elicit negative striatal fMRI responses. Our results emphasize the necessity of considering vasoactive neurotransmission alongside neuronal activity when interpreting fMRI signal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domenic H Cerri
- Center for Animal MRI, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Biomedical Research Imaging Center, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Neurology, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Daniel L Albaugh
- Center for Animal MRI, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Biomedical Research Imaging Center, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Neurology, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Lindsay R Walton
- Center for Animal MRI, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Biomedical Research Imaging Center, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Neurology, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Brittany Katz
- Center for Animal MRI, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Biomedical Research Imaging Center, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Neurology, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Tzu-Wen Wang
- Center for Animal MRI, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Biomedical Research Imaging Center, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Neurology, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Tzu-Hao Harry Chao
- Center for Animal MRI, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Biomedical Research Imaging Center, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Neurology, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Weiting Zhang
- Center for Animal MRI, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Biomedical Research Imaging Center, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Neurology, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Randal J Nonneman
- Center for Animal MRI, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Biomedical Research Imaging Center, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Neurology, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jing Jiang
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Sung-Ho Lee
- Center for Animal MRI, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Biomedical Research Imaging Center, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Neurology, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Amit Etkin
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Alto Neuroscience, Los Altos, CA, USA
| | - Catherine N Hall
- Sussex Neuroscience, University of Sussex, Falmer, United Kingdom
- School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Falmer, United Kingdom
| | - Garret D Stuber
- Center for Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Yen-Yu Ian Shih
- Center for Animal MRI, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Biomedical Research Imaging Center, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Department of Neurology, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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Nunes EJ, Addy NA, Conn PJ, Foster DJ. Targeting the Actions of Muscarinic Receptors on Dopamine Systems: New Strategies for Treating Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 2024; 64:277-289. [PMID: 37552895 PMCID: PMC10841102 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-pharmtox-051921-023858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
Cholinergic regulation of dopamine (DA) signaling has significant implications for numerous disorders, including schizophrenia, substance use disorders, and mood-related disorders. The activity of midbrain DA neurons and DA release patterns in terminal regions are tightly regulated by cholinergic neurons found in both the striatum and the hindbrain. These cholinergic neurons can modulate DA circuitry by activating numerous receptors, including muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) subtypes. This review specifically focuses on the complex role of M2, M4, and M5 mAChR subtypes in regulating DA neuron activity and DA release and the potential clinical implications of targeting these mAChR subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric J Nunes
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Nii A Addy
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, and Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - P Jeffrey Conn
- Department of Pharmacology and Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Daniel J Foster
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, South Carolina, USA;
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Zhang K, Han Y, Zhang P, Zheng Y, Cheng A. Comparison of fluorescence biosensors and whole-cell patch clamp recording in detecting ACh, NE, and 5-HT. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1166480. [PMID: 37333890 PMCID: PMC10272411 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1166480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The communication between neurons and, in some cases, between neurons and non-neuronal cells, through neurotransmission plays a crucial role in various physiological and pathological processes. Despite its importance, the neuromodulatory transmission in most tissues and organs remains poorly understood due to the limitations of current tools for direct measurement of neuromodulatory transmitters. In order to study the functional roles of neuromodulatory transmitters in animal behaviors and brain disorders, new fluorescent sensors based on bacterial periplasmic binding proteins (PBPs) and G-protein coupled receptors have been developed, but their results have not been compared to or multiplexed with traditional methods such as electrophysiological recordings. In this study, a multiplexed method was developed to measure acetylcholine (ACh), norepinephrine (NE), and serotonin (5-HT) in cultured rat hippocampal slices using simultaneous whole-cell patch clamp recordings and genetically encoded fluorescence sensor imaging. The strengths and weaknesses of each technique were compared, and the results showed that both techniques did not interfere with each other. In general, genetically encoded sensors GRABNE and GRAB5HT1.0 showed better stability compared to electrophysiological recordings in detecting NE and 5-HT, while electrophysiological recordings had faster temporal kinetics in reporting ACh. Moreover, genetically encoded sensors mainly report the presynaptic neurotransmitter release while electrophysiological recordings provide more information of the activation of downstream receptors. In sum, this study demonstrates the use of combined techniques to measure neurotransmitter dynamics and highlights the potential for future multianalyte monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Cellular Homeostasis and Human Diseases, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanfei Han
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Cellular Homeostasis and Human Diseases, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Cellular Homeostasis and Human Diseases, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuqiong Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Aobing Cheng
- Department of Anesthesiology, Guangzhou First People’s Hospital, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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10
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Manz KM, Brady LJ, Calipari ES, Grueter BA. Accumbal Histamine Signaling Engages Discrete Interneuron Microcircuits. Biol Psychiatry 2023; 93:1041-1052. [PMID: 34953589 PMCID: PMC9012818 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Central histamine (HA) signaling modulates diverse cortical and subcortical circuits throughout the brain, including the nucleus accumbens (NAc). The NAc, a key striatal subregion directing reward-related behavior, expresses diverse HA receptor subtypes that elicit cellular and synaptic plasticity. However, the neuromodulatory capacity of HA within interneuron microcircuits in the NAc remains unknown. METHODS We combined electrophysiology, pharmacology, voltammetry, and optogenetics in male transgenic reporter mice to determine how HA influences microcircuit motifs controlled by parvalbumin-expressing fast-spiking interneurons (PV-INs) and tonically active cholinergic interneurons (CINs) in the NAc shell. RESULTS HA enhanced CIN output through an H2 receptor (H2R)-dependent effector pathway requiring Ca2+-activated small-conductance K+ channels, with a small but discernible contribution from H1Rs and synaptic H3Rs. While PV-IN excitability was unaffected by HA, presynaptic H3Rs decreased feedforward drive onto PV-INs via AC-cAMP-PKA (adenylyl cyclase-cyclic adenosine monophosphate-protein kinase A) signaling. H3R-dependent plasticity was differentially expressed at mediodorsal thalamus and prefrontal cortex synapses onto PV-INs, with mediodorsal thalamus synapses undergoing HA-induced long-term depression. These effects triggered downstream shifts in PV-IN- and CIN-controlled microcircuits, including near-complete collapse of mediodorsal thalamus-evoked feedforward inhibition and increased mesoaccumbens dopamine release. CONCLUSIONS HA targets H1R, H2R, and H3Rs in the NAc shell to engage synapse- and cell type-specific mechanisms that bidirectionally regulate PV-IN and CIN microcircuit activity. These findings extend the current conceptual framework of HA signaling and offer critical insight into the modulatory potential of HA in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin M Manz
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
| | - Lillian J Brady
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Erin S Calipari
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Brad A Grueter
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
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11
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Continuous cholinergic-dopaminergic updating in the nucleus accumbens underlies approaches to reward-predicting cues. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7924. [PMID: 36564387 PMCID: PMC9789106 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35601-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to learn Pavlovian associations from environmental cues predicting positive outcomes is critical for survival, motivating adaptive behaviours. This cued-motivated behaviour depends on the nucleus accumbens (NAc). NAc output activity mediated by spiny projecting neurons (SPNs) is regulated by dopamine, but also by cholinergic interneurons (CINs), which can release acetylcholine and glutamate via the activity of the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) or the vesicular glutamate transporter (VGLUT3), respectively. Here we investigated behavioural and neurochemical changes in mice performing a touchscreen Pavlovian approach task by recording dopamine, acetylcholine, and calcium dynamics from D1- and D2-SPNs using fibre photometry in control, VAChT or VGLUT3 mutant mice to understand how these signals cooperate in the service of approach behaviours toward reward-predicting cues. We reveal that NAc acetylcholine-dopaminergic signalling is continuously updated to regulate striatal output underlying the acquisition of Pavlovian approach learning toward reward-predicting cues.
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12
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Shan Q, Fang Q, Tian Y. Evidence that GIRK Channels Mediate the DREADD-hM4Di Receptor Activation-Induced Reduction in Membrane Excitability of Striatal Medium Spiny Neurons. ACS Chem Neurosci 2022; 13:2084-2091. [PMID: 35766981 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The hM4Di receptor-based chemogenetic DREADD system has been widely used to suppress neuronal activities, which has contributed substantially to the identification of behavior-associated neuronal circuitries including those in the striatum. One major mechanism by which hM4Di receptor activation suppresses neuronal activity is that the activation reduces membrane excitability, which is thought to be mediated by the opening of GIRK channels. However, previous studies have suggested that GIRK channels are barely expressed in the striatum, which naturally raises the question whether the hM4Di receptor activation-induced reduction in membrane excitability found in striatal medium spiny neurons (MSNs, which constitute 95-98% of the striatal neuronal population) is truly mediated by the endogenous GIRK channels in such scarcity. This study aims to answer this question by applying a GIRK channel-selective blocker, tertiapin-Q (TPNQ), to striatal MSNs. This study first verified that application of clozapine (CZP), an hM4Di receptor agonist, to MSNs expressing the hM4Di receptors hyperpolarized the cell membrane, and reduced membrane excitability and input resistance. This study next revealed that TPNQ post-treatment completely canceled the above CZP-induced electrophysiological effects and that TPNQ pretreatment mostly prevented further expression of the above CZP-induced electrophysiological effects. In addition, confocal microscopy imaging also revealed significant above-background GIRK1 immunofluorescence signals in striatal MSNs. These data suggest that the TPNQ-sensitive GIRK channels, despite being expressed at low levels, are likely the major mediator downstream of hM4Di receptor activation to reduce membrane excitability in striatal MSNs. These results imply that the notion held by scientists in the field that GIRK channels are absent in the striatum or their expression level is not significant enough to exert any function might be oversimplified or incorrect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Shan
- Laboratory for Synaptic Plasticity, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong 515041, China
| | - Qimeng Fang
- Laboratory for Synaptic Plasticity, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong 515041, China
| | - Yao Tian
- Chern Institute of Mathematics, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
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13
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Baimel C, Jang E, Scudder SL, Manoocheri K, Carter AG. Hippocampal-evoked inhibition of cholinergic interneurons in the nucleus accumbens. Cell Rep 2022; 40:111042. [PMID: 35793623 PMCID: PMC9302453 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Cholinergic interneurons (ChIs) in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) play a central role in motivated behaviors and associated disorders. However, while the activation of ChIs has been well studied in the dorsal striatum, little is known about how they are engaged in the NAc. Here, we find that the ventral hippocampus (vHPC) and the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) are the main excitatory inputs to ChIs in the NAc medial shell. While the PVT activates ChIs, the vHPC evokes a pronounced pause in firing through prominent feedforward inhibition. In contrast to the dorsal striatum, this inhibition reflects strong connections onto ChIs from local parvalbumin interneurons. Our results reveal the mechanisms by which different long-range inputs engage ChIs, highlighting fundamental differences in local connectivity across the striatum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corey Baimel
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, 4 Washington Place, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Emily Jang
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, 4 Washington Place, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Samantha L Scudder
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, 4 Washington Place, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Kasra Manoocheri
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, 4 Washington Place, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Adam G Carter
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, 4 Washington Place, New York, NY 10003, USA.
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14
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Laverne G, Pesce J, Reynders A, Combrisson E, Gascon E, Melon C, Kerkerian-Le Goff L, Maurice N, Beurrier C. Cholinergic interneuron inhibition potentiates corticostriatal transmission in direct medium spiny neurons and rescues motor learning in parkinsonism. Cell Rep 2022; 40:111034. [PMID: 35793632 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Striatal cholinergic interneurons (CINs) respond to salient or reward prediction-related stimuli after conditioning with brief pauses in their activity, implicating them in learning and action selection. This pause is lost in animal models of Parkinson's disease. How this signal regulates the striatal network remains an open question. Here, we examine the impact of CIN firing inhibition on glutamatergic transmission between the cortex and the medium spiny neurons expressing dopamine D1 receptor (D1 MSNs). Brief interruption of CIN activity has no effect in control conditions, whereas it increases glutamatergic responses in D1 MSNs after dopamine denervation. This potentiation depends upon M4 muscarinic receptor and protein kinase A. Decreasing CIN firing by optogenetics/chemogenetics in vivo partially rescues long-term potentiation in MSNs and motor learning deficits in parkinsonian mice. Our findings demonstrate that the control exerted by CINs on corticostriatal transmission and striatal-dependent motor-skill learning depends on the integrity of dopaminergic inputs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gwenaëlle Laverne
- Aix Marseille University, CNRS, Institut de Biologie du Développement (IBDM), 13009 Marseille, France
| | - Jonathan Pesce
- Aix Marseille University, CNRS, Institut de Biologie du Développement (IBDM), 13009 Marseille, France
| | - Ana Reynders
- Aix Marseille University, CNRS, Institut de Biologie du Développement (IBDM), 13009 Marseille, France
| | - Etienne Combrisson
- Aix Marseille University, CNRS, Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone (INT), 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Eduardo Gascon
- Aix Marseille University, CNRS, Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone (INT), 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Christophe Melon
- Aix Marseille University, CNRS, Institut de Biologie du Développement (IBDM), 13009 Marseille, France
| | - Lydia Kerkerian-Le Goff
- Aix Marseille University, CNRS, Institut de Biologie du Développement (IBDM), 13009 Marseille, France
| | - Nicolas Maurice
- Aix Marseille University, CNRS, Institut de Biologie du Développement (IBDM), 13009 Marseille, France
| | - Corinne Beurrier
- Aix Marseille University, CNRS, Institut de Biologie du Développement (IBDM), 13009 Marseille, France.
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15
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Xing H, Yokoi F, Walker AL, Torres-Medina R, Liu Y, Li Y. Electrophysiological characterization of the striatal cholinergic interneurons in Dyt1 ΔGAG knock-in mice. DYSTONIA 2022; 1:10557. [PMID: 36329866 PMCID: PMC9629210 DOI: 10.3389/dyst.2022.10557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
DYT1 dystonia is an inherited early-onset movement disorder characterized by sustained muscle contractions causing twisting, repetitive movements, and abnormal postures. Most DYT1 patients have a heterozygous trinucleotide GAG deletion mutation (ΔGAG) in DYT1/TOR1A, coding for torsinA. Dyt1 heterozygous ΔGAG knock-in (KI) mice show motor deficits and reduced striatal dopamine receptor 2 (D2R). Striatal cholinergic interneurons (ChIs) are essential in regulating striatal motor circuits. Multiple dystonia rodent models, including KI mice, show altered ChI firing and modulation. However, due to the errors in assigning KI mice, it is essential to replicate these findings in genetically confirmed KI mice. Here, we found irregular and decreased spontaneous firing frequency in the acute brain slices from Dyt1 KI mice. Quinpirole, a D2R agonist, showed less inhibitory effect on the spontaneous ChI firing in Dyt1 KI mice, suggesting decreased D2R function on the striatal ChIs. On the other hand, a muscarinic receptor agonist, muscarine, inhibited the ChI firing in both wild-type (WT) and Dyt1 KI mice. Trihexyphenidyl, a muscarinic acetylcholine receptor M1 antagonist, had no significant effect on the firing. Moreover, the resting membrane property and functions of hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channels, μ-opioid receptors, and large-conductance calcium-activated potassium (BK) channels were unaffected in Dyt1 KI mice. The results suggest that the irregular and low-frequency firing and decreased D2R function are the main alterations of striatal ChIs in Dyt1 KI mice. These results appear consistent with the reduced dopamine release and high striatal acetylcholine tone in the previous reports.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Xing
- Norman Fixel Institute of Neurological Diseases and Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610-0236, USA
| | - Fumiaki Yokoi
- Norman Fixel Institute of Neurological Diseases and Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610-0236, USA
| | - Ariel Luz Walker
- Norman Fixel Institute of Neurological Diseases and Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610-0236, USA
| | - Rosemarie Torres-Medina
- Norman Fixel Institute of Neurological Diseases and Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610-0236, USA
| | - Yuning Liu
- Norman Fixel Institute of Neurological Diseases and Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610-0236, USA
| | - Yuqing Li
- Norman Fixel Institute of Neurological Diseases and Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610-0236, USA
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16
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Liu C, Cai X, Ritzau-Jost A, Kramer PF, Li Y, Khaliq ZM, Hallermann S, Kaeser PS. An action potential initiation mechanism in distal axons for the control of dopamine release. Science 2022; 375:1378-1385. [PMID: 35324301 PMCID: PMC9081985 DOI: 10.1126/science.abn0532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Information flow in neurons proceeds by integrating inputs in dendrites, generating action potentials near the soma, and releasing neurotransmitters from nerve terminals in the axon. We found that in the striatum, acetylcholine-releasing neurons induce action potential firing in distal dopamine axons. Spontaneous activity of cholinergic neurons produced dopamine release that extended beyond acetylcholine-signaling domains, and traveling action potentials were readily recorded from dopamine axons in response to cholinergic activation. In freely moving mice, dopamine and acetylcholine covaried with movement direction. Local inhibition of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors impaired dopamine dynamics and affected movement. Our findings uncover an endogenous mechanism for action potential initiation independent of somatodendritic integration and establish that this mechanism segregates the control of dopamine signaling between axons and somata.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changliang Liu
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School; Boston, United States
| | - Xintong Cai
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School; Boston, United States
| | - Andreas Ritzau-Jost
- Carl-Ludwig-Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Leipzig University; Leipzig, Germany
| | - Paul F. Kramer
- Cellular Neurophysiology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health; Bethesda, United States
| | - Yulong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking University School of Life Sciences; Beijing, China
| | - Zayd M. Khaliq
- Cellular Neurophysiology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health; Bethesda, United States
| | - Stefan Hallermann
- Carl-Ludwig-Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Leipzig University; Leipzig, Germany
| | - Pascal S. Kaeser
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School; Boston, United States
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17
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Brundage JN, Mason CP, Wadsworth HA, Finuf CS, Nelson JJ, Ronström PJW, Jones SR, Siciliano CA, Steffensen SC, Yorgason JT. Regional and sex differences in spontaneous striatal dopamine transmission. J Neurochem 2022; 160:598-612. [PMID: 34265080 PMCID: PMC10044475 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Striatal dopamine release is key for learning and motivation and is composed of subregions including the dorsal striatum (DS), nucleus accumbens core, and the nucleus accumbens shell. Spontaneously occurring dopamine release was compared across these subregions. Dopamine release/uptake dynamics differ across striatal subregions, with dopamine transient release amplitude and release frequency greatest in male mice, and the largest signals observed in the DS. Surprisingly, female mice exhibited little regional differences in dopamine release for DS and nucleus accumbens core regions, but lower release in the nucleus accumbens shell. Blocking voltage-gated K+ channel (Kv channels) with 4-aminopyridine enhanced dopamine detection without affecting reuptake. The 4-aminopyridine effects were greatest in ventral regions of female mice, suggesting regional differences in Kv channel expression. The dopamine transporter blocker cocaine also enhanced detection across subregions in both sexes, with greater overall increased release in females than males. Thus, sex differences in dopamine transmission are apparent and likely include differences in the Kv channel and dopamine transporter function. The lack of regional differences in dopamine release observed in females indicates differential regulation of spontaneous and evoked dopamine release.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Colin P. Mason
- Neuroscience Center, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA
| | | | - Chris S. Finuf
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Center, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA
| | - Josh J. Nelson
- Neuroscience Center, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA
| | | | - Sara R. Jones
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, NC, USA
| | - Cody A. Siciliano
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Scott C. Steffensen
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Center, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA
| | - Jordan T. Yorgason
- Neuroscience Center, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA
- Department of Cellular Biology and Physiology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA
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18
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Sato D, Narita M, Hamada Y, Mori T, Tanaka K, Tamura H, Yamanaka A, Matsui R, Watanabe D, Suda Y, Senba E, Watanabe M, Navratilova E, Porreca F, Kuzumaki N, Narita M. Relief of neuropathic pain by cell-specific manipulation of nucleus accumbens dopamine D1- and D2-receptor-expressing neurons. Mol Brain 2022; 15:10. [PMID: 34991655 PMCID: PMC8740378 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-021-00896-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging evidence suggests that the mesolimbic dopaminergic network plays a role in the modulation of pain. As chronic pain conditions are associated with hypodopaminergic tone in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), we evaluated the effects of increasing signaling at dopamine D1/D2-expressing neurons in the NAc neurons in a model of neuropathic pain induced by partial ligation of sciatic nerve. Bilateral microinjection of either the selective D1-receptor (Gs-coupled) agonist Chloro-APB or the selective D2-receptor (Gi-coupled) agonist quinpirole into the NAc partially reversed nerve injury-induced thermal allodynia. Either optical stimulation of D1-receptor-expressing neurons or optical suppression of D2-receptor-expressing neurons in both the inner and outer substructures of the NAc also transiently, but significantly, restored nerve injury-induced allodynia. Under neuropathic pain-like condition, specific facilitation of terminals of D1-receptor-expressing NAc neurons projecting to the VTA revealed a feedforward-like antinociceptive circuit. Additionally, functional suppression of cholinergic interneurons that negatively and positively control the activity of D1- and D2-receptor-expressing neurons, respectively, also transiently elicited anti-allodynic effects in nerve injured animals. These findings suggest that comprehensive activation of D1-receptor-expressing neurons and integrated suppression of D2-receptor-expressing neurons in the NAc may lead to a significant relief of neuropathic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Sato
- Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-4-41 Ebara, Shinagawa-ku, 142-8501, Tokyo, Japan.,Division of Cancer Pathophysiology, National Cancer Center Research Institute (NCCRI), 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, 104-0045, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Michiko Narita
- Division of Cancer Pathophysiology, National Cancer Center Research Institute (NCCRI), 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, 104-0045, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Institute of Medical science, Tokyo Medical University, 6-7-1 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, 160-0023, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yusuke Hamada
- Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-4-41 Ebara, Shinagawa-ku, 142-8501, Tokyo, Japan.,Division of Cancer Pathophysiology, National Cancer Center Research Institute (NCCRI), 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, 104-0045, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomohisa Mori
- Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-4-41 Ebara, Shinagawa-ku, 142-8501, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kenichi Tanaka
- Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-4-41 Ebara, Shinagawa-ku, 142-8501, Tokyo, Japan.,Division of Cancer Pathophysiology, National Cancer Center Research Institute (NCCRI), 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, 104-0045, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hideki Tamura
- Institute for Advanced Life Sciences, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-4-41 Ebara, Shinagawa-ku, 142-0063, Tokyo, Japan.,Laboratory of Biofunctional Science, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-4-41 Ebara, Shinagawa-ku, 142-0063, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akihiro Yamanaka
- Department of Neuroscience II, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, 464-8601, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Ryosuke Matsui
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate school of Medicine, Kyoto University, Yoshida, Sakyo-ku, 606-8501, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Dai Watanabe
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate school of Medicine, Kyoto University, Yoshida, Sakyo-ku, 606-8501, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yukari Suda
- Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-4-41 Ebara, Shinagawa-ku, 142-8501, Tokyo, Japan.,Division of Cancer Pathophysiology, National Cancer Center Research Institute (NCCRI), 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, 104-0045, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Emiko Senba
- Department of Physical Therapy, Osaka Yukioka College of Health Science, 1-1-41 Sojiji, Ibaraki-City, 567-0801, Osaka, Japan.,Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Wakayama Medical University, 811-1 Kimiidera,Wakayama City, 641-8509, Wakayama, Japan
| | - Moe Watanabe
- Department of Pharmacology, Arizona Health Sciences Center, University of Arizona, 1501 N. Campbell Avenue, 85724, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Edita Navratilova
- Department of Pharmacology, Arizona Health Sciences Center, University of Arizona, 1501 N. Campbell Avenue, 85724, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Frank Porreca
- Department of Pharmacology, Arizona Health Sciences Center, University of Arizona, 1501 N. Campbell Avenue, 85724, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Naoko Kuzumaki
- Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-4-41 Ebara, Shinagawa-ku, 142-8501, Tokyo, Japan. .,Division of Cancer Pathophysiology, National Cancer Center Research Institute (NCCRI), 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, 104-0045, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Minoru Narita
- Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-4-41 Ebara, Shinagawa-ku, 142-8501, Tokyo, Japan. .,Division of Cancer Pathophysiology, National Cancer Center Research Institute (NCCRI), 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, 104-0045, Tokyo, Japan.
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19
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Faruk MO, Tsuboi D, Yamahashi Y, Funahashi Y, Lin YH, Ahammad RU, Hossen E, Amano M, Nishioka T, Tzingounis AV, Yamada K, Nagai T, Kaibuchi K. Muscarinic signaling regulates voltage-gated potassium channel KCNQ2 phosphorylation in the nucleus accumbens via protein kinase C for aversive learning. J Neurochem 2021; 160:325-341. [PMID: 34878647 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The nucleus accumbens (NAc) plays critical roles in emotional behaviors, including aversive learning. Aversive stimuli such as an electric foot shock increase acetylcholine (ACh) in the NAc, and muscarinic signaling appears to increase neuronal excitability and aversive learning. Muscarinic signaling inhibits the voltage-dependent potassium KCNQ current which regulates neuronal excitability, but the regulatory mechanism has not been fully elucidated. Phosphorylation of KCNQ2 at threonine 217 (T217) and its inhibitory effect on channel activity were predicted. However, whether and how muscarinic signaling phosphorylates KCNQ2 in vivo remains unclear. Here, we found that PKC directly phosphorylated KCNQ2 at T217 in vitro. Carbachol and a muscarinic M1 receptor (M1R) agonist facilitated KCNQ2 phosphorylation at T217 in NAc/striatum slices in a PKC-dependent manner. Systemic administration of the cholinesterase inhibitor donepezil, which is commonly used to treat dementia, and electric foot shock to mice induced the phosphorylation of KCNQ2 at T217 in the NAc, whereas phosphorylation was suppressed by an M1R antagonist. Conditional deletion of Kcnq2 in the NAc enhanced electric foot shock induced aversive learning. Our findings indicate that muscarinic signaling induces the phosphorylation of KCNQ2 at T217 via PKC activation for aversive learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Omar Faruk
- Department of Cell Pharmacology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Daisuke Tsuboi
- Research Project for Neural and Tumor Signaling, Institute for Comprehensive Medical Science, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan
| | - Yukie Yamahashi
- Research Project for Neural and Tumor Signaling, Institute for Comprehensive Medical Science, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Funahashi
- Research Project for Neural and Tumor Signaling, Institute for Comprehensive Medical Science, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan
| | - You-Hsin Lin
- Department of Cell Pharmacology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Rijwan Uddin Ahammad
- Department of Cell Pharmacology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Emran Hossen
- Department of Cell Pharmacology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Mutsuki Amano
- Department of Cell Pharmacology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Tomoki Nishioka
- Research Project for Neural and Tumor Signaling, Institute for Comprehensive Medical Science, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan
| | - Anastasios V Tzingounis
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - Kiyofumi Yamada
- Department of Neuropsychopharmacology and Hospital Pharmacy, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Taku Nagai
- Division of Behavioral Neuropharmacology, International Center for Brain Science (ICBS), Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan
| | - Kozo Kaibuchi
- Department of Cell Pharmacology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan.,Research Project for Neural and Tumor Signaling, Institute for Comprehensive Medical Science, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan
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20
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Tassone A, Martella G, Meringolo M, Vanni V, Sciamanna G, Ponterio G, Imbriani P, Bonsi P, Pisani A. Vesicular Acetylcholine Transporter Alters Cholinergic Tone and Synaptic Plasticity in DYT1 Dystonia. Mov Disord 2021; 36:2768-2779. [PMID: 34173686 PMCID: PMC9291835 DOI: 10.1002/mds.28698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Acetylcholine‐mediated transmission plays a central role in the impairment of corticostriatal synaptic activity and plasticity in multiple DYT1 mouse models. However, the nature of such alteration remains unclear. Objective The aim of the present work was to characterize the mechanistic basis of cholinergic dysfunction in DYT1 dystonia to identify potential targets for pharmacological intervention. Methods We utilized electrophysiology recordings, immunohistochemistry, enzymatic activity assays, and Western blotting techniques to analyze in detail the cholinergic machinery in the dorsal striatum of the Tor1a+/− mouse model of DYT1 dystonia. Results We found a significant increase in the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) protein level, the protein responsible for loading acetylcholine (ACh) from the cytosol into synaptic vesicles, which indicates an altered cholinergic tone. Accordingly, in Tor1a+/− mice we measured a robust elevation in basal ACh content coupled to a compensatory enhancement of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzymatic activity. Moreover, pharmacological activation of dopamine D2 receptors, which is expected to reduce ACh levels, caused an abnormal elevation in its content, as compared to controls. Patch‐clamp recordings revealed a reduced effect of AChE inhibitors on cholinergic interneuron excitability, whereas muscarinic autoreceptor function was preserved. Finally, we tested the hypothesis that blockade of VAChT could restore corticostriatal long‐term synaptic plasticity deficits. Vesamicol, a selective VAChT inhibitor, rescued a normal expression of synaptic plasticity. Conclusions Overall, our findings indicate that VAChT is a key player in the alterations of striatal plasticity and a novel target to normalize cholinergic dysfunction observed in DYT1 dystonia. © 2021 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalisa Tassone
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Plasticity, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppina Martella
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Plasticity, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Meringolo
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Plasticity, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Valentina Vanni
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Plasticity, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Sciamanna
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Plasticity, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Giulia Ponterio
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Plasticity, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Imbriani
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Plasticity, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Bonsi
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Plasticity, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Pisani
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.,IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
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21
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Ren Y, Liu Y, Luo M. Gap Junctions Between Striatal D1 Neurons and Cholinergic Interneurons. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:674399. [PMID: 34168539 PMCID: PMC8217616 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.674399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The striatum participates in numerous important behaviors. Its principal projection neurons use GABA and peptides as neurotransmitters and interact extensively with interneurons, including cholinergic interneurons (ChIs) that are tonically active. Dissecting the interactions between projection neurons and ChIs is important for uncovering the role and mechanisms of the striatal microcircuits. Here, by combining several optogenetic tools with cell type-specific electrophysiological recordings, we uncovered direct electrical coupling between D1-type projection neurons and ChIs, in addition to the chemical transmission between these two major cell types. Optogenetic stimulation or inhibition led to bilateral current exchanges between D1 neurons and ChIs, which can be abolished by gap junction blockers. We further confirmed the presence of gap junctions through paired electrophysiological recordings and dye microinjections. Finally, we found that activating D1 neurons promotes basal activity of ChIs via gap junctions. Collectively, these results reveal the coexistence of the chemical synapse and gap junctions between D1 neurons and ChIs, which contributes to maintaining the tonically active firing patterns of ChIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqi Ren
- School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Peking University-Tsinghua University-NIBS Joint Graduate Program, Beijing, China.,National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Liu
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Minmin Luo
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China.,Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China.,Tsinghua Institute of Multidisciplinary Biomedical Research, Beijing, China
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22
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Liu C, Goel P, Kaeser PS. Spatial and temporal scales of dopamine transmission. Nat Rev Neurosci 2021; 22:345-358. [PMID: 33837376 PMCID: PMC8220193 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-021-00455-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Dopamine is a prototypical neuromodulator that controls circuit function through G protein-coupled receptor signalling. Neuromodulators are volume transmitters, with release followed by diffusion for widespread receptor activation on many target cells. Yet, we are only beginning to understand the specific organization of dopamine transmission in space and time. Although some roles of dopamine are mediated by slow and diffuse signalling, recent studies suggest that certain dopamine functions necessitate spatiotemporal precision. Here, we review the literature describing dopamine signalling in the striatum, including its release mechanisms and receptor organization. We then propose the domain-overlap model, in which release and receptors are arranged relative to one another in micrometre-scale structures. This architecture is different from both point-to-point synaptic transmission and the widespread organization that is often proposed for neuromodulation. It enables the activation of receptor subsets that are within micrometre-scale domains of release sites during baseline activity and broader receptor activation with domain overlap when firing is synchronized across dopamine neuron populations. This signalling structure, together with the properties of dopamine release, may explain how switches in firing modes support broad and dynamic roles for dopamine and may lead to distinct pathway modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changliang Liu
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Pragya Goel
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Pascal S Kaeser
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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23
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Mechanisms of Antiparkinsonian Anticholinergic Therapy Revisited. Neuroscience 2021; 467:201-217. [PMID: 34048797 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.05.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Before the advent of L-DOPA, the gold standard symptomatic therapy for Parkinson's disease (PD), anticholinergic drugs (muscarinic receptor antagonists) were the preferred antiparkinsonian therapy, but their unwanted side effects associated with impaired extrastriatal cholinergic function limited their clinical utility. Since most patients treated with L-DOPA also develop unwanted side effects such as L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia (LID), better therapies are needed. Recent studies in animal models demonstrate that optogenetic and chemogenetic manipulation of striatal cholinergic interneurons (SCIN), the main source of striatal acetylcholine, modulate parkinsonism and LID, suggesting that restoring SCIN function might serve as a therapeutic option that avoids extrastriatal anticholinergics' side effects. However, it is still unclear how the altered SCIN activity in PD and LID affects the striatal circuit, whereas the mechanisms of action of anticholinergic drugs are still not fully understood. Recent animal model studies showing that SCINs undergo profound changes in their tonic discharge pattern after chronic L-DOPA administration call for a reexamination of classical views of how SCINs contribute to PD symptoms and LID. Here, we review the recent advances on the circuit implications of aberrant striatal cholinergic signaling in PD and LID in an effort to provide a comprehensive framework to understand the effects of anticholinergic drugs and with the aim of shedding light into future perspectives of cholinergic circuit-based therapies.
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24
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Dopaminergic Control of Striatal Cholinergic Interneurons Underlies Cocaine-Induced Psychostimulation. Cell Rep 2021; 31:107527. [PMID: 32320647 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.107527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Revised: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Cocaine drastically elevates dopamine (DA) levels in the striatum, a brain region that is critical to the psychomotor and rewarding properties of the drug. DA signaling regulates intrastriatal circuits connecting medium spiny neurons (MSNs) with afferent fibers and interneurons. While the cocaine-mediated increase in DA signaling on MSNs is well documented, that on cholinergic interneurons (ChIs) has been more difficult to assess. Using combined pharmacological, chemogenetic, and cell-specific ablation approaches, we reveal that the D2R-dependent inhibition of acetylcholine (ACh) signaling is fundamental to cocaine-induced changes in behavior and the striatal genomic response. We show that the D2R-dependent control of striatal ChIs enables the motor, sensitized, and reinforcing properties of cocaine. This study highlights the importance of the DA- and D2R-mediated inhibitory control of ChIs activity in the normal functioning of striatal networks.
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25
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Poppi LA, Ho-Nguyen KT, Shi A, Daut CT, Tischfield MA. Recurrent Implication of Striatal Cholinergic Interneurons in a Range of Neurodevelopmental, Neurodegenerative, and Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Cells 2021; 10:907. [PMID: 33920757 PMCID: PMC8071147 DOI: 10.3390/cells10040907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 04/03/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cholinergic interneurons are "gatekeepers" for striatal circuitry and play pivotal roles in attention, goal-directed actions, habit formation, and behavioral flexibility. Accordingly, perturbations to striatal cholinergic interneurons have been associated with many neurodevelopmental, neurodegenerative, and neuropsychiatric disorders. The role of acetylcholine in many of these disorders is well known, but the use of drugs targeting cholinergic systems fell out of favor due to adverse side effects and the introduction of other broadly acting compounds. However, in response to recent findings, re-examining the mechanisms of cholinergic interneuron dysfunction may reveal key insights into underlying pathogeneses. Here, we provide an update on striatal cholinergic interneuron function, connectivity, and their putative involvement in several disorders. In doing so, we aim to spotlight recurring physiological themes, circuits, and mechanisms that can be investigated in future studies using new tools and approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A. Poppi
- Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA;
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; (K.T.H.-N.); (A.S.); (C.T.D.)
- Tourette International Collaborative (TIC) Genetics Study, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Khue Tu Ho-Nguyen
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; (K.T.H.-N.); (A.S.); (C.T.D.)
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Anna Shi
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; (K.T.H.-N.); (A.S.); (C.T.D.)
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Cynthia T. Daut
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; (K.T.H.-N.); (A.S.); (C.T.D.)
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Max A. Tischfield
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; (K.T.H.-N.); (A.S.); (C.T.D.)
- Tourette International Collaborative (TIC) Genetics Study, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
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26
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Er81 Transcription Factor Fine-Tunes Striatal Cholinergic Interneuron Activity and Drives Habit Formation. J Neurosci 2021; 41:4392-4409. [PMID: 33849945 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0967-20.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Revised: 03/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The molecular mechanisms tuning cholinergic interneuron (CIN) activity, although crucial for striatal function and behavior, remain largely unexplored. Previous studies report that the Etv1/Er81 transcription factor is vital for regulating neuronal maturation and activity. While Er81 is known to be expressed in the striatum during development, its specific role in defining CIN properties and the resulting consequences on striatal function is unknown. We report here that Er81 is expressed in CINs and its specific ablation leads to prominent changes in their molecular, morphologic, and electrophysiological features. In particular, the lack of Er81 amplifies intrinsic delayed-rectifier and hyperpolarization-activated currents, which subsequently alters the tonic and phasic activity of CINs. We further reveal that Er81 expression is required for normal CIN pause and time-locked responses to sensorimotor inputs in awake mice. Overall, this study uncovers a new cell type-specific control of CIN function in the striatum which drives habit formation in adult male mice.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Although previous studies have shown that cholinergic interneurons drive striatal activity and habit formation, the underlying molecular mechanisms controlling their function are unknown. Here we reveal that key cholinergic interneuron physiological properties are controlled by Er81, a transcription factor regulating neuronal activity and development in a cell-specific manner. Moreover, our findings uncover a link between the Er81-dependent molecular control of cholinergic interneuron function and habit formation in mice. These insights will contribute to the future enhancement of our understanding of disorders that involve behavioral inflexibility, such as autism and addiction.
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27
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Assous M. Striatal cholinergic transmission. Focus on nicotinic receptors' influence in striatal circuits. Eur J Neurosci 2021; 53:2421-2442. [PMID: 33529401 PMCID: PMC8161166 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The critical role of acetylcholine (ACh) in the basal ganglia is evident from the effect of cholinergic agents in patients suffering from several related neurological disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, Tourette syndrome, or dystonia. The striatum possesses the highest density of ACh markers in the basal ganglia underlying the importance of ACh in this structure. Striatal cholinergic interneurons (CINs) are responsible for the bulk of striatal ACh, although extrinsic cholinergic afferents from brainstem structures may also play a role. CINs are tonically active, and synchronized pause in their activity occurs following the presentation of salient stimuli during behavioral conditioning. However, the synaptic mechanisms involved are not fully understood in this physiological response. ACh modulates striatal circuits by acting on muscarinic and nicotinic receptors existing in several combinations both presynaptically and postsynaptically. While the effects of ACh in the striatum through muscarinic receptors have received particular attention, nicotinic receptors function has been less studied. Here, after briefly reviewing relevant results regarding muscarinic receptors expression and function, I will focus on striatal nicotinic receptor expressed presynaptically on glutamatergic and dopaminergic afferents and postsynaptically on diverse striatal interneurons populations. I will also review recent evidence suggesting the involvement of different GABAergic sources in two distinct nicotinic-receptor-mediated striatal circuits: the disynaptic inhibition of striatal projection neurons and the recurrent inhibition among CINs. A better understanding of striatal nicotinic receptors expression and function may help to develop targeted pharmacological interventions to treat brain disorders such as Parkinson's disease, Tourette syndrome, dystonia, or nicotine addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxime Assous
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Newark, NJ, USA
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28
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Loss of nigral excitation of cholinergic interneurons contributes to parkinsonian motor impairments. Neuron 2021; 109:1137-1149.e5. [PMID: 33600762 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.01.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Revised: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Progressive loss of dopamine inputs in Parkinson's disease leads to imbalances in coordinated signaling of dopamine and acetylcholine (ACh) in the striatum, which is thought to contribute to parkinsonian motor symptoms. As reciprocal interactions between dopamine inputs and cholinergic interneurons (ChIs) control striatal dopamine and ACh transmission, we examined how partial dopamine depletion in an early-stage mouse model for Parkinson's disease alters nigral regulation of cholinergic activity. We found region-specific alterations in how remaining dopamine inputs regulate cholinergic excitability that differ between the dorsomedial (DMS) and dorsolateral (DLS) striatum. Specifically, we found that dopamine depletion downregulates metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR1) on DLS ChIs at synapses where dopamine inputs co-release glutamate, abolishing the ability of dopamine inputs to drive burst firing. This loss underlies parkinsonian motor impairments, as viral rescue of mGluR1 signaling in DLS ChIs was sufficient to restore circuit function and attenuate motor deficits in early-stage parkinsonian mice.
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29
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μ-Opioid Receptors on Distinct Neuronal Populations Mediate Different Aspects of Opioid Reward-Related Behaviors. eNeuro 2020; 7:ENEURO.0146-20.2020. [PMID: 32859725 PMCID: PMC7508564 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0146-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Revised: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
μ-Opioid receptors (MORs) are densely expressed in different brain regions known to mediate reward. One such region is the striatum where MORs are densely expressed, yet the role of these MOR populations in modulating reward is relatively unknown. We have begun to address this question by using a series of genetically engineered mice based on the Cre recombinase/loxP system to selectively delete MORs from specific neurons enriched in the striatum: dopamine 1 (D1) receptors, D2 receptors, adenosine 2a (A2a) receptors, and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT). We first determined the effects of each deletion on opioid-induced locomotion, a striatal and dopamine-dependent behavior. We show that MOR deletion from D1 neurons reduced opioid (morphine and oxycodone)-induced hyperlocomotion, whereas deleting MORs from A2a neurons resulted in enhanced opioid-induced locomotion, and deleting MORs from D2 or ChAT neurons had no effect. We also present the effect of each deletion on opioid intravenous self-administration. We first assessed the acquisition of this behavior using remifentanil as the reinforcing opioid and found no effect of genotype. Mice were then transitioned to oxycodone as the reinforcer and maintained here for 9 d. Again, no genotype effect was found. However, when mice underwent 3 d of extinction training, during which the drug was not delivered, but all cues remained as during the maintenance phase, drug-seeking behavior was enhanced when MORs were deleted from A2a or ChAT neurons. These findings show that these selective MOR populations play specific roles in reward-associated behaviors.
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30
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Mamaligas AA, Barcomb K, Ford CP. Cholinergic Transmission at Muscarinic Synapses in the Striatum Is Driven Equally by Cortical and Thalamic Inputs. Cell Rep 2020; 28:1003-1014.e3. [PMID: 31340139 PMCID: PMC6830446 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.06.077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2018] [Revised: 03/22/2019] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The release of acetylcholine from cholinergic interneurons (ChIs) directly modulates striatal output via muscarinic receptors on medium spiny neurons (MSNs). While thalamic inputs provide strong excitatory input to ChIs, cortical inputs primarily regulate MSN firing. Here, we found that, while thalamic inputs do drive ChI firing, a subset of ChIs responds robustly to stimulation of cortical inputs as well. To examine how input-evoked changes in ChI firing patterns drive acetylcholine release at cholinergic synapses onto MSNs, muscarinic M4-receptor-mediated synaptic events were measured in MSNs overexpressing G-protein gated potassium channels (GlRK2). Stimulation of both cortical and thalamic inputs was sufficient to equally drive muscarinic synaptic events in MSNs, resulting from the broad synaptic innervation of the stimulus-activated ChI population across many MSNs. Taken together, this indicates an underappreciated role for the extensive cholinergic network, in which small populations of ChIs can drive substantial changes in post-synaptic receptor activity across the striatum. Mamaligas et al. find that, while cortical inputs were previously thought to provide weak input to striatal cholinergic interneurons, they can drive firing in a subset of cells. As a result of the broad connectivity of cholinergic cells, cortical and thalamic inputs equally drive synaptic acetylcholine release onto MSNs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aphroditi A Mamaligas
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Departments of Physiology and Biophysics and Neurosciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Kelsey Barcomb
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Christopher P Ford
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Departments of Physiology and Biophysics and Neurosciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
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31
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Zhang Y, Zhu Y, Cao SX, Sun P, Yang JM, Xia YF, Xie SZ, Yu XD, Fu JY, Shen CJ, He HY, Pan HQ, Chen XJ, Wang H, Li XM. MeCP2 in cholinergic interneurons of nucleus accumbens regulates fear learning. eLife 2020; 9:55342. [PMID: 32420873 PMCID: PMC7259956 DOI: 10.7554/elife.55342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2) encoded by the MECP2 gene is a transcriptional regulator whose mutations cause Rett syndrome (RTT). Mecp2-deficient mice show fear regulation impairment; however, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying this abnormal behavior are largely uncharacterized. Here, we showed that Mecp2 gene deficiency in cholinergic interneurons of the nucleus accumbens (NAc) dramatically impaired fear learning. We further found that spontaneous activity of cholinergic interneurons in Mecp2-deficient mice decreased, mediated by enhanced inhibitory transmission via α2-containing GABAA receptors. With MeCP2 restoration, opto- and chemo-genetic activation, and RNA interference in ChAT-expressing interneurons of the NAc, impaired fear retrieval was rescued. Taken together, these results reveal a previously unknown role of MeCP2 in NAc cholinergic interneurons in fear regulation, suggesting that modulation of neurons in the NAc may ameliorate fear-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhang
- Center for Neuroscience and Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yi Zhu
- Center for Neuroscience and Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shu-Xia Cao
- Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Peng Sun
- Center for Neuroscience and Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jian-Ming Yang
- Center for Neuroscience and Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yan-Fang Xia
- Center for Neuroscience and Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shi-Ze Xie
- Center for Neuroscience and Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Dan Yu
- Center for Neuroscience and Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jia-Yu Fu
- Center for Neuroscience and Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chen-Jie Shen
- Center for Neuroscience and Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hai-Yang He
- Center for Neuroscience and Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hao-Qi Pan
- Center for Neuroscience and Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Juan Chen
- Center for Neuroscience and Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hao Wang
- Center for Neuroscience and Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Ming Li
- Center for Neuroscience and Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Joint Institute for Genetics and Genome Medicine between Zhejiang University and University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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32
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Tubert C, Murer MG. What’s wrong with the striatal cholinergic interneurons in Parkinson’s disease? Focus on intrinsic excitability. Eur J Neurosci 2020; 53:2100-2116. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Revised: 04/04/2020] [Accepted: 04/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Tubert
- Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica “Bernardo Houssay”, (IFIBIO‐Houssay) Grupo de Neurociencia de Sistemas Universidad de Buenos Aires y Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) Buenos Aires Argentina
| | - Mario Gustavo Murer
- Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica “Bernardo Houssay”, (IFIBIO‐Houssay) Grupo de Neurociencia de Sistemas Universidad de Buenos Aires y Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) Buenos Aires Argentina
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33
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Hjorth JJJ, Kozlov A, Carannante I, Frost Nylén J, Lindroos R, Johansson Y, Tokarska A, Dorst MC, Suryanarayana SM, Silberberg G, Hellgren Kotaleski J, Grillner S. The microcircuits of striatum in silico. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:9554-9565. [PMID: 32321828 PMCID: PMC7197017 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2000671117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The basal ganglia play an important role in decision making and selection of action primarily based on input from cortex, thalamus, and the dopamine system. Their main input structure, striatum, is central to this process. It consists of two types of projection neurons, together representing 95% of the neurons, and 5% of interneurons, among which are the cholinergic, fast-spiking, and low threshold-spiking subtypes. The membrane properties, soma-dendritic shape, and intrastriatal and extrastriatal synaptic interactions of these neurons are quite well described in the mouse, and therefore they can be simulated in sufficient detail to capture their intrinsic properties, as well as the connectivity. We focus on simulation at the striatal cellular/microcircuit level, in which the molecular/subcellular and systems levels meet. We present a nearly full-scale model of the mouse striatum using available data on synaptic connectivity, cellular morphology, and electrophysiological properties to create a microcircuit mimicking the real network. A striatal volume is populated with reconstructed neuronal morphologies with appropriate cell densities, and then we connect neurons together based on appositions between neurites as possible synapses and constrain them further with available connectivity data. Moreover, we simulate a subset of the striatum involving 10,000 neurons, with input from cortex, thalamus, and the dopamine system, as a proof of principle. Simulation at this biological scale should serve as an invaluable tool to understand the mode of operation of this complex structure. This platform will be updated with new data and expanded to simulate the entire striatum.
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Affiliation(s)
- J J Johannes Hjorth
- Science for Life Laboratory, School of Electrical Engeneering and Computer Science, Royal Institute of Technology, SE-10044 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Alexander Kozlov
- Science for Life Laboratory, School of Electrical Engeneering and Computer Science, Royal Institute of Technology, SE-10044 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, SE-17165 Stockholm
| | - Ilaria Carannante
- Science for Life Laboratory, School of Electrical Engeneering and Computer Science, Royal Institute of Technology, SE-10044 Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Robert Lindroos
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, SE-17165 Stockholm
| | - Yvonne Johansson
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, SE-17165 Stockholm
| | - Anna Tokarska
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, SE-17165 Stockholm
| | - Matthijs C Dorst
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, SE-17165 Stockholm
| | | | - Gilad Silberberg
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, SE-17165 Stockholm
| | - Jeanette Hellgren Kotaleski
- Science for Life Laboratory, School of Electrical Engeneering and Computer Science, Royal Institute of Technology, SE-10044 Stockholm, Sweden;
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, SE-17165 Stockholm
| | - Sten Grillner
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, SE-17165 Stockholm
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Targeting the cholinergic system in Parkinson's disease. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2020; 41:453-463. [PMID: 32132659 PMCID: PMC7468250 DOI: 10.1038/s41401-020-0380-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Motor control in the striatum is an orchestra played by various neuronal populations. Loss of harmony due to dopamine deficiency is considered the primary pathological cause of the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Recent progress in experimental approaches has enabled us to examine the striatal circuitry in a much more comprehensive manner, not only reshaping our understanding of striatal functions in movement regulation but also leading to new opportunities for the development of therapeutic strategies for treating PD. In addition to dopaminergic innervation, giant aspiny cholinergic interneurons (ChIs) within the striatum have long been recognized as a critical node for balancing dopamine signaling and regulating movement. With the roles of ChIs in motor control further uncovered and more specific manipulations available, striatal ChIs and their corresponding receptors are emerging as new promising therapeutic targets for PD. This review summarizes recent progress in functional studies of striatal circuitry and discusses the translational implications of these new findings for the treatment of PD.
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35
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Cansler HL, Wright KN, Stetzik LA, Wesson DW. Neurochemical organization of the ventral striatum's olfactory tubercle. J Neurochem 2020; 152:425-448. [PMID: 31755104 PMCID: PMC7042089 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.14919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Revised: 11/08/2019] [Accepted: 11/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The ventral striatum is a collection of brain structures, including the nucleus accumbens, ventral pallidum and the olfactory tubercle (OT). While much attention has been devoted to the nucleus accumbens, a comprehensive understanding of the ventral striatum and its contributions to neurological diseases requires an appreciation for the complex neurochemical makeup of the ventral striatum's other components. This review summarizes the rich neurochemical composition of the OT, including the neurotransmitters, neuromodulators and hormones present. We also address the receptors and transporters involved in each system as well as their putative functional roles. Finally, we end with briefly reviewing select literature regarding neurochemical changes in the OT in the context of neurological disorders, specifically neurodegenerative disorders. By overviewing the vast literature on the neurochemical composition of the OT, this review will serve to aid future research into the neurobiology of the ventral striatum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hillary L Cansler
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Center for Smell and Taste, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Katherine N Wright
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Center for Smell and Taste, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Center for Addiction Research and Education, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Lucas A Stetzik
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Center for Smell and Taste, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Daniel W Wesson
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Center for Smell and Taste, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Center for Addiction Research and Education, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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36
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Zych S, Ford CP. Opioid-Induced Adaptations of cAMP Dynamics in the Nucleus Accumbens. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2020; 41:230-232. [PMID: 31964511 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2020.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2020] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
To investigate how opioid exposure alters dopamine (DA) responses in medium spiny neurons (MSNs), Muntean et al. used a novel cAMP sensor to track cAMP dynamics and report a coordinated effort of adaptations in D1- and D2-MSNs to integrate DA inputs and shift signaling strengths in various states of opioid dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Zych
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Christopher P Ford
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.
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37
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Stress-induced plasticity and functioning of ventral tegmental dopamine neurons. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 108:48-77. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2019] [Revised: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Cai Y, Ford CP. Dopamine Cells Differentially Regulate Striatal Cholinergic Transmission across Regions through Corelease of Dopamine and Glutamate. Cell Rep 2019; 25:3148-3157.e3. [PMID: 30540946 PMCID: PMC6658127 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.11.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Revised: 10/09/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The balance of dopamine and acetylcholine in the dorsal striatum is critical for motor and learning functions. Midbrain dopamine cells and local cholinergic interneurons (ChIs) densely innervate the striatum and have strong reciprocal actions on each other. Although dopamine inputs regulate ChIs, the functional consequences of dopamine neuron activity across dorsal striatal regions is poorly understood. Here, we find that midbrain dopamine neurons drive pauses in the firing of dorsomedial ChIs but robust bursts in dorsolateral ChIs. Pauses are mediated by dopamine D2 receptors, while bursts are driven by glutamate corelease and activation of a mGluR-mediated excitatory conductance. We find the frequency of muscarinic cholinergic transmission to medium spiny neurons is greater in the dorsomedial striatum. This regional variation in transmission is moderated by the different actions of dopamine and glutamate corelease. These results delineate a mechanism by which dopamine inputs maintain consistent levels of cholinergic activity across the dorsal striatum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Cai
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Christopher P Ford
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
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39
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Gong S, Ford CP. Cholinergic Interneurons Provide a Link to Balance Excitation across Striatal Output Neurons. Neuron 2019; 103:351-353. [PMID: 31394056 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.07.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
D1-MSNs and D2-MSNs mediate output from the accumbens. How activity of one regulates the other is poorly understood. In this issue of Neuron, Francis et al. (2019) show that D1-MSN firing induces D2-MSN LTP via the recruitment of cholinergic interneurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng Gong
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Departments of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Christopher P Ford
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.
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40
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Ahmed NY, Knowles R, Dehorter N. New Insights Into Cholinergic Neuron Diversity. Front Mol Neurosci 2019; 12:204. [PMID: 31551706 PMCID: PMC6736589 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2019.00204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Cholinergic neurons comprise a small population of cells in the striatum but have fundamental roles in fine tuning brain function, and in the etiology of neurological and psychiatric disorders such as Parkinson’s disease (PD) or schizophrenia. The process of developmental cell specification underlying neuronal identity and function is an area of great current interest. There has been significant progress in identifying the developmental origins, commonalities in molecular markers, and physiological properties of the cholinergic neurons. Currently, we are aware of a number of key factors that promote cholinergic fate during development. However, the extent of cholinergic cell diversity is still largely underestimated. New insights into the biological basis of their specification indicate that cholinergic neurons may be far more diverse than previously thought. This review article, highlights the physiological features and the synaptic properties that segregate cholinergic cell subtypes. It provides an accurate picture of cholinergic cell diversity underlying their organization and function in neuronal networks. This review article, also discusses current challenges in deciphering the logic of the cholinergic cell heterogeneity that plays a fundamental role in the control of neural processes in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noorya Yasmin Ahmed
- Eccles Institute of Neuroscience, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Rhys Knowles
- Eccles Institute of Neuroscience, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Nathalie Dehorter
- Eccles Institute of Neuroscience, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
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41
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Francis TC, Yano H, Demarest TG, Shen H, Bonci A. High-Frequency Activation of Nucleus Accumbens D1-MSNs Drives Excitatory Potentiation on D2-MSNs. Neuron 2019; 103:432-444.e3. [PMID: 31221559 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.05.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Revised: 04/18/2019] [Accepted: 05/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Subtypes of nucleus accumbens medium spiny neurons (MSNs) promote dichotomous outcomes in motivated behaviors. However, recent reports indicate enhancing activity of either nucleus accumbens (NAc) core MSN subtype augments reward, suggesting coincident MSN activity may underlie this outcome. Here, we report a collateral excitation mechanism in which high-frequency, NAc core dopamine 1 (D1)-MSN activation causes long-lasting potentiation of excitatory transmission (LLP) on dopamine receptor 2 (D2)-MSNs. Our mechanistic investigation demonstrates that this form of plasticity requires release of the excitatory peptide substance P from D1-MSNs and robust cholinergic interneuron activation through neurokinin receptor stimulation. We also reveal that D2-MSN LLP requires muscarinic 1 receptor activation, intracellular calcium signaling, and GluR2-lacking AMPAR insertion. This study uncovers a mechanism for shaping NAc core activity through the transfer of excitatory information from D1-MSNs to D2-MSNs and may provide a means for altering goal-directed behavior through coordinated MSN activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Chase Francis
- Intramural Research Program, Synaptic Plasticity Section, National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Hideaki Yano
- Intramural Research Program, Computational Chemistry and Molecular Biophysics Unit, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Tyler G Demarest
- Laboratory of Molecular Gerontology, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA; Laboratory of Neurosciences, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Hui Shen
- Intramural Research Program, Synaptic Plasticity Section, National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Antonello Bonci
- Intramural Research Program, Synaptic Plasticity Section, National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA; Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA; Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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42
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Castro DC, Bruchas MR. A Motivational and Neuropeptidergic Hub: Anatomical and Functional Diversity within the Nucleus Accumbens Shell. Neuron 2019; 102:529-552. [PMID: 31071288 PMCID: PMC6528838 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 152] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2018] [Revised: 02/22/2019] [Accepted: 03/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
The mesocorticolimbic pathway is canonically known as the "reward pathway." Embedded within the center of this circuit is the striatum, a massive and complex network hub that synthesizes motivation, affect, learning, cognition, stress, and sensorimotor information. Although striatal subregions collectively share many anatomical and functional similarities, it has become increasingly clear that it is an extraordinarily heterogeneous region. In particular, the nucleus accumbens (NAc) medial shell has repeatedly demonstrated that the rules dictated by more dorsal aspects of the striatum do not apply or are even reversed in functional logic. These discrepancies are perhaps most easily captured when isolating the functions of various neuromodulatory peptide systems within the striatum. Endogenous peptides are thought to play a critical role in modulating striatal signals to either amplify or dampen evoked behaviors. Here we describe the anatomical-functional backdrop upon which several neuropeptides act within the NAc to modulate behavior, with a specific emphasis on nucleus accumbens medial shell and stress responsivity. Additionally, we propose that, as the field continues to dissect fast neurotransmitter systems within the NAc, we must also provide considerable contextual weight to the roles local peptides play in modulating these circuits to more comprehensively understand how this important subregion gates motivated behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel C Castro
- Center for Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Michael R Bruchas
- Center for Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
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43
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Aceves Buendia JDJ, Tiroshi L, Chiu W, Goldberg JA. Selective remodeling of glutamatergic transmission to striatal cholinergic interneurons after dopamine depletion. Eur J Neurosci 2019; 49:824-833. [PMID: 28922504 PMCID: PMC6519226 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2017] [Revised: 09/13/2017] [Accepted: 09/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The widely held view that the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease arises from an under-activation of the direct pathway striatal spiny neurons (dSPNs) has gained support from a recently described weakening of the glutamatergic projection from the parafascicular nucleus (PfN) to dSPNs in experimental parkinsonism. However, the impact of the remodeling of the thalamostriatal projection cannot be fully appreciated without considering its impact on cholinergic interneurons (ChIs) that themselves preferentially activate indirect pathway spiny neurons (iSPNs). To study this thalamostriatal projection, we virally transfected with Cre-dependent channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) the PfN of Vglut2-Cre mice that were dopamine-depleted with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA). In parallel, we studied the corticostriatal projection to ChIs in 6-OHDA-treated transgenic mice expressing ChR2 under the Thy1 promoter. We found the 6-OHDA lesions failed to affect short-term synaptic plasticity or the size of unitary responses evoked optogenetically in either of these projections. However, we found that NMDA-to-AMPA ratios at PfN synapses-that were significantly larger than NMDA-to-AMPA ratios at cortical synapses-were reduced by 6-OHDA treatment, thereby impairing synaptic integration at PfN synapses onto ChIs. Finally, we found that application of an agonist of the D5 dopamine receptors on ChIs potentiated NMDA currents without affecting AMPA currents or short-term plasticity selectively at PfN synapses. We propose that dopamine depletion leads to an effective de-potentiation of NMDA currents at PfN synapses onto ChIs which degrades synaptic integration. This selective remodeling of NMDA currents at PfN synapses may counter the selective weakening of PfN synapses onto dSPNs in parkinsonism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose de Jesus Aceves Buendia
- Department of Medical NeurobiologyInstitute of Medical Research Israel – CanadaThe Faculty of MedicineThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem9112102JerusalemIsrael
| | - Lior Tiroshi
- Department of Medical NeurobiologyInstitute of Medical Research Israel – CanadaThe Faculty of MedicineThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem9112102JerusalemIsrael
| | - Wei‐Hua Chiu
- Department of Medical NeurobiologyInstitute of Medical Research Israel – CanadaThe Faculty of MedicineThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem9112102JerusalemIsrael
| | - Joshua A. Goldberg
- Department of Medical NeurobiologyInstitute of Medical Research Israel – CanadaThe Faculty of MedicineThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem9112102JerusalemIsrael
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44
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The high efficacy of muscarinic M4 receptor in D1 medium spiny neurons reverses striatal hyperdopaminergia. Neuropharmacology 2018; 146:74-83. [PMID: 30468798 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.11.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2018] [Revised: 11/07/2018] [Accepted: 11/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
The opposing action of dopamine and acetylcholine has long been known to play an important role in basal ganglia physiology. However, the quantitative analysis of dopamine and acetylcholine signal interaction has been difficult to perform in the native context because the striatum comprises mainly two subtypes of medium-sized spiny neurons (MSNs) on which these neuromodulators exert different actions. We used biosensor imaging in live brain slices of dorsomedial striatum to monitor changes in intracellular cAMP at the level of individual MSNs. We observed that the muscarinic agonist oxotremorine decreases cAMP selectively in the MSN subpopulation that also expresses D1 dopamine receptors, an action mediated by the M4 muscarinic receptor. This receptor has a high efficacy on cAMP signaling and can shut down the positive cAMP response induced by dopamine, at acetylcholine concentrations which are consistent with physiological levels. This supports our prediction based on theoretical modeling that acetylcholine could exert a tonic inhibition on striatal cAMP signaling, thus supporting the possibility that a pause in acetylcholine release is required for phasic dopamine to transduce a cAMP signal in D1 MSNs. In vivo experiments with acetylcholinesterase inhibitors donepezil and tacrine, as well as with the positive allosteric modulators of M4 receptor VU0152100 and VU0010010 show that this effect is sufficient to reverse the increased locomotor activity of DAT-knockout mice. This suggests that M4 receptors could be a novel therapeutic target to treat hyperactivity disorders.
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45
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Targeting G protein-coupled receptor signaling at the G protein level with a selective nanobody inhibitor. Nat Commun 2018; 9:1996. [PMID: 29777099 PMCID: PMC5959942 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-04432-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2017] [Accepted: 04/25/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) activate heterotrimeric G proteins by mediating a GDP to GTP exchange in the Gα subunit. This leads to dissociation of the heterotrimer into Gα-GTP and Gβγ dimer. The Gα-GTP and Gβγ dimer each regulate a variety of downstream pathways to control various aspects of human physiology. Dysregulated Gβγ-signaling is a central element of various neurological and cancer-related anomalies. However, Gβγ also serves as a negative regulator of Gα that is essential for G protein inactivation, and thus has the potential for numerous side effects when targeted therapeutically. Here we report a llama-derived nanobody (Nb5) that binds tightly to the Gβγ dimer. Nb5 responds to all combinations of β-subtypes and γ-subtypes and competes with other Gβγ-regulatory proteins for a common binding site on the Gβγ dimer. Despite its inhibitory effect on Gβγ-mediated signaling, Nb5 has no effect on Gαq-mediated and Gαs-mediated signaling events in living cells.
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46
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Marcott PF, Gong S, Donthamsetti P, Grinnell SG, Nelson MN, Newman AH, Birnbaumer L, Martemyanov KA, Javitch JA, Ford CP. Regional Heterogeneity of D2-Receptor Signaling in the Dorsal Striatum and Nucleus Accumbens. Neuron 2018; 98:575-587.e4. [PMID: 29656874 PMCID: PMC6048973 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.03.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2017] [Revised: 02/20/2018] [Accepted: 03/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Dopamine input to the dorsal and ventral striatum originates from separate populations of midbrain neurons. Despite differences in afferent inputs and behavioral output, little is known about how dopamine release is encoded by dopamine receptors on medium spiny neurons (MSNs) across striatal subregions. Here we examined the activation of D2 receptors following the synaptic release of dopamine in the dorsal striatum (DStr) and nucleus accumbens (NAc) shell. We found that D2 receptor-mediated synaptic currents were slower in the NAc and this difference occurred at the level of D2-receptor signaling. As a result of preferential coupling to Gαo, we also found that D2 receptors in MSNs demonstrated higher sensitivity for dopamine in the NAc. The higher sensitivity in the NAc was eliminated following cocaine exposure. These results identify differences in the sensitivity and timing of D2-receptor signaling across the striatum that influence how nigrostriatal and mesolimbic signals are encoded across these circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela F Marcott
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Sheng Gong
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | | | - Steven G Grinnell
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Division of Molecular Therapeutics, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Melissa N Nelson
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Division of Molecular Therapeutics, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Amy H Newman
- National Institute of Drug Abuse - Intramural Research Program, NIH, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Lutz Birnbaumer
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC 27709, USA; Institute of Biomedical Research (BIOMED), Catholic University of Argentina, Buenos Aires C1107AAZ, Argentina
| | - Kirill A Martemyanov
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Jonathan A Javitch
- Department of Pharmacology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Division of Molecular Therapeutics, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Christopher P Ford
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
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47
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The striatal cholinergic system in L-dopa-induced dyskinesias. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2018; 125:1251-1262. [PMID: 29492663 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-018-1845-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2017] [Accepted: 01/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Cholinergic signaling plays a key role in regulating striatal function. The principal source of acetylcholine in the striatum is the cholinergic interneurons which, although low in number, densely arborize to modulate striatal neurotransmission. This modulation occurs via strategically positioned nicotinic and muscarinic acetylcholine receptors that influence striatal dopamine, GABA and other neurotransmitter release. Cholinergic interneurons integrate multiple striatal synaptic inputs and outputs to regulate motor activity under normal physiological conditions. Consequently, an imbalance between these systems is associated with basal ganglia disorders. Here, we provide an overview of how striatal cholinergic interneurons modulate striatal activity under normal and pathological conditions. Numerous studies show that nigrostriatal damage such as that occurs with Parkinson's disease affects cholinergic receptor-mediated striatal activity. This altered cholinergic signaling is an important contributor to Parkinson's disease as well as to the dyskinesias that develop with L-dopa therapy, the gold standard for treatment. Indeed, multiple preclinical studies show that cholinergic receptor drugs may be beneficial for the treatment of L-dopa-induced dyskinesias. In this review, we discuss the evidence indicating that therapeutic modulation of the cholinergic system, particularly targeting of nicotinic cholinergic receptors, may offer a novel approach to manage this debilitating side effect of dopamine replacement therapy for Parkinson's disease.
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Distinctive Modulation of Dopamine Release in the Nucleus Accumbens Shell Mediated by Dopamine and Acetylcholine Receptors. J Neurosci 2017; 37:11166-11180. [PMID: 29030431 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0596-17.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2017] [Revised: 09/29/2017] [Accepted: 10/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Nucleus accumbens (NAc) shell shows unique dopamine (DA) signals in vivo and plays a unique role in DA-dependent behaviors such as reward-motivated learning and the response to drugs of abuse. A disynaptic mechanism for DA release was reported and shown to require synchronized firing of cholinergic interneurons (CINs) and activation of nicotinic acetylcholine (ACh) receptors (nAChRs) in DA neuron (DAN) axons. The properties of this disynaptic mechanism of DA transmission are not well understood in the NAc shell. In this study, in vitro fast-scan cyclic voltammetry was used to examine the modulation of DA transmission evoked by CINs firing in the shell of mice and compared with other striatal regions. We found that DA signals in the shell displayed significant degree of summation in response to train stimulation of CINs, contrary to core and dorsal striatum. The summation was amplified by a D2-like receptor antagonist and experiments with mice with targeted deletion of D2 receptors to DANs or CINs revealed that D2 receptors in CINs mediate a fast inhibition observed within 100 ms of the first pulse, whereas D2 autoreceptors in DAN terminals are engaged in a slower inhibition that peaks at ∼500 ms. ACh also contributes to the use-dependent inhibition of DA release through muscarinic receptors only in the shell, where higher activity of acetylcholinesterase minimizes nAChR desensitization and promotes summation. These findings show that DA signals are modulated differentially by endogenous DA and ACh in the shell, which may underlie the unique features of shell DA signals in vivoSIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The present study reports that dopamine (DA) release evoked by activation of cholinergic interneurons displays a high degree of summation in the shell and shows unique modulation by endogenous DA and acetylcholine. Desensitization of nicotinic receptors, which is a prevailing mechanism for use-dependent inhibition in the nucleus accumbens core and dorsal striatum, is also minimal in the shell in part due to elevated acetylcholinesterase activity. This distinctive modulation of DA transmission in the shell may have functional implications in the acquisition of reward-motivated behaviors and reward seeking.
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Yamanaka K, Hori Y, Minamimoto T, Yamada H, Matsumoto N, Enomoto K, Aosaki T, Graybiel AM, Kimura M. Roles of centromedian parafascicular nuclei of thalamus and cholinergic interneurons in the dorsal striatum in associative learning of environmental events. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2017; 125:501-513. [PMID: 28324169 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-017-1713-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2016] [Accepted: 03/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The thalamus provides a massive input to the striatum, but despite accumulating evidence, the functions of this system remain unclear. It is known, however, that the centromedian (CM) and parafascicular (Pf) nuclei of the thalamus can strongly influence particular striatal neuron subtypes, notably including the cholinergic interneurons of the striatum (CINs), key regulators of striatal function. Here, we highlight the thalamostriatal system through the CM-Pf to striatal CINs. We consider how, by virtue of the direct synaptic connections of the CM and PF, their neural activity contributes to the activity of CINs and striatal projection neurons (SPNs). CM-Pf neurons are strongly activated at sudden changes in behavioral context, such as switches in action-outcome contingency or sequence of behavioral requirements, suggesting that their activity may represent change of context operationalized as associability. Striatal CINs, on the other hand, acquire and loose responses to external events associated with particular contexts. In light of this physiological evidence, we propose a hypothesis of the CM-Pf-CINs system, suggesting that it augments associative learning by generating an associability signal and promotes reinforcement learning guided by reward prediction error signals from dopamine-containing neurons. We discuss neuronal circuit and synaptic organizations based on in vivo/in vitro studies that we suppose to underlie our hypothesis. Possible implications of CM-Pf-CINs dysfunction (or degeneration) in brain diseases are also discussed by focusing on Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ko Yamanaka
- Brain Science Institute, Tamagawa University, Machida, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Physiology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.,Department of Physiology, Faculty of Health and Sports Science, Juntendo University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Yukiko Hori
- Department of Physiology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.,Department of Functional Brain Imaging, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
| | - Takafumi Minamimoto
- Department of Physiology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.,Department of Functional Brain Imaging, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Yamada
- Department of Physiology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.,Division of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Naoyuki Matsumoto
- Department of Physiology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.,Department of Food and Health Sciences, Faculty of Environmental and Symbiotic Sciences, Prefectural University of Kumamoto, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Kazuki Enomoto
- Brain Science Institute, Tamagawa University, Machida, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Physiology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Toshihiko Aosaki
- Neurophysiology Research Group, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, 35-2 Sakae-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, 173-0015, Japan
| | - Ann M Graybiel
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Minoru Kimura
- Brain Science Institute, Tamagawa University, Machida, Tokyo, Japan. .,Department of Physiology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
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Cholinergic Interneurons Underlie Spontaneous Dopamine Release in Nucleus Accumbens. J Neurosci 2017; 37:2086-2096. [PMID: 28115487 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3064-16.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2016] [Revised: 12/27/2016] [Accepted: 01/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The release of dopamine from terminals in the NAc is regulated by a number of factors, including voltage-gated ion channels, D2-autoreceptors, and nAChRs. Cholinergic interneurons (CINs) drive dopamine release through activation of nAChRs on dopamine terminals. Using cyclic voltammetry in mouse brain slices, nAChR-dependent spontaneous dopamine transients and the mechanisms underlying the origin were examined in the NAc. Spontaneous events were infrequent (0.3 per minute), but the rate and amplitude were increased after blocking Kv channels with 4-aminopyridine. Although the firing frequency of CINs was increased by blocking glutamate reuptake with TBOA and the Sk blocker apamin, only 4-aminopyridine increased the frequency of dopamine transients. In contrast, inhibition of CIN firing with the μ/δ selective opioid [Met5]enkephalin (1 μm) decreased spontaneous dopamine transients. Cocaine increased the rate and amplitude of dopamine transients, suggesting that the activity of the dopamine transporter limits the detection of these events. In the presence of cocaine, the rate of spontaneous dopamine transients was further increased after blocking D2-autoreceptors. Blockade of muscarinic receptors had no effect on evoked dopamine release, suggesting that feedback inhibition of acetylcholine release was not involved. Thus, although spontaneous dopamine transients are reliant on nAChRs, the frequency was not strictly governed by the activity of CINs. The increase in frequency of spontaneous dopamine transients induced by cocaine was not due to an increase in cholinergic tone and is likely a product of an increase in detection resulting from decreased dopamine reuptake.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The actions of dopamine in the NAc are thought to be responsible for endogenous reward and the reinforcing properties of drugs of abuse, such as psychostimulants. The present work examines the mechanisms underlying nAChR-induced spontaneous dopamine release. This study demonstrates that spontaneous dopamine release is (1) dependent of the activation of nicotinic receptors, (2) independent on the spontaneous activity of cholinergic interneurons, and (3) that cocaine increased the detection of dopamine transients by prolonging the presence and increasing the diffusion of dopamine in the extracellular space. The release of acetylcholine is therefore responsible for spontaneous dopamine transients, and cocaine augments dopamine tone without altering activity of cholinergic interneurons.
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