1
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Bhuiyan SA, Xu M, Yang L, Semizoglou E, Bhatia P, Pantaleo KI, Tochitsky I, Jain A, Erdogan B, Blair S, Cat V, Mwirigi JM, Sankaranarayanan I, Tavares-Ferreira D, Green U, McIlvried LA, Copits BA, Bertels Z, Del Rosario JS, Widman AJ, Slivicki RA, Yi J, Sharif-Naeini R, Woolf CJ, Lennerz JK, Whited JL, Price TJ, Robert W Gereau Iv, Renthal W. Harmonized cross-species cell atlases of trigeminal and dorsal root ganglia. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadj9173. [PMID: 38905344 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adj9173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
Sensory neurons in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and trigeminal ganglion (TG) are specialized to detect and transduce diverse environmental stimuli to the central nervous system. Single-cell RNA sequencing has provided insights into the diversity of sensory ganglia cell types in rodents, nonhuman primates, and humans, but it remains difficult to compare cell types across studies and species. We thus constructed harmonized atlases of the DRG and TG that describe and facilitate comparison of 18 neuronal and 11 non-neuronal cell types across six species and 31 datasets. We then performed single-cell/nucleus RNA sequencing of DRG from both human and the highly regenerative axolotl and found that the harmonized atlas also improves cell type annotation, particularly of sparse neuronal subtypes. We observed that the transcriptomes of sensory neuron subtypes are broadly similar across vertebrates, but the expression of functionally important neuropeptides and channels can vary notably. The resources presented here can guide future studies in comparative transcriptomics, simplify cell-type nomenclature differences across studies, and help prioritize targets for future analgesic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shamsuddin A Bhuiyan
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Mengyi Xu
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Alan Edwards Center for Research on Pain and Department of Physiology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Lite Yang
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Evangelia Semizoglou
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Parth Bhatia
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Katerina I Pantaleo
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Ivan Tochitsky
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurobiology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 3 Blackfan Cir., Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Aakanksha Jain
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurobiology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 3 Blackfan Cir., Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Burcu Erdogan
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Steven Blair
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Victor Cat
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Juliet M Mwirigi
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Ishwarya Sankaranarayanan
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Diana Tavares-Ferreira
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Ursula Green
- Department of Pathology, Center for Integrated Diagnostics, Massachussetts General Hospital and Havard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Lisa A McIlvried
- Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Bryan A Copits
- Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Zachariah Bertels
- Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - John S Del Rosario
- Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Allie J Widman
- Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Richard A Slivicki
- Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Jiwon Yi
- Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Reza Sharif-Naeini
- Alan Edwards Center for Research on Pain and Department of Physiology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Clifford J Woolf
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurobiology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 3 Blackfan Cir., Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jochen K Lennerz
- Department of Pathology, Center for Integrated Diagnostics, Massachussetts General Hospital and Havard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Jessica L Whited
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Theodore J Price
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Robert W Gereau Iv
- Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - William Renthal
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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2
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Ferland S, Wang F, De Koninck Y, Ferrini F. An improved conflict avoidance assay reveals modality-specific differences in pain hypersensitivity across sexes. Pain 2024; 165:1304-1316. [PMID: 38277178 PMCID: PMC11090034 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003132] [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: 06/04/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Abnormal encoding of somatosensory modalities (ie, mechanical, cold, and heat) are a critical part of pathological pain states. Detailed phenotyping of patients' responses to these modalities have raised hopes that analgesic treatments could one day be tailored to a patient's phenotype. Such precise treatment would require a profound understanding of the underlying mechanisms of specific pain phenotypes at molecular, cellular, and circuitry levels. Although preclinical pain models have helped in that regard, the lack of a unified assay quantifying detailed mechanical, cold, and heat pain responses on the same scale precludes comparing how analgesic compounds act on different sensory phenotypes. The conflict avoidance assay is promising in that regard, but testing conditions require validation for its use with multiple modalities. In this study, we improve upon the conflict avoidance assay to provide a validated and detailed assessment of all 3 modalities within the same animal, in mice. We first optimized testing conditions to minimize the necessary amount of training and to reduce sex differences in performances. We then tested what range of stimuli produce dynamic stimulus-response relationships for different outcome measures in naive mice. We finally used this assay to show that nerve injury produces modality-specific sex differences in pain behavior. Our improved assay opens new avenues to study the basis of modality-specific abnormalities in pain behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Feng Wang
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Québec, QC, Canada
- Faculty of Dentistry, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Yves De Koninck
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Québec, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Francesco Ferrini
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Québec, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
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3
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Weman HM, Ceder MM, Ahemaiti A, Magnusson KA, Henriksson K, Andréasson L, Lagerström MC. Spinal Glycine Receptor Alpha 3 Cells Communicate Sensations of Chemical Itch in Hairy Skin. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e1585232024. [PMID: 38553047 PMCID: PMC11079978 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1585-23.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Glycinergic neurons regulate nociceptive and pruriceptive signaling in the spinal cord, but the identity and role of the glycine-regulated neurons are not fully known. Herein, we have characterized spinal glycine receptor alpha 3 (Glra3) subunit-expressing neurons in Glra3-Cre female and male mice. Glra3-Cre(+) neurons express Glra3, are located mainly in laminae III-VI, and respond to glycine. Chemogenetic activation of spinal Glra3-Cre(+) neurons induced biting/licking, stomping, and guarding behaviors, indicative of both a nociceptive and pruriceptive role for this population. Chemogenetic inhibition did not affect mechanical or thermal responses but reduced behaviors evoked by compound 48/80 and chloroquine, revealing a pruriceptive role for these neurons. Spinal cells activated by compound 48/80 or chloroquine express Glra3, further supporting the phenotype. Retrograde tracing revealed that spinal Glra3-Cre(+) neurons receive input from afferents associated with pain and itch, and dorsal root stimulation validated the monosynaptic input. In conclusion, these results show that spinal Glra3(+) neurons contribute to acute communication of compound 48/80- and chloroquine-induced itch in hairy skin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah M Weman
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala 75108, Sweden
| | - Mikaela M Ceder
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala 75108, Sweden
| | - Aikeremu Ahemaiti
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala 75108, Sweden
| | - Kajsa A Magnusson
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala 75108, Sweden
| | - Katharina Henriksson
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala 75108, Sweden
| | - Linn Andréasson
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala 75108, Sweden
| | - Malin C Lagerström
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala 75108, Sweden
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4
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Gradwell MA, Ozeri-Engelhard N, Eisdorfer JT, Laflamme OD, Gonzalez M, Upadhyay A, Medlock L, Shrier T, Patel KR, Aoki A, Gandhi M, Abbas-Zadeh G, Oputa O, Thackray JK, Ricci M, George A, Yusuf N, Keating J, Imtiaz Z, Alomary SA, Bohic M, Haas M, Hernandez Y, Prescott SA, Akay T, Abraira VE. Multimodal sensory control of motor performance by glycinergic interneurons of the mouse spinal cord deep dorsal horn. Neuron 2024; 112:1302-1327.e13. [PMID: 38452762 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.01.027] [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: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Sensory feedback is integral for contextually appropriate motor output, yet the neural circuits responsible remain elusive. Here, we pinpoint the medial deep dorsal horn of the mouse spinal cord as a convergence point for proprioceptive and cutaneous input. Within this region, we identify a population of tonically active glycinergic inhibitory neurons expressing parvalbumin. Using anatomy and electrophysiology, we demonstrate that deep dorsal horn parvalbumin-expressing interneuron (dPV) activity is shaped by convergent proprioceptive, cutaneous, and descending input. Selectively targeting spinal dPVs, we reveal their widespread ipsilateral inhibition onto pre-motor and motor networks and demonstrate their role in gating sensory-evoked muscle activity using electromyography (EMG) recordings. dPV ablation altered limb kinematics and step-cycle timing during treadmill locomotion and reduced the transitions between sub-movements during spontaneous behavior. These findings reveal a circuit basis by which sensory convergence onto dorsal horn inhibitory neurons modulates motor output to facilitate smooth movement and context-appropriate transitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A Gradwell
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Nofar Ozeri-Engelhard
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; Neuroscience PhD program, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Jaclyn T Eisdorfer
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Olivier D Laflamme
- Dalhousie PhD program, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada; Department of Medical Neuroscience, Atlantic Mobility Action Project, Brain Repair Center, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Melissa Gonzalez
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Aman Upadhyay
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; Neuroscience PhD program, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Laura Medlock
- Neurosciences & Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Tara Shrier
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Komal R Patel
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Adin Aoki
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Melissa Gandhi
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Gloria Abbas-Zadeh
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Olisemaka Oputa
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Joshua K Thackray
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA; Tourette International Collaborative Genetics Study (TIC Genetics)
| | - Matthew Ricci
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Arlene George
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Nusrath Yusuf
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; Neuroscience PhD program, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Jessica Keating
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Zarghona Imtiaz
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Simona A Alomary
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Manon Bohic
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Michael Haas
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Yurdiana Hernandez
- W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Steven A Prescott
- Neurosciences & Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Turgay Akay
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Atlantic Mobility Action Project, Brain Repair Center, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Victoria E Abraira
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.
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5
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Lavaud S, Bichara C, D'Andola M, Yeh SH, Takeoka A. Two inhibitory neuronal classes govern acquisition and recall of spinal sensorimotor adaptation. Science 2024; 384:194-201. [PMID: 38603479 DOI: 10.1126/science.adf6801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Spinal circuits are central to movement adaptation, yet the mechanisms within the spinal cord responsible for acquiring and retaining behavior upon experience remain unclear. Using a simple conditioning paradigm, we found that dorsal inhibitory neurons are indispensable for adapting protective limb-withdrawal behavior by regulating the transmission of a specific set of somatosensory information to enhance the saliency of conditioning cues associated with limb position. By contrast, maintaining previously acquired motor adaptation required the ventral inhibitory Renshaw cells. Manipulating Renshaw cells does not affect the adaptation itself but flexibly alters the expression of adaptive behavior. These findings identify a circuit basis involving two distinct populations of spinal inhibitory neurons, which enables lasting sensorimotor adaptation independently from the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Lavaud
- VIB-Neuroelectronics Research Flanders (NERF), 3001 Leuven, Belgium
- KU Leuven, Department of Neuroscience and Leuven Brain Institute, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Charlotte Bichara
- VIB-Neuroelectronics Research Flanders (NERF), 3001 Leuven, Belgium
- KU Leuven, Department of Neuroscience and Leuven Brain Institute, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mattia D'Andola
- VIB-Neuroelectronics Research Flanders (NERF), 3001 Leuven, Belgium
- KU Leuven, Department of Neuroscience and Leuven Brain Institute, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Shu-Hao Yeh
- VIB-Neuroelectronics Research Flanders (NERF), 3001 Leuven, Belgium
- KU Leuven, Department of Neuroscience and Leuven Brain Institute, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Aya Takeoka
- VIB-Neuroelectronics Research Flanders (NERF), 3001 Leuven, Belgium
- KU Leuven, Department of Neuroscience and Leuven Brain Institute, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- IMEC, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
- RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Laboratory for Motor Circuit Plasticity, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
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6
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Targowska-Duda KM, Peters D, Marcus JL, Zribi G, Toll L, Ozawa A. Functional and anatomical analyses of active spinal circuits in a mouse model of chronic pain. Pain 2024; 165:685-697. [PMID: 37820238 PMCID: PMC10922047 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Decades of efforts in elucidating pain mechanisms, including pharmacological, neuroanatomical, and physiological studies have provided insights into how nociceptive information transmits from the periphery to the brain and the locations receiving nociceptive signals. However, little is known about which specific stimulus-dependent activated neurons, amongst heterogeneous neural environments, discriminatively evoke the cognate pain behavior. We here shed light on the population of neurons in the spinal cord activated by a painful stimulus to identify chronic pain-dependent activated neuronal subsets using Fos2A-iCreER (TRAP2) mice. We have found a large number of neurons activated by a normally nonpainful stimulus in the spinal cord of spinal nerve-ligated mice, compared with sham. Neuronal activation was observed in laminae I and II outer under heat hyperalgesia. A large number of neurons in laminae II inner were activated in both mechanical allodynia and heat hyperalgesia conditions, while mechanical allodynia tends to be the only stimulus that activates cells at lamina II inner dorsal region. Neuroanatomical analyses using spinal cell markers identified a large number of spinal inhibitory neurons that are recruited by both mechanical allodynia and heat hyperalgesia. Of interest, spinal neurons expressing calretinin, calbindin, and parvalbumin were activated differently with distinct pain modalities (ie, mechanical allodynia vs heat hyperalgesia). Chemogenetic inhibition of those activated neurons significantly and specifically reduced the response to the pain stimulus associated with the stimulus modality originally given to the animals. These findings support the idea that spinal neuronal ensembles underlying nociceptive transmission undergo dynamic changes to regulate selective pain responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna M. Targowska-Duda
- Department of Biomedical Science, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, 33431, United States
- Department of Biopharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, 20-093, Poland
| | - Darian Peters
- Department of Biomedical Science, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, 33431, United States
| | - Jason L. Marcus
- Department of Biomedical Science, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, 33431, United States
| | - Gilles Zribi
- Department of Biomedical Science, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, 33431, United States
| | - Lawrence Toll
- Department of Biomedical Science, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, 33431, United States
- Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Akihiko Ozawa
- Department of Biomedical Science, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, 33431, United States
- Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
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7
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Münzberg H, Berthoud HR, Neuhuber WL. Sensory spinal interoceptive pathways and energy balance regulation. Mol Metab 2023; 78:101817. [PMID: 37806487 PMCID: PMC10590858 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2023.101817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Interoception plays an important role in homeostatic regulation of energy intake and metabolism. Major interoceptive pathways include gut-to-brain and adipose tissue-to brain signaling via vagal sensory nerves and hormones, such as leptin. However, signaling via spinal sensory neurons is rapidly emerging as an additional important signaling pathway. Here we provide an in-depth review of the known anatomy and functions of spinal sensory pathways and discuss potential mechanisms relevant for energy balance homeostasis in health and disease. Because sensory innervation by dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons goes far beyond vagally innervated viscera and includes adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, and skin, it is in a position to provide much more complete metabolic information to the brain. Molecular and anatomical identification of function specific DRG neurons will be important steps in designing pharmacological and neuromodulation approaches to affect energy balance regulation in disease states such as obesity, diabetes, and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heike Münzberg
- Neurobiology of Nutrition & Metabolism Department, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University System, Baton Rouge, LA, USA.
| | - Hans-Rudolf Berthoud
- Neurobiology of Nutrition & Metabolism Department, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University System, Baton Rouge, LA, USA.
| | - Winfried L Neuhuber
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Friedrich-Alexander University, Erlangen, Germany.
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8
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Dougherty KJ. Distinguishing subtypes of spinal locomotor neurons to inform circuit function and dysfunction. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2023; 82:102763. [PMID: 37611531 PMCID: PMC10578609 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2023.102763] [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: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Locomotion is a complex motor task executed by spinal neurons. Given the diversity of spinal cord neurons, linking neuronal cell type to function is a challenge. Molecular identification of broad spinal interneuronal classes provided a great advance. Recent studies have used other classifiers, including location, electrophysiological properties, and connectivity, in addition to gene profiling, to narrow the acuity with which groups of neurons can be related to specific functions. However, there are also functional populations without a clear identifier, as exemplified by rhythm generating neurons. Other considerations, including experience or plasticity, add a layer of complexity to the definition of functional subpopulations of spinal neurons, but spinal cord injury may provide insight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly J Dougherty
- Marion Murray Spinal Cord Research Center, Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19129, USA.
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9
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Bhuiyan SA, Xu M, Yang L, Semizoglou E, Bhatia P, Pantaleo KI, Tochitsky I, Jain A, Erdogan B, Blair S, Cat V, Mwirigi JM, Sankaranarayanan I, Tavares-Ferreira D, Green U, McIlvried LA, Copits BA, Bertels Z, Del Rosario JS, Widman AJ, Slivicki RA, Yi J, Woolf CJ, Lennerz JK, Whited JL, Price TJ, Gereau RW, Renthal W. Harmonized cross-species cell atlases of trigeminal and dorsal root ganglia. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.04.547740. [PMID: 37461736 PMCID: PMC10350076 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.04.547740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
Peripheral sensory neurons in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and trigeminal ganglion (TG) are specialized to detect and transduce diverse environmental stimuli including touch, temperature, and pain to the central nervous system. Recent advances in single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) have provided new insights into the diversity of sensory ganglia cell types in rodents, non-human primates, and humans, but it remains difficult to compare transcriptomically defined cell types across studies and species. Here, we built cross-species harmonized atlases of DRG and TG cell types that describe 18 neuronal and 11 non-neuronal cell types across 6 species and 19 studies. We then demonstrate the utility of this harmonized reference atlas by using it to annotate newly profiled DRG nuclei/cells from both human and the highly regenerative axolotl. We observe that the transcriptomic profiles of sensory neuron subtypes are broadly similar across vertebrates, but the expression of functionally important neuropeptides and channels can vary notably. The new resources and data presented here can guide future studies in comparative transcriptomics, simplify cell type nomenclature differences across studies, and help prioritize targets for future pain therapy development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shamsuddin A Bhuiyan
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Mengyi Xu
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Alan Edwards Center for Research on Pain and Department of Physiology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Lite Yang
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Program in Neurosciences, Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
| | - Evangelia Semizoglou
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Parth Bhatia
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Katerina I Pantaleo
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Ivan Tochitsky
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurobiology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 3 Blackfan Cir. Boston, MA 02115
| | - Aakanksha Jain
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurobiology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 3 Blackfan Cir. Boston, MA 02115
| | - Burcu Erdogan
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02138
| | - Steven Blair
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02138
| | - Victor Cat
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02138
| | - Juliet M Mwirigi
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX, 75080
| | - Ishwarya Sankaranarayanan
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX, 75080
| | - Diana Tavares-Ferreira
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX, 75080
| | - Ursula Green
- Department of Pathology, Center for Integrated Diagnostics, Massachussetts General Hospital and Havard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114
| | - Lisa A McIlvried
- Program in Neurosciences, Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
| | - Bryan A Copits
- Program in Neurosciences, Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
| | - Zachariah Bertels
- Program in Neurosciences, Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
| | - John S Del Rosario
- Program in Neurosciences, Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
| | - Allie J Widman
- Program in Neurosciences, Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
| | - Richard A Slivicki
- Program in Neurosciences, Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
| | - Jiwon Yi
- Program in Neurosciences, Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
| | - Clifford J Woolf
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurobiology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 3 Blackfan Cir. Boston, MA 02115
| | - Jochen K Lennerz
- Department of Pathology, Center for Integrated Diagnostics, Massachussetts General Hospital and Havard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114
| | - Jessica L Whited
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02138
| | - Theodore J Price
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX, 75080
| | - Robert W Gereau
- Program in Neurosciences, Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
| | - William Renthal
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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10
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Wilson AC, Sweeney LB. Spinal cords: Symphonies of interneurons across species. Front Neural Circuits 2023; 17:1146449. [PMID: 37180760 PMCID: PMC10169611 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2023.1146449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Vertebrate movement is orchestrated by spinal inter- and motor neurons that, together with sensory and cognitive input, produce dynamic motor behaviors. These behaviors vary from the simple undulatory swimming of fish and larval aquatic species to the highly coordinated running, reaching and grasping of mice, humans and other mammals. This variation raises the fundamental question of how spinal circuits have changed in register with motor behavior. In simple, undulatory fish, exemplified by the lamprey, two broad classes of interneurons shape motor neuron output: ipsilateral-projecting excitatory neurons, and commissural-projecting inhibitory neurons. An additional class of ipsilateral inhibitory neurons is required to generate escape swim behavior in larval zebrafish and tadpoles. In limbed vertebrates, a more complex spinal neuron composition is observed. In this review, we provide evidence that movement elaboration correlates with an increase and specialization of these three basic interneuron types into molecularly, anatomically, and functionally distinct subpopulations. We summarize recent work linking neuron types to movement-pattern generation across fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lora B. Sweeney
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria), Klosterneuburg, Lower Austria, Austria
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11
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Hayashi M, Gullo M, Senturk G, Di Costanzo S, Nagasaki SC, Kageyama R, Imayoshi I, Goulding M, Pfaff SL, Gatto G. A spinal synergy of excitatory and inhibitory neurons coordinates ipsilateral body movements. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.21.533603. [PMID: 36993220 PMCID: PMC10055247 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.21.533603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
Innate and goal-directed movements require a high-degree of trunk and appendicular muscle coordination to preserve body stability while ensuring the correct execution of the motor action. The spinal neural circuits underlying motor execution and postural stability are finely modulated by propriospinal, sensory and descending feedback, yet how distinct spinal neuron populations cooperate to control body stability and limb coordination remains unclear. Here, we identified a spinal microcircuit composed of V2 lineage-derived excitatory (V2a) and inhibitory (V2b) neurons that together coordinate ipsilateral body movements during locomotion. Inactivation of the entire V2 neuron lineage does not impair intralimb coordination but destabilizes body balance and ipsilateral limb coupling, causing mice to adopt a compensatory festinating gait and be unable to execute skilled locomotor tasks. Taken together our data suggest that during locomotion the excitatory V2a and inhibitory V2b neurons act antagonistically to control intralimb coordination, and synergistically to coordinate forelimb and hindlimb movements. Thus, we suggest a new circuit architecture, by which neurons with distinct neurotransmitter identities employ a dual-mode of operation, exerting either synergistic or opposing functions to control different facets of the same motor behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marito Hayashi
- Gene Expression Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Miriam Gullo
- Gene Expression Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Gokhan Senturk
- Gene Expression Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Biological Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Stefania Di Costanzo
- Biological Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Shinji C. Nagasaki
- Research Center for Dynamic Living Systems, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Ryoichiro Kageyama
- Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
- RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako 351-0198, Japan
| | - Itaru Imayoshi
- Research Center for Dynamic Living Systems, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Martyn Goulding
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Samuel L. Pfaff
- Gene Expression Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Graziana Gatto
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Neurology Department, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, 50937, Germany
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12
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Qi L, Lin SH, Ma Q. Spinal VGLUT3 lineage neurons drive visceral mechanical allodynia but not sensitized visceromotor reflexes. Neuron 2023; 111:669-681.e5. [PMID: 36584681 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Visceral pain is among the most prevalent and bothersome forms of chronic pain, but their transmission in the spinal cord is still poorly understood. Here, we conducted focal colorectal distention (fCRD) to drive both visceromotor responses (VMRs) and aversion. We first found that spinal CCK neurons were necessary for noxious fCRD to drive both VMRs and aversion under naive conditions. We next showed that spinal VGLUT3 neurons mediate visceral allodynia, whose ablation caused loss of aversion evoked by low-intensity fCRD in mice with gastrointestinal (GI) inflammation or spinal circuit disinhibition. Importantly, these neurons were dispensable for driving sensitized VMRs under both inflammatory and central disinhibition conditions. Anatomically, a subset of VGLUT3 neurons projected to parabrachial nuclei, whose photoactivation sufficiently generated aversion in mice with GI inflammation, without influencing VMRs. Our studies suggest the presence of different spinal substrates that transmit nociceptive versus affective dimensions of visceral sensory information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Qi
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Shing-Hong Lin
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Qiufu Ma
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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13
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Yadav A, Matson KJE, Li L, Hua I, Petrescu J, Kang K, Alkaslasi MR, Lee DI, Hasan S, Galuta A, Dedek A, Ameri S, Parnell J, Alshardan MM, Qumqumji FA, Alhamad SM, Wang AP, Poulen G, Lonjon N, Vachiery-Lahaye F, Gaur P, Nalls MA, Qi YA, Maric D, Ward ME, Hildebrand ME, Mery PF, Bourinet E, Bauchet L, Tsai EC, Phatnani H, Le Pichon CE, Menon V, Levine AJ. A cellular taxonomy of the adult human spinal cord. Neuron 2023; 111:328-344.e7. [PMID: 36731429 PMCID: PMC10044516 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 46.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The mammalian spinal cord functions as a community of cell types for sensory processing, autonomic control, and movement. While animal models have advanced our understanding of spinal cellular diversity, characterizing human biology directly is important to uncover specialized features of basic function and human pathology. Here, we present a cellular taxonomy of the adult human spinal cord using single-nucleus RNA sequencing with spatial transcriptomics and antibody validation. We identified 29 glial clusters and 35 neuronal clusters, organized principally by anatomical location. To demonstrate the relevance of this resource to human disease, we analyzed spinal motoneurons, which degenerate in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other diseases. We found that compared with other spinal neurons, human motoneurons are defined by genes related to cell size, cytoskeletal structure, and ALS, suggesting a specialized molecular repertoire underlying their selective vulnerability. We include a web resource to facilitate further investigations into human spinal cord biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Archana Yadav
- Department of Neurology, Center for Translational and Computational Neuroimmunology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kaya J E Matson
- Spinal Circuits and Plasticity Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD, USA; Johns Hopkins University Department of Biology, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Li Li
- Spinal Circuits and Plasticity Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Isabelle Hua
- Spinal Circuits and Plasticity Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Joana Petrescu
- Department of Neurology, Center for Translational and Computational Neuroimmunology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Center for Genomics of Neurodegenerative Disease, New York Genome Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kristy Kang
- Department of Neurology, Center for Translational and Computational Neuroimmunology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Center for Genomics of Neurodegenerative Disease, New York Genome Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mor R Alkaslasi
- Unit on the Development of Neurodegeneration, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Dylan I Lee
- Department of Neurology, Center for Translational and Computational Neuroimmunology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Saadia Hasan
- Inherited Neurodegenerative Diseases Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ahmad Galuta
- Neuroscience Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Annemarie Dedek
- Neuroscience Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada; Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Sara Ameri
- Neuroscience Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Jessica Parnell
- Neuroscience Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada; Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | | | | | - Saud M Alhamad
- Neuroscience Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Alick Pingbei Wang
- Neuroscience Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Gaetan Poulen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Gui de Chauliac Hospital, and Donation and Transplantation Coordination Unit, Montpellier University Medical Center, Montpellier, France
| | - Nicolas Lonjon
- Department of Neurosurgery, Gui de Chauliac Hospital, and Donation and Transplantation Coordination Unit, Montpellier University Medical Center, Montpellier, France
| | - Florence Vachiery-Lahaye
- Department of Neurosurgery, Gui de Chauliac Hospital, and Donation and Transplantation Coordination Unit, Montpellier University Medical Center, Montpellier, France
| | - Pallavi Gaur
- Department of Neurology, Center for Translational and Computational Neuroimmunology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mike A Nalls
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; Center for Alzheimer's and Related Dementias, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; Data Tecnica International LLC, Glen Echo, MD, USA
| | - Yue A Qi
- Center for Alzheimer's and Related Dementias, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Dragan Maric
- Flow and Imaging Cytometry Core Facility, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke; Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Michael E Ward
- Inherited Neurodegenerative Diseases Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Michael E Hildebrand
- Inherited Neurodegenerative Diseases Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD, USA; Neuroscience Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Pierre-Francois Mery
- Institute of Functional Genomics, Montpellier University, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Emmanuel Bourinet
- Institute of Functional Genomics, Montpellier University, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Luc Bauchet
- Department of Neurosurgery, Gui de Chauliac Hospital, and Donation and Transplantation Coordination Unit, Montpellier University Medical Center, Montpellier, France; Institute of Functional Genomics, Montpellier University, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Eve C Tsai
- Neuroscience Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Hemali Phatnani
- Department of Neurology, Center for Translational and Computational Neuroimmunology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Center for Genomics of Neurodegenerative Disease, New York Genome Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Claire E Le Pichon
- Unit on the Development of Neurodegeneration, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Vilas Menon
- Department of Neurology, Center for Translational and Computational Neuroimmunology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Ariel J Levine
- Spinal Circuits and Plasticity Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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14
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Ganley RP, de Sousa MM, Werder K, Öztürk T, Mendes R, Ranucci M, Wildner H, Zeilhofer HU. Targeted anatomical and functional identification of antinociceptive and pronociceptive serotonergic neurons that project to the spinal dorsal horn. eLife 2023; 12:78689. [PMID: 36752606 PMCID: PMC9943064 DOI: 10.7554/elife.78689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Spinally projecting serotonergic neurons play a key role in controlling pain sensitivity and can either increase or decrease nociception depending on physiological context. It is currently unknown how serotonergic neurons mediate these opposing effects. Utilizing virus-based strategies and Tph2-Cre transgenic mice, we identified two anatomically separated populations of serotonergic hindbrain neurons located in the lateral paragigantocellularis (LPGi) and the medial hindbrain, which respectively innervate the superficial and deep spinal dorsal horn and have contrasting effects on sensory perception. Our tracing experiments revealed that serotonergic neurons of the LPGi were much more susceptible to transduction with spinally injected AAV2retro vectors than medial hindbrain serotonergic neurons. Taking advantage of this difference, we employed intersectional chemogenetic approaches to demonstrate that activation of the LPGi serotonergic projections decreases thermal sensitivity, whereas activation of medial serotonergic neurons increases sensitivity to mechanical von Frey stimulation. Together these results suggest that there are functionally distinct classes of serotonergic hindbrain neurons that differ in their anatomical location in the hindbrain, their postsynaptic targets in the spinal cord, and their impact on nociceptive sensitivity. The LPGi neurons that give rise to rather global and bilateral projections throughout the rostrocaudal extent of the spinal cord appear to be ideally poised to contribute to widespread systemic pain control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Philip Ganley
- Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | | | - Kira Werder
- Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Tugce Öztürk
- Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Raquel Mendes
- Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Matteo Ranucci
- Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Hendrik Wildner
- Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Hanns Ulrich Zeilhofer
- Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland,Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of TechnologyZurichSwitzerland
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15
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Chirila AM, Rankin G, Tseng SY, Emanuel AJ, Chavez-Martinez CL, Zhang D, Harvey CD, Ginty DD. Mechanoreceptor signal convergence and transformation in the dorsal horn flexibly shape a diversity of outputs to the brain. Cell 2022; 185:4541-4559.e23. [PMID: 36334588 PMCID: PMC9691598 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The encoding of touch in the spinal cord dorsal horn (DH) and its influence on tactile representations in the brain are poorly understood. Using a range of mechanical stimuli applied to the skin, large-scale in vivo electrophysiological recordings, and genetic manipulations, here we show that neurons in the mouse spinal cord DH receive convergent inputs from both low- and high-threshold mechanoreceptor subtypes and exhibit one of six functionally distinct mechanical response profiles. Genetic disruption of DH feedforward or feedback inhibitory motifs, comprised of interneurons with distinct mechanical response profiles, revealed an extensively interconnected DH network that enables dynamic, flexible tuning of postsynaptic dorsal column (PSDC) output neurons and dictates how neurons in the primary somatosensory cortex respond to touch. Thus, mechanoreceptor subtype convergence and non-linear transformations at the earliest stage of the somatosensory hierarchy shape how touch of the skin is represented in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anda M Chirila
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Genelle Rankin
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Shih-Yi Tseng
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Alan J Emanuel
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Carmine L Chavez-Martinez
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Dawei Zhang
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Christopher D Harvey
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - David D Ginty
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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16
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Jhumka ZA, Abdus-Saboor IJ. Next generation behavioral sequencing for advancing pain quantification. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2022; 76:102598. [PMID: 35780688 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2022.102598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
With symptoms such as spontaneous pain and pathologically heightened sensitivity to stimuli, chronic pain accounts for about 20% of physician visits and up to 2/3 of patients are dissatisfied with current treatments. Much of our knowledge on pain processing and analgesics has emerged from behavioral studies performed on animals presenting the same symptoms under pathological conditions. While humans can verbally describe their pain, studies on rodents have relied on behavioral assays providing non-exhaustive characterization or altering animals' original sensitivity through repetitive stimulations. The emergence of what we term "next-generation behavioral sequencing" is now permitting us to quantitatively describe behavioral features on millisecond to minutes long timescales that lie beyond easy detection with the unaided eye. Here, we summarize emerging videography and computational based behavioral approaches that have the potential to significantly improve pain research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Z Anissa Jhumka
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA. https://twitter.com/AnissaJhumka
| | - Ishmail J Abdus-Saboor
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA. ia2458columbia.edu
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17
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Spinal Cord Circuits: Models and Reality. NEUROPHYSIOLOGY+ 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11062-022-09927-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
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18
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Tedeschi A, Larson MJE, Zouridakis A, Mo L, Bordbar A, Myers JM, Qin HY, Rodocker HI, Fan F, Lannutti JJ, McElroy CA, Nimjee SM, Peng J, Arnold WD, Moon LDF, Sun W. Harnessing cortical plasticity via gabapentinoid administration promotes recovery after stroke. Brain 2022; 145:2378-2393. [PMID: 35905466 PMCID: PMC9890504 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awac103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2021] [Revised: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Stroke causes devastating sensory-motor deficits and long-term disability due to disruption of descending motor pathways. Restoration of these functions enables independent living and therefore represents a high priority for those afflicted by stroke. Here, we report that daily administration of gabapentin, a clinically approved drug already used to treat various neurological disorders, promotes structural and functional plasticity of the corticospinal pathway after photothrombotic cortical stroke in adult mice. We found that gabapentin administration had no effects on vascular occlusion, haemodynamic changes nor survival of corticospinal neurons within the ipsilateral sensory-motor cortex in the acute stages of stroke. Instead, using a combination of tract tracing, electrical stimulation and functional connectivity mapping, we demonstrated that corticospinal axons originating from the contralateral side of the brain in mice administered gabapentin extend numerous collaterals, form new synaptic contacts and better integrate within spinal circuits that control forelimb muscles. Not only does gabapentin daily administration promote neuroplasticity, but it also dampens maladaptive plasticity by reducing the excitability of spinal motor circuitry. In turn, mice administered gabapentin starting 1 h or 1 day after stroke recovered skilled upper extremity function. Functional recovery persists even after stopping the treatment at 6 weeks following a stroke. Finally, chemogenetic silencing of cortical projections originating from the contralateral side of the brain transiently abrogated recovery in mice administered gabapentin, further supporting the conclusion that gabapentin-dependent reorganization of spared cortical pathways drives functional recovery after stroke. These observations highlight the strong potential for repurposing gabapentinoids as a promising treatment strategy for stroke repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Tedeschi
- Department of Neuroscience, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Discovery Theme on Chronic Brain Injury, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Molly J E Larson
- Department of Neuroscience, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Antonia Zouridakis
- Department of Neuroscience, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Lujia Mo
- Department of Neuroscience, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Arman Bordbar
- Department of Neuroscience, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Julia M Myers
- Department of Neuroscience, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Hannah Y Qin
- Department of Neuroscience, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Haven I Rodocker
- Department of Neuroscience, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Fan Fan
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - John J Lannutti
- Discovery Theme on Chronic Brain Injury, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Craig A McElroy
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Shahid M Nimjee
- Discovery Theme on Chronic Brain Injury, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Juan Peng
- Center for Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - W David Arnold
- Division of Neuromuscular Diseases, Department of Neurology, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Lawrence D F Moon
- Neurorestoration Group, Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Wenjing Sun
- Department of Neuroscience, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
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19
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Wang H, Chen W, Dong Z, Xing G, Cui W, Yao L, Zou WJ, Robinson HL, Bian Y, Liu Z, Zhao K, Luo B, Gao N, Zhang H, Ren X, Yu Z, Meixiong J, Xiong WC, Mei L. A novel spinal neuron connection for heat sensation. Neuron 2022; 110:2315-2333.e6. [PMID: 35561677 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.04.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2021] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Heat perception enables acute avoidance responses to prevent tissue damage and maintain body thermal homeostasis. Unlike other modalities, how heat signals are processed in the spinal cord remains unclear. By single-cell gene profiling, we identified ErbB4, a transmembrane tyrosine kinase, as a novel marker of heat-sensitive spinal neurons in mice. Ablating spinal ErbB4+ neurons attenuates heat sensation. These neurons receive monosynaptic inputs from TRPV1+ nociceptors and form excitatory synapses onto target neurons. Activation of ErbB4+ neurons enhances the heat response, while inhibition reduces the heat response. We showed that heat sensation is regulated by NRG1, an activator of ErbB4, and it involves dynamic activity of the tyrosine kinase that promotes glutamatergic transmission. Evidence indicates that the NRG1-ErbB4 signaling is also engaged in hypersensitivity of pathological pain. Together, these results identify a spinal neuron connection consisting of ErbB4+ neurons for heat sensation and reveal a regulatory mechanism by the NRG1-ErbB4 signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongsheng Wang
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Wenbing Chen
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Zhaoqi Dong
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Guanglin Xing
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Wanpeng Cui
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Lingling Yao
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Wen-Jun Zou
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Heath L Robinson
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Yaoyao Bian
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Zhipeng Liu
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Kai Zhao
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Bin Luo
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Nannan Gao
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Hongsheng Zhang
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Xiao Ren
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Zheng Yu
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - James Meixiong
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience and Medical Scientist Training Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Wen-Cheng Xiong
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA; Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Lin Mei
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA; Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
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20
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Ma Q. A functional subdivision within the somatosensory system and its implications for pain research. Neuron 2022; 110:749-769. [PMID: 35016037 PMCID: PMC8897275 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Somatosensory afferents are traditionally classified by soma size, myelination, and their response specificity to external and internal stimuli. Here, we propose the functional subdivision of the nociceptive somatosensory system into two branches. The exteroceptive branch detects external threats and drives reflexive-defensive reactions to prevent or limit injury. The interoceptive branch senses the disruption of body integrity, produces tonic pain with strong aversive emotional components, and drives self-caring responses toward to the injured region to reduce suffering. The central thesis behind this functional subdivision comes from a reflection on the dilemma faced by the pain research field, namely, the use of reflexive-defensive behaviors as surrogate assays for interoceptive tonic pain. The interpretation of these assays is now being challenged by the discovery of distinct but interwoven circuits that drive exteroceptive versus interoceptive types of behaviors, with the conflation of these two components contributing partially to the poor translation of therapies from preclinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiufu Ma
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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21
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Rabies anterograde monosynaptic tracing allows identification of postsynaptic circuits receiving distinct somatosensory input. Neuroscience 2022; 491:75-86. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
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22
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Ivica N, Censoni L, Sjöbom J, Richter U, Petersson P. Differential effects of skilled reaching training on the temporal and spatial organization of somatosensory input to cortical and striatal motor circuits. J Neurophysiol 2021; 127:225-238. [PMID: 34936519 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00464.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
It has been hypothesized that in order to perform sensorimotor transformations efficiently, somatosensory information being fed back to a particular motor circuit is organized in accordance with the mechanical loading patterns of the skin that results from the motor activity generated by that circuit. Rearrangements of sensory information to different motor circuits could in this respect constitute a key component of sensorimotor learning. We have here explored if the organization of tactile input from the plantar forepaw of the rat to cortical and striatal circuits is affected by a period of extensive sensorimotor training in a skilled reaching and grasping task. Our data show that the representation of tactile stimuli in terms of both temporal and spatial response patterns changes as a consequence of the training, and that spatial changes particularly involve the primary motor cortex. Based on the observed reorganization, we propose that reshaping of the spatiotemporal representation of the tactile afference to motor circuits is an integral component of the learning process that underlies skill-acquisition in reaching and grasping.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nedjeljka Ivica
- Integrative Neurophysiology and Neurotechnology, Department of Experimental Medical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Luciano Censoni
- Department of Integrative Medical Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Joel Sjöbom
- Integrative Neurophysiology and Neurotechnology, Department of Experimental Medical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Ulrike Richter
- Integrative Neurophysiology and Neurotechnology, Department of Experimental Medical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Per Petersson
- Integrative Neurophysiology and Neurotechnology, Department of Experimental Medical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.,Department of Integrative Medical Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
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23
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Mercer Lindsay N, Chen C, Gilam G, Mackey S, Scherrer G. Brain circuits for pain and its treatment. Sci Transl Med 2021; 13:eabj7360. [PMID: 34757810 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abj7360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
[Figure: see text].
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Mercer Lindsay
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, UNC Neuroscience Center, Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.,Department of Biology, CNC Program, Department of Applied Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Chong Chen
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, UNC Neuroscience Center, Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Gadi Gilam
- Division of Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
| | - Sean Mackey
- Division of Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
| | - Grégory Scherrer
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, UNC Neuroscience Center, Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.,New York Stem Cell Foundation-Robertson Investigator, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
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24
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Zhang H, Liu Y, Zhou K, Wei W, Liu Y. Restoring Sensorimotor Function Through Neuromodulation After Spinal Cord Injury: Progress and Remaining Challenges. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:749465. [PMID: 34720867 PMCID: PMC8551759 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.749465] [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: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a major disability that results in motor and sensory impairment and extensive complications for the affected individuals which not only affect the quality of life of the patients but also result in a heavy burden for their families and the health care system. Although there are few clinically effective treatments for SCI, research over the past few decades has resulted in several novel treatment strategies which are related to neuromodulation. Neuromodulation-the use of neuromodulators, electrical stimulation or optogenetics to modulate neuronal activity-can substantially promote the recovery of sensorimotor function after SCI. Recent studies have shown that neuromodulation, in combination with other technologies, can allow paralyzed patients to carry out intentional, controlled movement, and promote sensory recovery. Although such treatments hold promise for completely overcoming SCI, the mechanisms by which neuromodulation has this effect have been difficult to determine. Here we review recent progress relative to electrical neuromodulation and optogenetics neuromodulation. We also examine potential mechanisms by which these methods may restore sensorimotor function. We then highlight the strengths of these approaches and remaining challenges with respect to its application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and Institute of Neuroscience, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Yaping Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and Institute of Neuroscience, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Kai Zhou
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and Institute of Neuroscience, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Wei Wei
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and Institute of Neuroscience, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Yaobo Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and Institute of Neuroscience, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
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25
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Nicola FDC, Hua I, Levine AJ. Intersectional genetic tools to study skilled reaching in mice. Exp Neurol 2021; 347:113879. [PMID: 34597682 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2021.113879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Reaching to grasp is an evolutionarily conserved behavior and a crucial part of the motor repertoire in mammals. As it is studied in the laboratory, reaching has become the prototypical example of dexterous forelimb movements, illuminating key principles of motor control throughout the spinal cord, brain, and peripheral nervous system. Here, we (1) review the motor elements or phases that comprise the reach, grasp, and retract movements of reaching behavior, (2) highlight the role of intersectional genetic tools in linking these movements to their neuronal substrates, (3) describe spinal cord cell types and their roles in skilled reaching, and (4) how descending pathways from the brain and the sensory systems contribute to skilled reaching. We emphasize that genetic perturbation experiments can pin-point the neuronal substrates of specific phases of reaching behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabricio do Couto Nicola
- Spinal Circuits and Plasticity Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States of America
| | - Isabelle Hua
- Spinal Circuits and Plasticity Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States of America
| | - Ariel J Levine
- Spinal Circuits and Plasticity Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States of America.
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26
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Russ DE, Cross RBP, Li L, Koch SC, Matson KJE, Yadav A, Alkaslasi MR, Lee DI, Le Pichon CE, Menon V, Levine AJ. A harmonized atlas of mouse spinal cord cell types and their spatial organization. Nat Commun 2021; 12:5722. [PMID: 34588430 PMCID: PMC8481483 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-25125-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Single-cell RNA sequencing data can unveil the molecular diversity of cell types. Cell type atlases of the mouse spinal cord have been published in recent years but have not been integrated together. Here, we generate an atlas of spinal cell types based on single-cell transcriptomic data, unifying the available datasets into a common reference framework. We report a hierarchical structure of postnatal cell type relationships, with location providing the highest level of organization, then neurotransmitter status, family, and finally, dozens of refined populations. We validate a combinatorial marker code for each neuronal cell type and map their spatial distributions in the adult spinal cord. We also show complex lineage relationships among postnatal cell types. Additionally, we develop an open-source cell type classifier, SeqSeek, to facilitate the standardization of cell type identification. This work provides an integrated view of spinal cell types, their gene expression signatures, and their molecular organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel E Russ
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, Data Science Research Group, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Ryan B Patterson Cross
- Spinal Circuits and Plasticity Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Li Li
- Spinal Circuits and Plasticity Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Stephanie C Koch
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, Division of Biosciences, University College London, London, UK
| | - Kaya J E Matson
- Spinal Circuits and Plasticity Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Archana Yadav
- Department of Neurology, Center for Translational and Computational Neuroimmunology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mor R Alkaslasi
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Dylan I Lee
- Department of Neurology, Center for Translational and Computational Neuroimmunology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Claire E Le Pichon
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Vilas Menon
- Department of Neurology, Center for Translational and Computational Neuroimmunology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ariel J Levine
- Spinal Circuits and Plasticity Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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27
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Walker JR, Detloff MR. Plasticity in Cervical Motor Circuits following Spinal Cord Injury and Rehabilitation. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:biology10100976. [PMID: 34681075 PMCID: PMC8533179 DOI: 10.3390/biology10100976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Revised: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Spinal cord injury results in a decreased quality of life and impacts hundreds of thousands of people in the US alone. This review discusses the underlying cellular mechanisms of injury and the concurrent therapeutic hurdles that impede recovery. It then describes the phenomena of neural plasticity—the nervous system’s ability to change. The primary focus of the review is on the impact of cervical spinal cord injury on control of the upper limbs. The neural plasticity that occurs without intervention is discussed, which shows new connections growing around the injury site and the involvement of compensatory movements. Rehabilitation-driven neural plasticity is shown to have the ability to guide connections to create more normal functions. Various novel stimulation and recording technologies are outlined for their role in further improving rehabilitative outcomes and gains in independence. Finally, the importance of sensory input, an often-overlooked aspect of motor control, is shown in driving neural plasticity. Overall, this review seeks to delineate the historical and contemporary research into neural plasticity following injury and rehabilitation to guide future studies. Abstract Neuroplasticity is a robust mechanism by which the central nervous system attempts to adapt to a structural or chemical disruption of functional connections between neurons. Mechanical damage from spinal cord injury potentiates via neuroinflammation and can cause aberrant changes in neural circuitry known as maladaptive plasticity. Together, these alterations greatly diminish function and quality of life. This review discusses contemporary efforts to harness neuroplasticity through rehabilitation and neuromodulation to restore function with a focus on motor recovery following cervical spinal cord injury. Background information on the general mechanisms of plasticity and long-term potentiation of the nervous system, most well studied in the learning and memory fields, will be reviewed. Spontaneous plasticity of the nervous system, both maladaptive and during natural recovery following spinal cord injury is outlined to provide a baseline from which rehabilitation builds. Previous research has focused on the impact of descending motor commands in driving spinal plasticity. However, this review focuses on the influence of physical therapy and primary afferent input and interneuron modulation in driving plasticity within the spinal cord. Finally, future directions into previously untargeted primary afferent populations are presented.
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28
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Chaterji S, Barik A, Sathyamurthy A. Intraspinal injection of adeno-associated viruses into the adult mouse spinal cord. STAR Protoc 2021; 2:100786. [PMID: 34505088 PMCID: PMC8414904 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2021.100786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic dissection of neural circuits has been accelerated by recent advances in viral-based vectors. This protocol describes an effective approach to performing intraspinal injections of adeno-associated viruses, which can be used to label, manipulate, and monitor spinal and supraspinal neurons. By avoiding invasive laminectomies and restrictive spinal-clamping and by adopting injectable anaesthetics and tough quartz glass micropipettes, our protocol presents a time-saving and efficient approach for genetic manipulation of neural circuits nucleated in the spinal cord. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Sathyamurthy et al. (2020).
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Affiliation(s)
- Shrivas Chaterji
- Centre for Neuroscience, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012, India
| | - Arnab Barik
- Centre for Neuroscience, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012, India
| | - Anupama Sathyamurthy
- Centre for Neuroscience, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012, India
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29
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Middleton SJ, Perez-Sanchez J, Dawes JM. The structure of sensory afferent compartments in health and disease. J Anat 2021; 241:1186-1210. [PMID: 34528255 PMCID: PMC9558153 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Primary sensory neurons are a heterogeneous population of cells able to respond to both innocuous and noxious stimuli. Like most neurons they are highly compartmentalised, allowing them to detect, convey and transfer sensory information. These compartments include specialised sensory endings in the skin, the nodes of Ranvier in myelinated axons, the cell soma and their central terminals in the spinal cord. In this review, we will highlight the importance of these compartments to primary afferent function, describe how these structures are compromised following nerve damage and how this relates to neuropathic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven J Middleton
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - John M Dawes
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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30
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Sengupta M, Daliparthi V, Roussel Y, Bui TV, Bagnall MW. Spinal V1 neurons inhibit motor targets locally and sensory targets distally. Curr Biol 2021; 31:3820-3833.e4. [PMID: 34289387 PMCID: PMC8440420 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.06.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Rostro-caudal coordination of spinal motor output is essential for locomotion. Most spinal interneurons project axons longitudinally to govern locomotor output, yet their connectivity along this axis remains unclear. In this study, we use larval zebrafish to map synaptic outputs of a major inhibitory population, V1 (Eng1+) neurons, which are implicated in dual sensory and motor functions. We find that V1 neurons exhibit long axons extending rostrally and exclusively ipsilaterally for an average of 6 spinal segments; however, they do not connect uniformly with their post-synaptic targets along the entire length of their axon. Locally, V1 neurons inhibit motor neurons (both fast and slow) and other premotor targets, including V2a, V2b, and commissural premotor neurons. In contrast, V1 neurons make robust long-range inhibitory contacts onto a dorsal horn sensory population, the commissural primary ascending neurons (CoPAs). In a computational model of the ipsilateral spinal network, we show that this pattern of short-range V1 inhibition to motor and premotor neurons underlies burst termination, which is critical for coordinated rostro-caudal propagation of the locomotor wave. We conclude that spinal network architecture in the longitudinal axis can vary dramatically, with differentially targeted local and distal connections, yielding important consequences for function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohini Sengupta
- Washington University School of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Vamsi Daliparthi
- Washington University School of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Yann Roussel
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Centre for Neural Dynamics, Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada; Blue Brain Project, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Geneve, Switzerland
| | - Tuan V Bui
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Centre for Neural Dynamics, Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Martha W Bagnall
- Washington University School of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, St. Louis, MO, USA.
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31
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Veshchitskii AA, Musienko PE, Merkulyeva NS. Distribution of Calretinin-Immunopositive Neurons in the Cat Lumbar Spinal Cord. J EVOL BIOCHEM PHYS+ 2021. [DOI: 10.1134/s0022093021040074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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32
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Computational Modeling of Spinal Locomotor Circuitry in the Age of Molecular Genetics. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22136835. [PMID: 34202085 PMCID: PMC8267724 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22136835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuronal circuits in the spinal cord are essential for the control of locomotion. They integrate supraspinal commands and afferent feedback signals to produce coordinated rhythmic muscle activations necessary for stable locomotion. For several decades, computational modeling has complemented experimental studies by providing a mechanistic rationale for experimental observations and by deriving experimentally testable predictions. This symbiotic relationship between experimental and computational approaches has resulted in numerous fundamental insights. With recent advances in molecular and genetic methods, it has become possible to manipulate specific constituent elements of the spinal circuitry and relate them to locomotor behavior. This has led to computational modeling studies investigating mechanisms at the level of genetically defined neuronal populations and their interactions. We review literature on the spinal locomotor circuitry from a computational perspective. By reviewing examples leading up to and in the age of molecular genetics, we demonstrate the importance of computational modeling and its interactions with experiments. Moving forward, neuromechanical models with neuronal circuitry modeled at the level of genetically defined neuronal populations will be required to further unravel the mechanisms by which neuronal interactions lead to locomotor behavior.
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33
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Spinal Inhibitory Interneurons: Gatekeepers of Sensorimotor Pathways. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22052667. [PMID: 33800863 PMCID: PMC7961554 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22052667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to sense and move within an environment are complex functions necessary for the survival of nearly all species. The spinal cord is both the initial entry site for peripheral information and the final output site for motor response, placing spinal circuits as paramount in mediating sensory responses and coordinating movement. This is partly accomplished through the activation of complex spinal microcircuits that gate afferent signals to filter extraneous stimuli from various sensory modalities and determine which signals are transmitted to higher order structures in the CNS and to spinal motor pathways. A mechanistic understanding of how inhibitory interneurons are organized and employed within the spinal cord will provide potential access points for therapeutics targeting inhibitory deficits underlying various pathologies including sensory and movement disorders. Recent studies using transgenic manipulations, neurochemical profiling, and single-cell transcriptomics have identified distinct populations of inhibitory interneurons which express an array of genetic and/or neurochemical markers that constitute functional microcircuits. In this review, we provide an overview of identified neural components that make up inhibitory microcircuits within the dorsal and ventral spinal cord and highlight the importance of inhibitory control of sensorimotor pathways at the spinal level.
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34
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Das Gupta RR, Scheurer L, Pelczar P, Wildner H, Zeilhofer HU. Neuron-specific spinal cord translatomes reveal a neuropeptide code for mouse dorsal horn excitatory neurons. Sci Rep 2021; 11:5232. [PMID: 33664406 PMCID: PMC7933427 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-84667-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The spinal dorsal horn harbors a sophisticated and heterogeneous network of excitatory and inhibitory neurons that process peripheral signals encoding different sensory modalities. Although it has long been recognized that this network is crucial both for the separation and the integration of sensory signals of different modalities, a systematic unbiased approach to the use of specific neuromodulatory systems is still missing. Here, we have used the translating ribosome affinity purification (TRAP) technique to map the translatomes of excitatory glutamatergic (vGluT2+) and inhibitory GABA and/or glycinergic (vGAT+ or Gad67+) neurons of the mouse spinal cord. Our analyses demonstrate that inhibitory and excitatory neurons are not only set apart, as expected, by the expression of genes related to the production, release or re-uptake of their principal neurotransmitters and by genes encoding for transcription factors, but also by a differential engagement of neuromodulator, especially neuropeptide, signaling pathways. Subsequent multiplex in situ hybridization revealed eleven neuropeptide genes that are strongly enriched in excitatory dorsal horn neurons and display largely non-overlapping expression patterns closely adhering to the laminar and presumably also functional organization of the spinal cord grey matter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Rani Das Gupta
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland.,Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1-5/10, 8090, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Louis Scheurer
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Pawel Pelczar
- Center for Transgenic Models, University of Basel, 4001, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Hendrik Wildner
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Hanns Ulrich Zeilhofer
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland. .,Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1-5/10, 8090, Zurich, Switzerland.
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35
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Shadrach JL, Gomez-Frittelli J, Kaltschmidt JA. Proprioception revisited: where do we stand? CURRENT OPINION IN PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 21:23-28. [PMID: 34222735 DOI: 10.1016/j.cophys.2021.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Originally referred to as 'muscle sense', the notion that skeletal muscle held a peripheral sensory function was first described early in the 19th century. Foundational experiments by Sherrington in the early 20th century definitively demonstrated that proprioceptors contained within skeletal muscle, tendons, and joints are innervated by sensory neurons and play an important role in the control of movement. In this review, we will highlight several recent advances in the ongoing effort to further define the molecular diversity underlying the proprioceptive sensorimotor system. Together, the work summarized here represents our current understanding of sensorimotor circuit formation during development and the mechanisms that regulate the integration of proprioceptive feedback into the spinal circuits that control locomotion in both normal and diseased states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Shadrach
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.,Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Julieta Gomez-Frittelli
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.,Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Julia A Kaltschmidt
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.,Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
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36
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Abstract
In this issue of Neuron, Gatto et al. (2021) demonstrate that tactile reflexes are driven by excitatory modules defined by location, while Peirs et al. (2021) show that the circuits implicated in the conversion of touch to pain are defined by the nature of the injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A Gradwell
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
| | - Victoria E Abraira
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
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37
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Zholudeva LV, Abraira VE, Satkunendrarajah K, McDevitt TC, Goulding MD, Magnuson DSK, Lane MA. Spinal Interneurons as Gatekeepers to Neuroplasticity after Injury or Disease. J Neurosci 2021; 41:845-854. [PMID: 33472820 PMCID: PMC7880285 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1654-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Spinal interneurons are important facilitators and modulators of motor, sensory, and autonomic functions in the intact CNS. This heterogeneous population of neurons is now widely appreciated to be a key component of plasticity and recovery. This review highlights our current understanding of spinal interneuron heterogeneity, their contribution to control and modulation of motor and sensory functions, and how this role might change after traumatic spinal cord injury. We also offer a perspective for how treatments can optimize the contribution of interneurons to functional improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Victoria E Abraira
- Department of Cell Biology & Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Jersey, 08854
| | - Kajana Satkunendrarajah
- Departments of Neurosurgery and Physiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Wisconsin, 53226
- Clement J. Zablocki Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53295
| | - Todd C McDevitt
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, California, 94158
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California, 94143
| | | | - David S K Magnuson
- University of Louisville, Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, Louisville, Kentucky, 40208
| | - Michael A Lane
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, and the Marion Murray Spinal Cord Research Center, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19129
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38
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Terayama R, Uchibe K. Reorganization of synaptic inputs to spinal dorsal horn neurons in neuropathic pain. Int J Neurosci 2021; 132:1210-1216. [PMID: 33428497 DOI: 10.1080/00207454.2021.1873980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Peripheral nerve injuries produce a variety of negative structural and functional changes in the central terminal sites of damaged axons, as well as the injured primary afferents. Such changes have been shown to be involved in the development of neuropathic pain, which includes abnormal pain sensations such as allodynia and hyperalgesia. Since the spinal dorsal horn is the first central site where signals from peripheral sensory nerves are transmitted and shows a variety of changes after peripheral nerve injury or chronic inflammation of peripheral tissues, it is one of the most important sites contributing to the mechanisms underlying the development of neuropathic pain. The functional disruption of inhibitory interneurons and glial activation in the spinal dorsal horn after peripheral nerve injury cause reorganization of neuronal circuits and changes in the excitability of second-order neurons. These events are involved in the development or maintenance of neuropathic pain. Here, we describe the interactions of primary afferents, interneurons, and glial cells that may cause reorganization of synaptic inputs to spinal dorsal horn neurons after peripheral nerve injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryuji Terayama
- Department of Maxillofacial Anatomy and Neuroscience, Hiroshima University Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Kenta Uchibe
- Department of Maxillofacial Anatomy and Neuroscience, Hiroshima University Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima, Japan
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