Presynaptic inhibition of GABAergic synaptic transmission by adenosine in mouse hypothalamic hypocretin neurons

The impact of purine nucleosides on neuroplasticity in the adult brain

Neuroplasticity refers to the nervous system's ability to adapt and reorganize its cell structures and neuronal networks in response to internal and external stimuli. In adults, this process involves neurogenesis, synaptogenesis, and synaptic and neurochemical plasticity. Several studies have reported the significant impact of the purinergic system on neuroplasticity modulation. And, there is considerable evidence supporting the role of purine nucleosides, such as adenosine, inosine, and guanosine, in this process. This review presents extensive research on how these nucleosides enhance the neuroplasticity of the adult central nervous system, particularly in response to damage. The mechanisms through which these nucleosides exert their effects involve complex interactions with various receptors and signaling pathways. Adenosine's influence on neurogenesis involves interactions with adenosine receptors, specifically A1R and A2AR. A1R activation appears to inhibit neuronal differentiation and promote astrogliogenesis, while A2AR activation supports neurogenesis, neuritogenesis, and synaptic plasticity. Inosine and guanosine positively impact cell proliferation, neurogenesis, and neuritogenesis. Inosine seems to modulate extracellular adenosine levels, and guanosine might act through interactions between purinergic and glutamatergic systems. Additionally, the review discusses the potential therapeutic implications of purinergic signaling in neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases, emphasizing the importance of these nucleosides in the neuroplasticity of brain function and recovery.

Adjusting the brakes to adjust neuronal activity: Adenosinergic modulation of GABAergic transmission

About 50 years elapsed from the publication of the first full paper on the neuromodulatory action of adenosine at a 'simple' synapse model, the neuromuscular junction (Ginsborg and Hirst, 1972). In that study adenosine was used as a tool to increase cyclic AMP and for the great surprise, it decreased rather than increased neurotransmitter release, and for a further surprise, its action was prevented by theophylline, at the time only known as inhibitor of phosphodiesterases. These intriguing observations opened the curiosity for immediate studies relating the action of adenine nucleotides, known to be released together with neurotransmitters, to that of adenosine (Ribeiro and Walker, 1973, 1975). Our understanding on the ways adenosine uses to modulate synapses, circuits, and brain activity, vastly expanded since then. However, except for A_2A receptors, whose actions upon GABAergic neurons of the striatum are well known, most of the attention given to the neuromodulatory action of adenosine has been focusing upon excitatory synapses. Evidence is growing that GABAergic transmission is also a target for adenosinergic neuromodulation through A₁ and A_2A receptors. Some o these actions have specific time windows during brain development, and others are selective for specific GABAergic neurons. Both tonic and phasic GABAergic transmission can be affected, and either neurons or astrocytes can be targeted. In some cases, those effects result from a concerted action with other neuromodulators. Implications of these actions in the control of neuronal function/dysfunction will be the focus of this review.

Synedrella nodiflora Extract Depresses Excitatory Synaptic Transmission and Chemically-Induced In Vitro Seizures in the Rat Hippocampus

Extracts of the tropical Cinderella plant Synedrella nodiflora are used traditionally to manage convulsive conditions in the West African sub-region. This study sought to determine the neuronal basis of the effectiveness of these plant extracts to suppress seizure activity. Using the hippocampal slice preparation from rats, the ability of the extract to depress excitatory synaptic transmission and in vitro seizure activity were investigated. Bath perfusion of the hydro-ethanolic extract of Synedrella nodiflora (SNE) caused a concentration-dependent depression of evoked field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSPs) recorded extracellularly in the CA1 region of the hippocampus with maximal depression of about 80% and an estimated IC₅₀ of 0.06 mg/ml. The SNE-induced fEPSP depression was accompanied by an increase in paired pulse facilitation. The fEPSP depression only recovered partially after 20 min washing out. The effect of SNE was not stimulus dependent as it was present even in the absence of synaptic stimulation. Furthermore, it did not show desensitization as repeat application after 10 min washout produced the same level of fEPSP depression as the first application. The SNE effect on fEPSPs was not via adenosine release as it was neither blocked nor reversed by 8-CPT, an adenosine A₁ receptor antagonist. In addition, SNE depressed in vitro seizures induced by zero Mg²⁺ and high K⁺ -containing artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF) in a concentration-dependent manner. The results show that SNE depresses fEPSPs and spontaneous bursting activity in hippocampal neurons that may underlie its ability to abort convulsive activity in persons with epilepsy.

Cell type- and pathway-specific synaptic regulation of orexin neurocircuitry

Orexin-expressing neurons are located exclusively in the lateral hypothalamic and perifornical areas and exhibit complex connectivity. The intricate wiring pattern is evident from a diverse function for orexin neurons in regulating many physiological processes and behaviors including sleep, metabolism, circadian cycles, anxiety, and reward. Nevertheless, the precise synaptic and circuitry-level mechanisms mediating these processes remain enigmatic, partially due to the wide spread connectivity of the orexin system, complex neurochemistry of orexin neurons, and previous lack of suitable tools to address its complexity. Here we summarize recent advances, focusing on synaptic regulatory mechanisms in the orexin neurocircuitry, including both the synaptic inputs to orexin neurons as well as their downstream targets in the brain. A clear and detailed elucidation of these mechanisms will likely provide novel insight into how dysfunction in orexin-mediated signaling leads to human disease and may ultimately be treated with more precise strategies.

Adenosine Differentially Modulates Synaptic Transmission of Excitatory and Inhibitory Microcircuits in Layer 4 of Rat Barrel Cortex

Adenosine is considered to be a key regulator of sleep homeostasis by promoting slow-wave sleep through inhibition of the brain's arousal centers. However, little is known about the effect of adenosine on neuronal network activity at the cellular level in the neocortex. Here, we show that adenosine differentially modulates synaptic transmission between different types of neurons in cortical layer 4 (L4) through activation of pre- and/or postsynaptically located adenosine A1 receptors. In recurrent excitatory connections between L4 spiny neurons, adenosine suppresses synaptic transmission through activation of both pre- and postsynaptic A1 receptors. In reciprocal excitatory and inhibitory connections between L4 spiny neurons and interneurons, adenosine strongly suppresses excitatory transmission via activating presynaptic A1 receptors but only slightly suppresses inhibitory transmission via activating postsynaptic A1 receptors. Adenosine has no effect on inhibitory transmission between L4 interneurons. The effect of adenosine is concentration dependent and first visible at a concentration of 1 μM. The effect of adenosine is blocked by the specific A1 receptor antagonist, 8-cyclopentyltheophylline or the nonspecific adenosine receptor antagonist, caffeine. By differentially affecting excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission, adenosine changes the excitation-inhibition balance and causes an overall shift to lower excitability in L4 primary somatosensory (barrel) cortical microcircuits.

Analysis of Trinitrophenylated Adenosine and Inosine by Capillary Electrophoresis and γ-Cyclodextrin-Enhanced Fluorescence Detection

Monitoring molecules such as adenosine (Ado) and inosine (Ino) in the central nervous system has enabled the field of neuroscience to correlate molecular concentrations dynamics to neurological function, behavior, and disease. In vivo sampling techniques are commonly used to monitor these dynamics; however, many techniques are limited by the sensitivity and sample volume requirements of currently available detection methods. Here, we present a novel capillary electrophoresis-laser-induced fluorescence detection (CE-LIF) method that analyzes Ado and Ino by derivatization with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid to form fluorescent trinitrophenylated complexes of Ado (TNP-Ado) and Ino (TNP-Ino). These complexes exhibit ∼25-fold fluorescence enhancement upon the formation of inclusion complexes with γ-cyclodextrin (γ-CD). Association constants were determined as 4600 M(-1) for Ado and 1000 M(-1) for Ino by CE-LIF. The structure of the TNP-Ado:γ-CD complex was determined by 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Optimal trinitrophenylation reaction conditions and CE-LIF parameters were determined and resulted in the limit of detection of 1.6 μM for Ado and 4 μM for Ino. Ado and Ino were simultaneously quantified in homogenized rat forebrain samples to illustrate application of the technique. Simulated biological samples, desalted by ultrafiltration in the presence γ-CD, were concentrated on-capillary by large-volume sample stacking (LVSS) to achieve detection limits of 32 and 38 nM for TNP-Ado and TNP-Ino, respectively.