Neurotensin receptor levels as a function of brain aging and cognitive performance in the Morris water maze task in the rat

Neuropeptides Exert Neuroprotective Effects in Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cognitive deficits and neuronal loss. Deposition of beta-amyloid peptide (Aβ) causes neurotoxicity through the formation of plaques in brains of Alzheimer's disease. Numerous studies have indicated that the neuropeptides including ghrelin, neurotensin, pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP), neuropeptide Y, substance P and orexin are closely related to the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease. The levels of neuropeptides and their receptors change in Alzheimer's disease. These neuropeptides exert neuroprotective roles mainly through preventing Aβ accumulation, increasing neuronal glucose transport, increasing the production of neurotrophins, inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress and autophagy, modulating potassium channel activity and hippocampal long-term potentiation. Therefore, the neuropeptides may function as potential drug targets in the prevention and cure of Alzheimer's disease.

Potential roles of neurotensin on cognition in conditions of obese-insulin resistance

Neurotensin is an endogenous tridecapeptide that can be found in both central and peripheral nervous systems. Under normal physiological conditions, neurotensin is involved in the regulation of pain, body temperature, physical activity, appetite as well as learning and memory. In addition, it plays an important role in fat metabolism. Previous studies have demonstrated that alterations of neurotensin levels were associated with several neuropathological conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, mood disorders, and obesity associated eating disorders. Obesity has been shown to be associated with low-grade systemic inflammation, brain inflammation, and cognitive decline. Several pieces of evidence suggest that neurotensin might play a role in cognitive decline following obesity. However, the underlying mechanisms of neurotensin on cognition under obese-insulin resistant condition are still unclear. In this review, the current available evidence from in vitro, in vivo and clinical studies regarding the role of neurotensin in the physiological condition and obesity in association with cognition are comprehensively summarized and discussed. The studies which report controversial findings regarding these issues are also presented and discussed.

Cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART): A multifaceted neuropeptide

Over the last 35 years, the continuous discovery of novel neuropeptides has been the key to the better understanding of how the central nervous system has integrated with neuronal signals and behavioral responses. Cocaine and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) was discovered in 1995 in the rat striatum but later was found to be highly expressed in the hypothalamus. The widespread distribution of CART peptide in the brain complicated the understanding of the role played by this neurotransmitter. The main objective of the current compact review is to piece together the fragments of available information about origin, expression, distribution, projection, and function of CART peptides. Accumulative evidence suggests CART as a neurotransmitter and neuroprotective agent that is mainly involved in regulation of feeding, addiction, stress, anxiety, innate fear, neurological disease, neuropathic pain, depression, osteoporosis, insulin secretion, learning, memory, reproduction, vision, sleep, thirst and body temperature. In spite of the vast number of studies about the CART, the overall pictures about the CART functions are sketchy. First, there is a lack of information about cloned receptor, specific agonist and antagonist. Second, CART peptides are detected in discrete sets of neurons that can modulate countless activities and third; CART peptides exist in several fragments due to post-translational processing. For these reasons the overall picture about the CART peptides are sketchy and confounding.

Neurotensinergic augmentation of glutamate release at the perforant path-granule cell synapse in rat dentate gyrus: Roles of L-Type Ca²⁺ channels, calmodulin and myosin light-chain kinase

Neurotensin (NT) serves as a neuromodulator in the brain where it is involved in modulating a variety of physiological functions including nociception, temperature, blood pressure and cognition, and many neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease. Whereas there is compelling evidence demonstrating that NT facilitates cognitive processes, the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms have not been fully determined. Because the dentate gyrus expresses high densities of NT and NT receptors, we examined the effects of NT on the synaptic transmission at the synapse formed between the perforant path (PP) and granule cells (GC) in the rats. Our results demonstrate that NT persistently increased the amplitude of the AMPA receptor-mediated EPSCs at the PP-GC synapse. NT-induced increases in AMPA EPSCs were mediated by presynaptic NTS1 receptors. NT reduced the coefficient of variation and paired-pulse ratio of AMPA EPSCs suggesting that NT facilitates presynaptic glutamate release. NT increased the release probability and the number of readily releasable vesicles with no effects on the rate of recovery from vesicle depletion. NT-mediated augmentation of glutamate release required the influx of Ca(2+) via L-type Ca(2+) channels and the functions of calmodulin and myosin light chain kinase. Our results provide a cellular and molecular mechanism to explain the roles of NT in the hippocampus.

Neurotensinergic Excitation of Dentate Gyrus Granule Cells via Gαq-Coupled Inhibition of TASK-3 Channels

Neurotensin (NT) is a 13-amino acid peptide and serves as a neuromodulator in the brain. Whereas NT has been implicated in learning and memory, the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms are ill-defined. Because the dentate gyrus receives profound innervation of fibers containing NT and expresses high density of NT receptors, we examined the effects of NT on the excitability of dentate gyrus granule cells (GCs). Our results showed that NT concentration dependently increased action potential (AP) firing frequency of the GCs by the activation of NTS1 receptors resulting in the depolarization of the GCs. NT-induced enhancement of AP firing frequency was not caused indirectly by releasing glutamate, GABA, acetylcholine, or dopamine, but due to the inhibition of TASK-3 K(+) channels. NT-mediated excitation of the GCs was G protein dependent, but independent of phospholipase C, intracellular Ca(2+) release, and protein kinase C. Immunoprecipitation experiment demonstrates that the activation of NTS1 receptors induced the association of Gαq/11 and TASK-3 channels suggesting a direct coupling of Gαq/11 to TASK-3 channels. Endogenously released NT facilitated the excitability of the GCs contributing to the induction of long-term potentiation at the perforant path-GC synapses. Our results provide a cellular mechanism that helps to explain the roles of NT in learning and memory.

Activation of neurotensin receptor 1 facilitates neuronal excitability and spatial learning and memory in the entorhinal cortex: beneficial actions in an Alzheimer's disease model

Neurotensin (NT) is a tridecapeptide distributed in the CNS, including the entorhinal cortex (EC), a structure that is crucial for learning and memory and undergoes the earliest pathological alterations in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Whereas NT has been implicated in modulating cognition, the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which NT modifies cognitive processes and the potential therapeutic roles of NT in AD have not been determined. Here we examined the effects of NT on neuronal excitability and spatial learning in the EC, which expresses high density of NT receptors. Brief application of NT induced persistent increases in action potential firing frequency, which could last for at least 1 h. NT-induced facilitation of neuronal excitability was mediated by downregulation of TREK-2 K(+) channels and required the functions of NTS1, phospholipase C, and protein kinase C. Microinjection of NT or NTS1 agonist, PD149163, into the EC increased spatial learning as assessed by the Barnes Maze Test. Activation of NTS1 receptors also induced persistent increases in action potential firing frequency and significantly improved the memory status in APP/PS1 mice, an animal model of AD. Our study identifies a cellular substrate underlying learning and memory and suggests that NTS1 agonists may exert beneficial actions in an animal model of AD.

Nicotine evoked improvement in learning and memory is mediated through NPY Y1 receptors in rat model of Alzheimer's disease

We investigated the role of endogenous neuropeptide Y (NPY) system in nicotine-mediated improvement of learning and memory in rat model of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Intracerebroventricular (icv) colchicine treatment induced AD-like condition in rats and showed increased escape latency (decreased learning), and amnesic condition in probe test in Morris water maze. In these rats, nicotine (0.5mg/kg, intraperitoneal), NPY (100 ng/rat, icv) or NPY Y1 receptor agonist [Leu(31), Pro(34)]-NPY (0.04 ng/rat, icv) decreased escape latency by 54.76%, 55.81% and 44.18%, respectively, on day 4 of the acquisition. On the other hand, selective NPY Y1 receptor antagonist, BIBP3226 (icv) produced opposite effect (44.18%). In the probe test conducted at 24h time point, nicotine, NPY or [Leu(31), Pro(34)]-NPY increased the time spent by 72.72%, 44.11% and 26.47%, respectively; while BIBP3226 caused reduction (8.82%). It seems that while NPY or [Leu(31), Pro(34)]-NPY potentiated, BIBP3226 attenuated the learning and memory enhancing effects of nicotine. Brains of colchicine treated rats showed significant reduction in NPY-immunoreactivity in the nucleus accumbens shell (cells 62.23% and fibers 50%), bed nucleus of stria terminalis (fibers 71.58%), central nucleus of amygdala (cells 74.33%), arcuate nucleus (cells 70.97% and fibers 69.65%) and dentate gyrus (cells 58.54%). However, in these rats nicotine treatment for 4 days restored NPY-immunoreactivity to the control level. We suggest that NPY, perhaps acting via NPY Y1 receptors, might interact with the endogenous cholinergic system and play a role in improving the learning and memory processes in the rats with AD-like condition.

Neurotensin induced Egr-1 activity is altered in the postpartum period in mice

Neurotensin (NT) is a 13 amino acid neuropeptide that is identical in mice and humans and is released from and acts upon a number of social brain regions. Recent work indicates NT neurotransmission may be altered in postpartum females and support the onset of some maternal behaviors. In a recent study, we highlighted how virgin and postpartum brains from mice selected for high offspring protection differ in response to injected NT (0.1 μg) relative to vehicle when examining c-Fos profiles across the CNS. In this companion study we use a second marker for brain activity, Egr-1, and evaluate multiple brain regions. Common significant increased Egr-1 responses to NT (relative to vehicle) were found in both female groups only in ventromedial hypothalamus. In lateral periaqueductal gray, virgin mice showed a significant Egr-1 increase with NT (relative to vehicle), but maternal mice did not. When comparing NT injections, virgin (relative to maternal) mice had significantly higher activity in five regions, including anterior hypothalamus, lateral hypothalamus, somatosensory cortex, paraventricular nucleus, and zona incerta; no regions were higher in maternal mice. A Principal Components Analysis was also used for data mining and in virgin mice, greater changes in activity hubs were found with NT (relative to vehicle) than for maternal mice. Overall, a lower sensitivity to NT in terms of Egr-1 reactivity in the maternal state was highlighted and this is consistent with previous c-Fos results. These findings provide additional insight into the mechanisms by which NT functions in the CNS.

Changes in CNS response to neurotensin accompany the postpartum period in mice

Neurotensin (NT) is a highly conserved neuropeptide in mammals. Recent studies suggest that altered NT neurotransmission in postpartum females could promote the emergence of some maternal behaviors, including offspring protection. Here we evaluated how virgin and postpartum brains from mice selected for high maternal defense differ in response to NT. Virgin and postpartum mice were injected with either vehicle or 0.1 μg NT icv and brains were evaluated for c-Fos immunoreactivity, an indirect marker of neuronal activity. Using ANOVA analysis, common significant responses to NT were found in both female groups in four brain regions, including supraoptic nucleus, ventromedial nucleus, bed nucleus of stria terminalis dorsal, and a subregion of lateral septum (LS). For postpartum mice, only one additional region showed a significant response to NT relative to vehicle, whereas for virgin mice seven unique brain regions showed a significant c-Fos response: nucleus accumbens shell, paraventricular nucleus, central amygdala, and substantia nigra. Using a principal components analysis of c-Fos, we identified regions within each group with highly correlated activity. As expected, virgin and postpartum mice (vehicle conditions) showed different activity hubs and in the postpartum group the hubs matched regions linked to maternal care. The response to injected NT was different in the maternal and virgin groups with maternal mice showing a stronger coordinated activity in periaqueductal gray whereas virgin mice showed a stronger septal and amygdala linking of activity. Together, these results indicate neuronal responses of virgin and postpartum mice to NT and highlight pathways by which NT can alter maternal responses.

Cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript peptide increases spatial learning and memory in rats

AIM

We investigated the involvement of cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript peptide (CART) in spatial learning and memory.

MAIN METHODS

Rats were intracerebroventricularly injected with CART or CART-antibody, with or without intraperitoneal scopolamine, for a period of 4 days, during which they were subjected to the acquisition protocol in Morris water maze (MWM). In retrieval protocols, at 24 h and 15 days post-acquisition time points similar treatments were given to trained rats and subjected to MWM. The response of endogenous CART system to the training as well as retrieval sessions in MWM was evaluated with immunohistochemistry.

KEY FINDINGS

CART-administered rats showed a significant reduction in escape latency from day 1 through 4 days of acquisition; the rats spent more time in the platform quadrant in MWM during the retrieval protocol. CART-antibody or scopolamine produced an opposite effect. The effects of scopolamine were attenuated by CART, and potentiated by CART-antibody. CART-immunoreactivity in the arcuate and paraventricular nuclei, central nucleus of amygdala, bed nucleus of stria terminalis, accumbens shell, dentate gyrus (DG), and thalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVT), but not in the cornu ammonis 1-3 of hippocampus, was significantly increased following 4 days of training, and at 24 h retrieval time point in MWM. The changes were blocked by scopolamine. At 15 days retrieval time point, the immunoreactivity profiles resembled those in naïve control.

SIGNIFICANCE

While CART seems to promote spatial learning and memory, navigational experiences in MWM up regulates the endogenous CART systems in extended amygdala, hypothalamus, DG and PVT.

Effects of neurotensin in amygdaloid spatial learning mechanisms

Neurotensin (NT) acts as a neurotransmitter and/or neuromodulator and plays a role in learning and reward related processes. The central nucleus of amygdala (CeA) participates in the regulation of memory and learning mechanisms. In Morris water maze test, rats were microinjected with NT or neurotensin receptor-1 (NTS1) antagonist SR 48692 (ANT). NT significantly reduced the escape latency. Effect of NT was blocked by ANT pretreatment. Our results show that in the rat CeA NT facilitates spatial learning. We clarified that NTS1s are involved in this action.

Age-related dendritic hypertrophy and sexual dimorphism in rat basolateral amygdala

Little research has examined the influence of aging or sex on anatomical measures in the basolateral amygdala. We quantified spine density and dendritic material in Golgi-Cox stained tissue of the basolateral nucleus in young adult (3-5 months) and aged (20-24 months) male and female Long-Evans rats. Dendritic branching and spine density were measured in principal neurons. Age, but not sex, influenced the dendritic tree, with aged animals displaying significantly more dendritic material. Previous findings from our laboratory in the same set of subjects indicate an opposite effect of aging on dendritic material in the medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. We also report here a sex difference across ages in dendritic spine density, favoring males.

Neurotensin inversely modulates maternal aggression

Neurotensin (NT) is a versatile neuropeptide involved in analgesia, hypothermia, and schizophrenia. Although NT is released from and acts upon brain regions involved in social behaviors, it has not been linked to a social behavior. We previously selected mice for high maternal aggression (maternal defense), an important social behavior that protects offspring, and found significantly lower NT expression in the CNS of highly protective females. Our current study directly tested NT's role in maternal defense. Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injections of NT significantly impaired defense in terms of time aggressive and number of attacks at all doses tested (0.05, 0.1, 1.0, and 3.0 microg). Other maternal behaviors, including pup retrieval, were unaltered following NT injections (0.05 microg) relative to vehicle, suggesting specificity of NT action on defense. Further, i.c.v. injections of the NT receptor 1 (NT1) antagonist, SR 48692 (30 microg), significantly elevated maternal aggression in terms of time aggressive and attack number. To understand where NT may regulate aggression, we examined Fos following injection of either 0.1 microg NT or vehicle. Thirteen of 26 brain regions examined exhibited significant Fos increases with NT, including regions expressing NT1 and previously implicated in maternal aggression, such as lateral septum, bed nucleus of stria terminalis, paraventricular nucleus, and central amygdala. Together, our results indicate that NT inversely regulates maternal aggression and provide the first direct evidence that lowering of NT signaling can be a mechanism for maternal aggression. To our knowledge, this is the first study to directly link NT to a social behavior.