The origin and development of the vagal and spinal innervation of the external muscle of the mouse esophagus

Localization of sensory nerve terminals containing calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) on striated muscle fibers in the rat esophagus: Evidence for triple innervation via motor endplates

BACKGROUND

Many esophageal striated muscles of mammals are dually innervated by the vagal and enteric nerves. Recently, substance P (SP)-sensory nerve terminals with calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) were found on a few striated muscle fibers in the rat esophagus, implying that these muscle fibers are triply innervated. In this study, we examined the localization and origin of CGRP-nerve endings in striated muscles to consider their possible roles in the esophagus regarding triple innervation.

METHODS

Wholemounts of the rat esophagus were immunolabeled to detect CGRP-nerve endings in striated muscles. Also, retrograde tracing was performed by injecting Fast Blue (FB) into the esophagus, and cryostat sections of the medulla oblongata, nodose ganglion (NG), and the tenth thoracic (T10) dorsal root ganglion (DRG) were immunostained to identify the origin of the CGRP-nerve endings.

RESULTS

CGRP-fine, varicose nerve endings were localized in motor endplates on a few esophageal striated muscle fibers (4 %), most of which received nitric oxide (NO) synthase nerve terminals, and most of the CGRP nerve endings were SP- and transient receptor potential vanilloid member 1 (TRPV1)-positive. Retrograde tracing showed many FB-labeled CGRP-neurons positive for SP and TRPV1 in the NG and T10 DGR.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that the CGRP-varicose nerve endings containing SP and TRPV1 in motor endplates are sensory, and a few esophageal striated muscle fibers are triply innervated. The nerve endings may detect acetylcholine-derived acetic acid from the vagal motor nerve endings and NO from esophageal intrinsic nerve terminals in the motor endplates to regulate esophageal motility.

Molecular cell types as functional units of the efferent vagus nerve

The vagus nerve vitally connects the brain and body to coordinate digestive, cardiorespiratory, and immune functions. Its efferent neurons, which project their axons from the brainstem to the viscera, are thought to comprise "functional units" - neuron populations dedicated to the control of specific vagal reflexes or organ functions. Previous research indicates that these functional units differ from one another anatomically, neurochemically, and physiologically but have yet to define their identity in an experimentally tractable way. However, recent work with genetic technology and single-cell genomics suggests that genetically distinct subtypes of neurons may be the functional units of the efferent vagus. Here we review how these approaches are revealing the organizational principles of the efferent vagus in unprecedented detail.

The differences in the anatomy of the thoracolumbar and sacral autonomic outflow are quantitative

PURPOSE

We have re-evaluated the anatomical arguments that underlie the division of the spinal visceral outflow into sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions.

METHODOLOGY

Using a systematic literature search, we mapped the location of catecholaminergic neurons throughout the mammalian peripheral nervous system. Subsequently, a narrative method was employed to characterize segment-dependent differences in the location of preganglionic cell bodies and the composition of white and gray rami communicantes.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

One hundred seventy studies were included in the systematic review, providing information on 389 anatomical structures. Catecholaminergic nerve fibers are present in most spinal and all cranial nerves and ganglia, including those that are known for their parasympathetic function. Along the entire spinal autonomic outflow pathways, proximal and distal catecholaminergic cell bodies are common in the head, thoracic, and abdominal and pelvic region, which invalidates the "short-versus-long preganglionic neuron" argument. Contrary to the classically confined outflow levels T1-L2 and S2-S4, preganglionic neurons have been found in the resulting lumbar gap. Preganglionic cell bodies that are located in the intermediolateral zone of the thoracolumbar spinal cord gradually nest more ventrally within the ventral motor nuclei at the lumbar and sacral levels, and their fibers bypass the white ramus communicans and sympathetic trunk to emerge directly from the spinal roots. Bypassing the sympathetic trunk, therefore, is not exclusive for the sacral outflow. We conclude that the autonomic outflow displays a conserved architecture along the entire spinal axis, and that the perceived differences in the anatomy of the autonomic thoracolumbar and sacral outflow are quantitative.

Sodium appetite and thirst do not require angiotensinogen production in astrocytes or hepatocytes

In addition to its renal and cardiovascular functions, angiotensin signalling is thought to be responsible for the increases in salt and water intake caused by hypovolaemia. However, it remains unclear whether these behaviours require angiotensin production in the brain or liver. Here, we use in situ hybridization to identify tissue-specific expression of the genes required for producing angiotensin peptides, and then use conditional genetic deletion of the angiotensinogen gene (Agt) to test whether production in the brain or liver is necessary for sodium appetite and thirst. In the mouse brain, we identified expression of Agt (the precursor for all angiotensin peptides) in a large subset of astrocytes. We also identified Ren1 and Ace (encoding enzymes required to produce angiotensin II) expression in the choroid plexus, and Ren1 expression in neurons within the nucleus ambiguus compact formation. In the liver, we confirmed that Agt is widely expressed in hepatocytes. We next tested whether thirst and sodium appetite require angiotensinogen production in astrocytes or hepatocytes. Despite virtually eliminating expression in the brain, deleting astrocytic Agt did not reduce thirst or sodium appetite. Despite markedly reducing angiotensinogen in the blood, eliminating Agt from hepatocytes did not reduce thirst or sodium appetite, and in fact, these mice consumed the largest amounts of salt and water after sodium deprivation. Deleting Agt from both astrocytes and hepatocytes also did not prevent thirst or sodium appetite. Our findings suggest that angiotensin signalling is not required for sodium appetite or thirst and highlight the need to identify alternative signalling mechanisms. KEY POINTS: Angiotensin signalling is thought to be responsible for the increased thirst and sodium appetite caused by hypovolaemia, producing elevated water and sodium intake. Specific cells in separate brain regions express the three genes needed to produce angiotensin peptides, but brain-specific deletion of the angiotensinogen gene (Agt), which encodes the lone precursor for all angiotensin peptides, did not reduce thirst or sodium appetite. Double-deletion of Agt from brain and liver also did not reduce thirst or sodium appetite. Liver-specific deletion of Agt reduced circulating angiotensinogen levels without reducing thirst or sodium appetite. Instead, these angiotensin-deficient mice exhibited an enhanced sodium appetite. Because the physiological mechanisms controlling thirst and sodium appetite continued functioning without angiotensin production in the brain and liver, understanding these mechanisms requires a renewed search for the hypovolaemic signals necessary for activating each behaviour.

Quantification of CGRP-immunoreactive myenteric neurons in mouse colon

Quantitative data of biological systems provide valuable baseline information for understanding pathology, experimental perturbations, and computational modeling. In mouse colon, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is expressed by myenteric neurons with multiaxonal (Dogiel type II) morphology, characteristic of intrinsic primary afferent neurons (IPANs). Analogous neurons in other species and gut regions represent 5-35% of myenteric neurons. We aimed to quantify proportions of CGRP-immunopositive (CGRP+) myenteric neurons. Colchicine-treated wholemount preparations of proximal, mid, and distal colon were labeled for HuC/D, CGRP, nitric oxide synthase (NOS), and peripherin (Per). The pan-neuronal markers (Hu+/Per+) co-labeled 94% of neurons. Hu+/Per- neurons comprised ∼6%, but Hu-/Per+ cells were rare. Thus, quantification was based on Hu+ myenteric neurons (8576 total; 1225 ± 239 per animal, n = 7). CGRP+ cell bodies were significantly larger than the average of all Hu+ neurons (329 ± 13 vs. 261 ± 12 μm² , p < .0001). CGRP+ neurons comprised 19% ± 3% of myenteric neurons without significant regional variation. NOS+ neurons comprised 42% ± 2% of myenteric neurons overall, representing a lower proportion in proximal colon, compared to mid and distal colon (38% ± 2%, 44% ± 2%, and 44% ± 3%, respectively). Peripherin immunolabeling revealed cell body and axonal morphology in some myenteric neurons. Whether all CGRP+ neurons were multiaxonal could not be addressed using peripherin immunolabeling. However, of 118 putatively multiaxonal neurons first identified based on peripherin immunoreactivity, all were CGRP+ (n = 4). In conclusion, CGRP+ myenteric neurons in mouse colon were comprehensively quantified, occurring within a range expected of a putative IPAN marker. All Per+ multiaxonal neurons, characteristic of Dogiel type II/IPAN morphology, were CGRP+.

Genetic encoding of an esophageal motor circuit

Motor control of the striated esophagus originates in the nucleus ambiguus (nAmb), a vagal motor nucleus that also contains upper airway motor neurons and parasympathetic preganglionic neurons for the heart and lungs. We disambiguate nAmb neurons based on their genome-wide expression profiles, efferent circuitry, and ability to control esophageal muscles. Our single-cell RNA sequencing analysis predicts three molecularly distinct nAmb neuron subtypes and annotates them by subtype-specific marker genes: Crhr2, Vipr2, and Adcyap1. Mapping the axon projections of the nAmb neuron subtypes reveals that Crhr2^nAmb neurons innervate the esophagus, raising the possibility that they control esophageal muscle function. Accordingly, focal optogenetic stimulation of cholinergic Crhr2⁺ fibers in the esophagus results in contractions. Activating Crhr2^nAmb neurons has no effect on heart rate, a key parasympathetic function of the nAmb, whereas activating all of the nAmb neurons robustly suppresses heart rate. Together, these results reveal a genetically defined circuit for motor control of the esophagus.

Primary motor neurons for the esophagus reside in the nucleus ambiguus (nAmb) of the hindbrain, but little is known about their molecular identity. Coverdell et al. find that the nAmb comprises three molecularly and anatomically distinct neuron subtypes, one of which selectively innervates and can contract esophageal muscle.

Mapping of Extrinsic Innervation of the Gastrointestinal Tract in the Mouse Embryo

Precise extrinsic afferent (visceral sensory) and efferent (sympathetic and parasympathetic) innervation of the gut is fundamental for gut-brain cross talk. Owing to the limitation of intrinsic markers to distinctively visualize the three classes of extrinsic axons, which intimately associate within the gut mesentery, detailed information on the development of extrinsic gut-innervating axons remains relatively sparse. Here, we mapped extrinsic innervation of the gut and explored the relationships among various types of extrinsic axons during embryonic development in mice. Visualization with characterized intrinsic markers revealed that visceral sensory, sympathetic, and parasympathetic axons arise from different anatomic locations, project in close association via the gut mesentery, and form distinctive innervation patterns within the gut from embryonic day (E)10.5 to E16.5. Genetic ablation of visceral sensory trajectories results in the erratic extension of both sympathetic and parasympathetic axons, implicating that afferent axons provide an axonal scaffold to route efferent axons. Coculture assay further confirmed the attractive effect of sensory axons on sympathetic axons. Taken together, our study provides key information regarding the development of extrinsic gut-innervating axons occurring through heterotypic axonal interactions and provides an anatomic basis to uncover neural circuit assembly in the gut-brain axis (GBA).SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Understanding the development of extrinsic innervation of the gut is essential to unravel the bidirectional neural communication between the brain and the gut. Here, with characterized intrinsic markers targeting vagal sensory, spinal sensory, sympathetic, and parasympathetic axons, respectively, we comprehensively traced the spatiotemporal development of extrinsic axons to the gut during embryonic development in mice. Moreover, in line with the somatic nervous system, pretarget sorting via heterotypic axonal interactions is revealed to play critical roles in patterning extrinsic efferent trajectories to the gut. These findings provide basic anatomic information to explore the mechanisms underlying the process of assembling neural circuitry in the gut-brain axis (GBA).

Characterization of peristaltic motility in the striated muscle portion of the esophagus using a novel in vivo method in rats

BACKGROUND

Esophageal peristalsis is controlled by the brainstem via vago-vagal reflex. However, the precise regulatory mechanisms in the striated muscle portion are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to characterize peristaltic motility in the portion of the esophagus using a novel in vivo method in rats.

METHODS

A balloon-tipped catheter was placed in the esophagus of a rat anesthetized with urethane. To induce esophageal peristalsis, the balloon was inflated by water injection.

KEY RESULTS

When the balloon was inflated near the bronchial bifurcation, the balloon was transported in the aboral direction. Vagotomy abolished the peristaltic response. The threshold volume for inducing esophageal peristalsis varied according to the velocity of balloon distention; the volume being effective to induce peristalsis at a low inflation speed was smaller than the threshold volume at a rapid inflation speed. Even in the absence of inflation, keeping the balloon inside the esophagus during an interval period prevented subsequent induction of peristaltic motility. In addition, a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor abolished the induction of esophageal peristalsis.

CONCLUSIONS AND INFERENCES

Our findings suggest that (a) in addition to the intensity, the velocity of distention is important for activating the mechanosensory mechanism to induce esophageal peristalsis, (b) tonic inputs from afferent fibers located at the mucosa may reduce the excitability of mechanosensors which is necessary for inducing peristalsis, and (c) nitric oxide plays essential roles in the induction of esophageal peristalsis. These results provide novel insights into the regulatory mechanisms of esophageal motility.

Homer1 (VesL-1) in the rat esophagus: focus on myenteric plexus and neuromuscular junction

Homer1, a scaffolding protein of the postsynaptic density (PSD), enriched at excitatory synapses is known to anchor and modulate group I metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) and different channel- and receptor-proteins. Homer proteins are expressed in neurons of different brain regions, but also in non-neuronal tissues like skeletal muscle. Occurrence and location of Homer1 and mGluR5 in myenteric plexus and neuromuscular junctions (NMJ) of rat esophagus have yet not been characterized. We located Homer1 and mGluR5 immunoreactivity (-iry) in rat esophagus and focused on myenteric neurons, intraganglionic laminar endings (IGLEs) and NMJs, using double- and triple-label immunohistochemistry and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Homer1-iry was found in a subpopulation of vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (VGLUT2) positive IGLEs and cholinergic varicosities within myenteric ganglia, but neither in nitrergic nor cholinergic myenteric neuronal cell bodies. Homer1-iry was detected in 63% of esophageal and, for comparison, in 35% of sternomastoid NMJs. Besides the location in the PSD, Homer1-iry colocalized with cholinergic markers, indicating a presynaptic location in coarse VAChT/CGRP/NF200- immunoreactive (-ir) terminals of nucleus ambiguus neurons supplying striated esophageal muscle. mGluR5-iry was found in subpopulations of myenteric neuronal cell bodies, VGLUT2-ir IGLEs and cholinergic varicosities within the myenteric neuropil and NMJs of esophagus and sternomastoid muscles. Thus, Homer1 may anchor mGluR5 at presynaptic sites of cholinergic boutons at esophageal motor endplates, in a small subpopulation of VGLUT2-ir IGLEs and cholinergic varicosities within myenteric ganglia possibly modulating Ca²⁺-currents and neurotransmitter release.

Loss of JAM-C leads to impaired esophageal innervations and megaesophagus in mice

Megaesophagus is a disease where peristalsis fails to occur properly and esophagus is enlarged. The etiology and mechanism of megaesophagus are not well understood. In this study, we reported that junctional adhesion molecule C (JAM-C) knockout mice on a C57/B6 background developed progressive megaesophagus from embryonic day (E) 15.5 onward with complete penetrance. JAM-C knockout mice exhibited a significant reduction in the number of nerve fibers/ganglia in the wall of the esophagus. However, histological analysis revealed that the esophageal wall thickness and structure of JAM-C knockout mice at embryonic stages and young adult were comparable to that of control littermates. Thus, megaesophagus observed in JAM-C knockout mice could be attributed, at least in part, to impaired esophageal innervations. Our data suggest JAM-C as a potential candidate gene for human megaesophagus, and JAM-C knockout mice might serve as a model for the study of human megaesophagus.

Involvement of catecholaminergic neurons in motor innervation of striated muscle in the mouse esophagus

Enteric co-innervation is a peculiar innervation pattern of striated esophageal musculature. Both anatomical and functional data on enteric co-innervation related to various transmitters have been collected in different species, although its function remains enigmatic. However, it is unclear whether catecholaminergic components are involved in such a co-innervation. Thus, we examined to identify catecholaminergic neuronal elements and clarify their relationship to other innervation components in the esophagus, using immunohistochemistry with antibodies against tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT), choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and protein gene product 9.5 (PGP 9.5), α-bungarotoxin (α-BT) and PCR with primers for amplification of cDNA encoding TH and dopamine-β-hydroxylase (DBH). TH-positive nerve fibers were abundant throughout the myenteric plexus and localized on about 14% of α-BT-labelled motor endplates differing from VAChT-positive vagal nerve terminals. TH-positive perikarya represented a subpopulation of only about 2.8% of all PGP 9.5-positive myenteric neurons. Analysis of mRNA showed both TH and DBH transcripts in the mouse esophagus. As ChAT-positive neurons in the compact formation of the nucleus ambiguus were negative for TH, the TH-positive nerve varicosities on motor endplates are presumably of enteric origin, although a sympathetic origin cannot be excluded. In the medulla oblongata, the cholinergic ambiguus neurons were densely supplied with TH-positive varicosities. Thus, catecholamines may modulate vagal motor innervation of esophageal-striated muscles not only at the peripheral level via enteric co-innervation but also at the central level via projections to the nucleus ambiguus. As Parkinson's disease, with a loss of central dopaminergic neurons, also affects the enteric nervous system and dysphagia is prevalent in patients with this disease, investigation of intrinsic catecholamines in the esophagus may be worthwhile to understand such a symptom.

Excitatory and inhibitory enteric innervation of horse lower esophageal sphincter

The lower esophageal sphincter (LES) is a specialized, thickened muscle region with a high resting tone mediated by myogenic and neurogenic mechanisms. During swallowing or belching, the LES undergoes strong inhibitory innervation. In the horse, the LES seems to be organized as a "one-way" structure, enabling only the oral-anal progression of food. We characterized the esophageal and gastric pericardial inhibitory and excitatory intramural neurons immunoreactive (IR) for the enzymes neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) and choline acetyltransferase. Large percentages of myenteric plexus (MP) and submucosal (SMP) plexus nNOS-IR neurons were observed in the esophagus (72 ± 9 and 69 ± 8 %, respectively) and stomach (57 ± 17 and 45 ± 3 %, respectively). In the esophagus, cholinergic MP and SMP neurons were 29 ± 14 and 65 ± 24 vs. 36 ± 8 and 38 ± 20 % in the stomach, respectively. The high percentage of nitrergic inhibitory motor neurons observed in the caudal esophagus reinforces the role of the enteric nervous system in the horse LES relaxation. These findings might allow an evaluation of whether selective groups of enteric neurons are involved in horse neurological disorders such as megaesophagus, equine dysautonomia, and white lethal foal syndrome.

Systematic analysis of the development of the ductus venosus in wild type mouse and human embryos

BACKGROUND

Doppler flow velocities of the ductus venosus are increasingly used to assess fetal increased nuchal translucency, growth-restriction and monochorionic twins, and might contribute to screening for cardiac defects. It is disputed whether a sphincter at the ductus venosus inlet actively regulates blood flow.

AIMS

This study aims to define the morphogenesis of the developing mouse and human ductus venosus and to address the existence of a sphincter.

STUDY DESIGN

The presence of endothelium, smooth muscle, elastic fibers and nerves in the ductus venosus of E10.5-15.5 mouse embryos and in three corresponding human embryos (CS16, CS19 and CS23) was examined using immunohistochemistry. Three-dimensional reconstructions of the ductus venosus of E11.5-15.5 mouse and CS14-23 human embryos were generated and examined.

RESULTS

The ductus venosus lumen was narrowed from ventral-caudal to dorsal-cranial in E13.5-15.5 mouse and CS16-23 human embryos. Mouse embryos showed positive endothelial Pecam1 expression from E11.5-15.5 and smooth muscle actin staining in the ventral-caudal part of the ductus venosus from E12.5-15.5. At all developmental stages, elastic fiber and nerve marker expression was not detected in the ductus venosus (Fig. 2). In human embryos endothelial Pecam1 and smooth muscle actin expression was found in the ductus venosus from CS16 and CS19 onwards. Elastic fiber and nerve marker expression was not detected in all stages (Fig. 4). Morphogenesis and staining results of the ductus venosus were similar in both species.

CONCLUSIONS

The ductus venosus lacks a sphincter at its inlet as no accumulation of smooth muscle cells, elastic fibers or nerve innervation was found in mouse embryos from E11.5-15.5 and in human embryos from CS14-23.

Extrinsic primary afferent signalling in the gut

Visceral sensory neurons activate reflex pathways that control gut function and also give rise to important sensations, such as fullness, bloating, nausea, discomfort, urgency and pain. Sensory neurons are organised into three distinct anatomical pathways to the central nervous system (vagal, thoracolumbar and lumbosacral). Although remarkable progress has been made in characterizing the roles of many ion channels, receptors and second messengers in visceral sensory neurons, the basic aim of understanding how many classes there are, and how they differ, has proven difficult to achieve. We suggest that just five structurally distinct types of sensory endings are present in the gut wall that account for essentially all of the primary afferent neurons in the three pathways. Each of these five major structural types of endings seems to show distinctive combinations of physiological responses. These types are: 'intraganglionic laminar' endings in myenteric ganglia; 'mucosal' endings located in the subepithelial layer; 'muscular-mucosal' afferents, with mechanosensitive endings close to the muscularis mucosae; 'intramuscular' endings, with endings within the smooth muscle layers; and 'vascular' afferents, with sensitive endings primarily on blood vessels. 'Silent' afferents might be a subset of inexcitable 'vascular' afferents, which can be switched on by inflammatory mediators. Extrinsic sensory neurons comprise an attractive focus for targeted therapeutic intervention in a range of gastrointestinal disorders.

Genetic and cellular mechanisms regulating anterior foregut and esophageal development

Separation of the single anterior foregut tube into the esophagus and trachea involves cell proliferation and differentiation, as well as dynamic changes in cell-cell adhesion and migration. These biological processes are regulated and coordinated at multiple levels through the interplay of the epithelium and mesenchyme. Genetic studies and in vitro modeling have shed light on relevant regulatory networks that include a number of transcription factors and signaling pathways. These signaling molecules exhibit unique expression patterns and play specific functions in their respective territories before the separation process occurs. Disruption of regulatory networks inevitably leads to defective separation and malformation of the trachea and esophagus and results in the formation of a relatively common birth defect, esophageal atresia with or without tracheoesophageal fistula (EA/TEF). Significantly, some of the signaling pathways and transcription factors involved in anterior foregut separation continue to play important roles in the morphogenesis of the individual organs. In this review, we will focus on new findings related to these different developmental processes and discuss them in the context of developmental disorders or birth defects commonly seen in clinics.

Development of the vagal innervation of the gut: steering the wandering nerve

BACKGROUND

The vagus nerve is the major neural connection between the gastrointestinal tract and the central nervous system. During fetal development, axons from the cell bodies of the nodose ganglia and the dorsal motor nucleus grow into the gut to find their enteric targets, providing the vagal sensory and motor innervations respectively. Vagal sensory and motor axons innervate selective targets, suggesting a role for guidance cues in the establishment of the normal pattern of enteric vagal innervation.

PURPOSE

This review explores known molecular mechanisms that guide vagal innervation in the gastrointestinal tract. Guidance and growth factors, such as netrin-1 and its receptor, deleted in colorectal cancer, extracellular matrix molecules, such as laminin-111, and members of the neurotrophin family of molecules, such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor have been identified as mediating the guidance of vagal axons to the fetal mouse gut. In addition to increasing our understanding of the development of enteric innervation, studies of vagal development may also reveal clinically relevant insights into the underlying mechanisms of vago-vagal communication with the gastrointestinal tract.

Molecular development of the extrinsic sensory innervation of the gastrointestinal tract

The extrinsic sensory innervation of the gastrointestinal tract is the conduit through which the gut and the central nervous system communicate. The hindbrain receives information directly from the bowel via the vagus nerve, while information from spinal afferents arrives in the central nervous system through the dorsal root ganglia. This review focuses on the molecular development of these vagal and spinal innervations, with an emphasis on mechanisms that involve axon guidance. During development, axons from both the nodose ganglia and dorsal root ganglia grow into the gut, innervate their appropriate enteric targets and avoid inappropriate cells in the gut wall. These developmental outcomes suggest that both attractive and repellent molecules are important in establishing the normal pattern of the extrinsic sensory innervation. In the fetal mouse gut, the guidance of vagal sensory axons is mediated by axon guidance molecules, such as netrin and the netrin receptor, deleted in colorectal cancer (DCC), as well as extracellular matrix molecules, such as laminin-111. Dorsal root ganglion neurons are known to express, and their axons to respond to, axon guidance molecules. The question of whether or not these molecules are involved in guiding spinal afferents to the bowel, however, has not yet been examined. It is anticipated that a better understanding of how vagal and spinal afferents innervate the fetal gut and reach specific enteric locations will provide deeper insights into the underlying mechanisms of normal and abnormal sensation from the gastrointestinal tract.

Smooth-muscle-specific expression of neurotrophin-3 in mouse embryonic and neonatal gastrointestinal tract

Vagal gastrointestinal (GI) afferents are essential for the regulation of eating, body weight, and digestion. However, their functional organization and the way that this develops are poorly understood. Neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) is crucial for the survival of vagal sensory neurons and is expressed in the developing GI tract, possibly contributing to their survival and to other aspects of vagal afferent development. The identification of the functions of this peripheral NT-3 thus requires a detailed understanding of the localization and timing of its expression in the developing GI tract. We have studied embryos and neonates expressing the lacZ reporter gene from the NT-3 locus and found that NT-3 is expressed predominantly in the smooth muscle of the outer GI wall of the stomach, intestines, and associated blood vessels and in the stomach lamina propria and esophageal epithelium. NT-3 expression has been detected in the mesenchyme of the GI wall by embryonic day 12.5 (E12.5) and becomes restricted to smooth muscle and lamina propria by E15.5, whereas its expression in blood vessels and esophageal epithelium is first observed at E15.5. Expression in most tissues is maintained at least until postnatal day 4. The lack of colocalization of beta-galactosidase and markers for myenteric ganglion cell types suggests that NT-3 is not expressed in these ganglia. Therefore, NT-3 expression in the GI tract is largely restricted to smooth muscle at ages when vagal axons grow into the GI tract, and when vagal mechanoreceptors form in smooth muscle, consistent with its role in these processes and in vagal sensory neuron survival.

Impaired axonal transport in motor neurons correlates with clinical prion disease

Prion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative disorders causing motor dysfunctions, dementia and neuropathological changes such as spongiosis, astroglyosis and neuronal loss. The chain of events leading to the clinical disease and the role of distinct brain areas are still poorly understood. The role of nervous system integrity and axonal properties in prion pathology are still elusive. There is no evidence of both the functional axonal impairments in vivo and their connection with prion disease. We studied the functional axonal impairments in motor neurons at the onset of clinical prion disease using the combination of tracing as a functional assay for axonal transport with immunohistochemistry experiments. Well-established and novel confocal and ultramicroscopy techniques were used to image and quantify labeled neurons. Despite profound differences in the incubation times, 30% to 45% of neurons in the red nucleus of different mouse lines showed axonal transport impairments at the disease onset bilaterally after intracerebral prion inoculation and unilaterally—after inoculation into the right sciatic nerve. Up to 94% of motor cortex neurons also demonstrated transport defects upon analysis by alternative imaging methods. Our data connect axonal transport impairments with disease symptoms for different prion strains and inoculation routes and establish further insight on the development of prion pathology in vivo. The alterations in localization of the proteins involved in the retrograde axonal transport allow us to propose a mechanism of transport disruption, which involves Rab7-mediated cargo attachment to the dynein-dynactin pathway. These findings suggest novel targets for therapeutic and diagnostic approaches in the early stages of prion disease.

For almost a century, prion disease symptoms, such as dementia and motor system defects, have been accompanied with neuropathological hallmarks in the central nervous system. In past decades, discrepancies between neuropathological changes and clinical symptoms showed that the processes triggering the disease remain elusive. We concentrated on the hypothesis that nervous system integrity and axonal properties may play an important role in the disease development. Since motor system defects are typical for prion disease, we investigated the centers of the motor system, red nucleus and hindlimb area of motor cortex. Although intracerebral prion infection led to a 30% to 45% bilateral reduction of labeled neurons in the red nucleus, infection into the right sciatic nerve—the major hindlimb nerve—led to unilateral reduction of labeled neurons in the red nucleus. Up to 94% reduction was found in the neurons of motor cortex hindlimb area. This reduction is probably caused by functional axonal impairments in motor neurons. Prion-induced alterations in protein distribution implicate a mechanism of transport disruption at cargo attachment to the retrograde axonal transport complex. Our work reveals a connection between axonal transport impairments and disease symptoms in vivo, providing further insight in the development of prion pathology and suggesting novel targets for therapeutic and diagnostic approaches.

Distribution of P2X(3) receptor immunoreactivity in myenteric ganglia of the mouse esophagus

Intraganglionic laminar endings (IGLEs) represent the major vagal afferent terminals throughout the gut. Electrophysiological experiments revealed a modulatory role of ATP in the IGLE-mechanotransduction process and the P2X(2)-receptor has been described in IGLEs of mouse, rat and guinea pig. Another purinoceptor, the P2X(3)-receptor, was found in IGLEs of the rat esophagus. These findings prompted us to investigate occurrence and distribution of the P2X(3)-receptor in the mouse esophagus. Using multichannel immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy, P2X(3)-immunoreactivity (-iry) was found colocalized with the vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (VGLUT2), a specific marker for IGLEs, on average in three-fourths of esophageal IGLEs. The distribution of P2X(3) immunoreactive (-ir) IGLEs was similar to that of P2X(2)-iry and showed increasing numbers towards the abdominal esophagus. P2X(3)/P2X(2)-colocalization within IGLEs suggested the occurrence of heteromeric P2X(2/3) receptors. In contrast to the rat, where only a few P2X(3)-ir perikarya were described, P2X(3) stained perikarya in ~80% of myenteric ganglia in the mouse. Detailed analysis revealed P2X(3)-iry in subpopulations of nitrergic (nNOS) and cholinergic (ChAT) myenteric neurons and ganglionic neuropil of the mouse esophagus. We conclude that ATP might act as a neuromodulator in IGLEs via a (P2X(2))-P2X(3) receptor-mediated pathway especially in the abdominal portion of the mouse esophagus.

SULF1 and SULF2 regulate heparan sulfate-mediated GDNF signaling for esophageal innervation

Heparan sulfate (HS) plays an essential role in extracellular signaling during development. Biochemical studies have established that HS binding to ligands and receptors is regulated by the fine 6-O-sulfated structure of HS; however, mechanisms that control sulfated HS structure and associated signaling functions in vivo are not known. Extracellular HS 6-O-endosulfatases, SULF1 and SULF2, are candidate enzymatic regulators of HS 6-O-sulfated structure and modulate HS-dependent signaling. To investigate Sulf regulation of developmental signaling, we have disrupted Sulf genes in mouse and identified redundant functions of Sulfs in GDNF-dependent neural innervation and enteric glial formation in the esophagus, resulting in esophageal contractile malfunction in Sulf1(-/-);Sulf2(-/-) mice. SULF1 is expressed in GDNF-expressing esophageal muscle and SULF2 in innervating neurons, establishing their direct functions in esophageal innervation. Biochemical and cell signaling studies show that Sulfs are the major regulators of HS 6-O-desulfation, acting to reduce GDNF binding to HS and to enhance GDNF signaling and neurite sprouting in the embryonic esophagus. The functional specificity of Sulfs in GDNF signaling during esophageal innervation was established by showing that the neurite sprouting is selectively dependent on GDNF, but not on neurotrophins or other signaling ligands. These findings provide the first in vivo evidence that Sulfs are essential developmental regulators of cellular HS 6-O-sulfation for matrix transmission and reception of GDNF signal from muscle to innervating neurons.

Distribution of vesicular glutamate transporter 1 (VGLUT1) in the mouse esophagus

In rat and mouse esophagus, vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (VGLUT2) has been demonstrated to identify vagal intraganglionic laminar endings (IGLEs); this has recently also been shown for VGLUT1 in rat esophagus. In this study, we have investigated the distribution of VGLUT1 in the mouse esophagus and compared these results with the recently published data from the rat esophagus. Unexpectedly, we have discovered that VGLUT1 mostly fails to identify IGLEs in the mouse esophagus. This is surprising, since the distribution of VGLUT2 shows comparable results in both species. Confocal imaging has revealed substantial colocalization of VGLUT1 immunoreactivity (-ir) with cholinergic and nitrergic/peptidergic markers within the myenteric neuropil and in both cholinergic and nitrergic myenteric neuronal cell bodies. VGLUT1 and cholinergic markers have also been colocalized in fibers of the muscularis mucosae, whereas VGLUT1 and nitrergic markers have never been colocalized in fibers of the muscularis mucosae, although this does occur in fibers of the muscularis running to motor endplates. Thus, VGLUT1 is contained in the nitrergic innervation of mouse esophageal motor endplates, another difference from the rat esophagus. VGLUT1-ir is therefore present in extrinsic and intrinsic innervation of the mouse esophagus, but the significant differences from the rat indicate species variations concerning the distribution of VGLUTs in the peripheral nervous system.

Glutamatergic functions of primary afferent neurons with special emphasis on vagal afferents

Glutamate has been identified as the main transmitter of primary afferent neurons. This was established based on biochemical, electrophysiological, and immunohistochemical data from studies on glutamatergic receptors and their agonists/antagonists. The availability of specific antibodies directed against glutamate and, more recently, vesicular glutamate transporters corroborated this and led to significant new discoveries. In particular, peripheral endings of various classes of afferents contain vesicular glutamate transporters, suggesting vesicular storage in and exocytotic release of glutamate from peripheral afferent endings. This suggests that autocrine mechanisms regulate sensory transduction processes. However, glutamate release from peripheral sensory terminals could also enable afferent neurons to influence various cells associated with them. This may be particularly relevant for vagal intraganglionic laminar endings, which could represent glutamatergic sensor-effector components of intramural reflex arcs in the gastrointestinal tract. Thus, morphological analysis of the relationships of putative glutamatergic primary afferents with associated tissues may direct forthcoming studies on their functions.

Anterograde tracing method using DiI to label vagal innervation of the embryonic and early postnatal mouse gastrointestinal tract

The mouse is an extremely valuable model for studying vagal development in relation to strain differences, genetic variation, gene manipulations or pharmacological manipulations. Therefore, a method using 1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate (DiI) was developed for labeling vagal innervation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract in embryonic and postnatal mice. DiI labeling was adapted and optimized for this purpose by varying several facets of the method. For example, insertion and crushing of DiI crystals into the nerve led to faster DiI diffusion along vagal axons and diffusion over longer distances as compared with piercing the nerve with a micropipette tip coated with dried DiI oil. Moreover, inclusion of EDTA in the fixative reduced leakage of DiI out of nerve fibers that occurred with long incubations. Also, mounting labeled tissue in PBS was superior to glycerol with n-propyl gallate, which resulted in reduced clarity of DiI labeling that may have been due to DiI leaking out of fibers. Optical sectioning of flattened wholemounts permitted examination of individual tissue layers of the GI tract wall. This procedure aided identification of nerve ending types because in most instances each type innervates a different tissue layer. Between embryonic day 12.5 and postnatal day 8, growth of axons into the GI tract, formation and patterning of fiber bundles in the myenteric plexus and early formation of putative afferent and efferent nerve terminals were observed. Thus, the DiI tracing method developed here has opened up a window for investigation during an important phase of vagal development.

A genetic approach for investigating vagal sensory roles in regulation of gastrointestinal function and food intake

Sensory innervation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract by the vagus nerve plays important roles in regulation of GI function and feeding behavior. This innervation is composed of a large number of sensory pathways, each arising from a different population of sensory receptors. Progress in understanding the functions of these pathways has been impeded by their close association with vagal efferent, sympathetic, and enteric systems, which makes it difficult to selectively label or manipulate them. We suggest that a genetic approach may overcome these barriers. To illustrate the potential value of this strategy, as well as to gain insights into its application, investigations of CNS pathways and peripheral tissues involved in energy balance that benefited from the use of gene manipulations are reviewed. Next, our studies examining the feasibility of using mutations of developmental genes for manipulating individual vagal afferent pathways are reviewed. These experiments characterized mechanoreceptor morphology, density and distribution, and feeding patterns in four viable mutant mouse strains. In each strain a single population of vagal mechanoreceptors innervating the muscle wall of the GI tract was altered, and was associated with selective effects on feeding patterns, thus supporting the feasibility of this strategy. However, two limitations of this approach must be addressed for it to achieve its full potential. First, mutation effects in tissues outside the GI tract can contribute to changes in GI function or feeding. Additionally, knockouts of developmental genes are often lethal, preventing analysis of mature innervation and ingestive behavior. To address these issues, we propose to develop conditional gene knockouts restricted to specific GI tract tissues. Two genes of interest are brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), which are essential for vagal afferent development. Creating conditional knockouts of these genes requires knowledge of their GI tract expression during development, which little is known about. Preliminary investigation revealed that during development BDNF and NT-3 are each expressed in several GI tract regions, and that their expression patterns overlap in some tissues, but are distinct in others. Importantly, GI tissues that express BDNF or NT-3 are innervated by vagal afferents, and expression of these neurotrophins occurs during the periods of axon invasion and receptor formation, consistent with roles for BDNF or NT-3 in these processes and in receptor survival. These results provide a basis for targeting BDNF or NT-3 knockouts to specific GI tract tissues, and potentially altering vagal afferent innervation only in that tissue (e.g., smooth muscle vs. mucosa). Conditional BDNF or NT-3 knockouts that are successful in selectively altering a vagal GI afferent pathway will be valuable for developing an understanding of that pathway's roles in GI function and food intake.

Innervation of the mammalian esophagus

Understanding the innervation of the esophagus is a prerequisite for successful treatment of a variety of disorders, e.g., dysphagia, achalasia, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and non-cardiac chest pain. Although, at first glance, functions of the esophagus are relatively simple, their neuronal control is considerably complex. Vagal motor neurons of the nucleus ambiguus and preganglionic neurons of the dorsal motor nucleus innervate striated and smooth muscle, respectively. Myenteric neurons represent the interface between the dorsal motor nucleus and smooth muscle but they are also involved in striated muscle innervation. Intraganglionic laminar endings (IGLEs) represent mechanosensory vagal afferent terminals. They also establish intricate connections with enteric neurons. Afferent information is implemented by the swallowing central pattern generator in the brainstem, which generates and coordinates deglutitive activity in both striated and smooth esophageal muscle and orchestrates esophageal sphincters as well as gastric adaptive relaxation. Disturbed excitation/inhibition balance in the lower esophageal sphincter results in motility disorders, e.g., achalasia and GERD. Loss of mechanosensory afferents disrupts adaptation of deglutitive motor programs to bolus variables, eventually leading to megaesophagus. Both spinal and vagal afferents appear to contribute to painful sensations, e.g., non-cardiac chest pain. Extrinsic and intrinsic neurons may be involved in intramural reflexes using acetylcholine, nitric oxide, substance P, CGRP and glutamate as main transmitters. In addition, other molecules, e.g., ATP, GABA and probably also inflammatory cytokines, may modulate these neuronal functions.

Netrin/DCC-mediated attraction of vagal sensory axons to the fetal mouse gut

Vagal sensory axons and migrating neural crest-derived precursor cells follow similar pathways to reach the gut. The crest-derived cells express the netrin receptor deleted in colorectal cancer (DCC) and migrate toward netrins expressed by the intestinal mucosa and pancreas; this attraction is required for the formation of submucosal and pancreatic ganglia. We tested the hypothesis that enteric netrins also attract vagal sensory fibers. These axons were located as a function of age in fetal mice by applying the lipophilic tracer 1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate (DiI) bilaterally to nodose ganglia. DiI-labeled axons were found in the esophagus and proximal stomach by E12 and, more distally, in the small bowel at E14-E16. Transcripts encoding DCC were expressed in the nodose ganglia of mice from E12 to adulthood but were developmentally regulated. Paraesophageal anterior and posterior vagal trunks were DCC immunoreactive from E12 to E16. Transcripts encoding netrin-1 were expressed in the developing foregut and midgut; netrin-1 immunoreactivity was detected in the outer gut mesenchyme and mucosal epithelium. Neurites from explanted E14 nodose ganglia grew selectively toward cocultured E14 distal foregut explants (P < 0.01). Antibodies to DCC specifically abolished this preferential outgrowth (P < 0.05). Nodose axons also grew selectively toward cocultured netrin-secreting 293-EBNA cells (P < 0.005); antibodies to DCC again blocked this preferential outgrowth (P < 0.05). These data suggest that netrins, which are expressed in the bowel, attract DCC-expressing vagal sensory axons.

Misidentification of cardiac vagal pre-ganglionic neurons after injections of retrograde tracer into the pericardial space in the rat

We evaluated whether pericardial injections of the retrograde tracers cholera toxin subunit B (CTb) or Fast Blue (FB) reliably labelled cardiac vagal pre-ganglionic neurons. Injections of CTb into the pericardial space of the rat labelled neurons in both the external and compact formations of the nucleus ambiguus. Most labelled neurons were found in the compact formation of the nucleus ambiguus, and the majority of these, and only these, expressed immunoreactivity for calcitonin gene-related peptide. This distribution of labelled neurons and their immunohistochemical properties is characteristic of oesophageal motoneurons. Examination of the oesophagus following intra-pericardial CTb applications revealed strong labelling of motor end plates within the skeletal muscle of the thoracic but not the abdominal oesophagus. When a second retrograde tracer, FB, was injected into the abdominal oesophagus, labelled somata were found adjacent to CTb-labelled neurons in the compact formation of the nucleus ambiguus. No co-localisation of tracers was found, but identical proportions of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) immunoreactivity were observed in both groups of neurons. FB injected into the pericardial space labelled intra-cardiac neurons but not brainstem neurons. We conclude that intra-pericardial, and perhaps sub-epicardial, injections of some retrograde tracers are likely to label a subset of oesophageal, as well as cardiac, vagal motor neurons in the brainstem.

Evidence for the involvement of neurotrophins in muscle transdifferentiation and acetylcholine receptor transformation in the esophagus ofMyf5−/−:MyoD−/−andNT-3−/−embryos

The primary aim of our study was to determine whether the esophageal innervation (i.e., vagal and enteric) and the skeletal muscle-secreted neurotrophins have a role in smooth-to-skeletal muscle transdifferentiation and in the muscarinic-to-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor type transition. To that end, we used genetically engineered embryos and immunohistochemistry. We found that, in the absence of Myf5 and MyoD, the esophageal muscle cells failed to develop the striated phenotype of acetylcholine receptors. In addition, the development of vagal and enteric innervation was delayed in Myf5(-/-):MyoD(-/-) and NT-3(-/-) mutants, but it was reestablished 2 days before the end of gestation. The smooth muscle cells in the esophagus appeared to be a distinct subpopulation of cells and their ability to transdifferentiate was based on their competence to express neurotrophins and their receptors. Finally, our data suggest a role for NT-3 in the esophageal muscle transdifferentiation.

Development of neuromuscular junctions in the mouse esophagus: Morphology suggests a role for enteric coinnervation during maturation of vagal myoneural contacts

The time course of establishment of motor endplates and the subsequent developmental changes in their enteric and vagal innervation were examined in esophageal striated muscle of perinatal and adult C57/Bl6 mice by using immunocytochemistry and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors were visualized with alpha-bungarotoxin; vagal motor nerve terminals with antisera against vesicular acetylcholine transporter; and enteric nerve fibers with antisera against neuronal nitric oxide synthase, vasoactive intestinal peptide, and galanin. Because the various stages of esophageal striated myogenesis advance caudocranially, i.e., more mature stages are found cranial to immature stages, longitudinal cryosections through the esophagus were investigated. Synaptogenesis was divided into several distinct stages. 1) Mononucleated cells express acetylcholine receptors over their entire surface. 2) They start to cluster receptors without nerve fiber contacts. 3) The first nerve contact on a growing receptor cluster is made by a vagal nerve terminal, followed by an enteric terminal. 4) Vagal terminals grow until they match the size of endplate areas, and one to three enteric terminals intertwine with them on every receptor cluster. 5) After vagal terminals have covered the whole endplate area, enteric terminals are withdrawn from the majority of motor endplates. In a minority of endplates, enteric coinnervation persists through adulthood. The enteric innervation of all developing motor endplates, shortly after vagal terminals have contacted them, and the removal of enteric nerve fibers from the majority of mature motor endplates suggest a major role of enteric nerve fibers during maturation of esophageal neuromuscular junctions.

Myenteric nitrergic neurons along the rat esophagus: evidence for regional and strain differences in age-related changes

Several studies have suggested an age-related reduction in the number of myenteric neurons in the lower gastrointestinal (GI) tract linked to changes in GI neuromuscular functions. The present study, combining protein gene product 9.5 immunostaining and NADPH-diaphorase histochemistry, aimed at quantifying the proportion of nitrergic neurons compared to the overall number of enteric neurons in the esophagus of young (3-4.5 months) and aged (18-20 months) Sprague-Dawley and Wistar rats. In both strains, the neuron numbers per ganglion in the cervical region were almost twice as high as in the other esophageal regions. Irrespective of age or strain, the esophagus harbored a very high proportion of intrinsic nitrergic neurons (greater than approximately 65%). Both strains showed with aging an overall neuronal loss of approximately 27%. While a significant increase (young: 64-71%; aged: 82-89%) was observed in all esophageal regions in the Wistar strain, the proportion of nitrergic neurons remained stable with aging in the Sprague-Dawley strain (range: 72-82%). In conclusion, the age-related reduction in the overall number of myenteric, nitrergic, and non-nitrergic neurons observed in the rat esophagus, appears to be highly region- and strain-dependent. Therefore, a protective mechanism against neuronal cell loss, selectively present in specific (nitrergic) enteric subpopulations, as suggested in earlier reports, cannot be put forward as a general phenomenon throughout the entire GI tract.

Mexiletine inhibits nonadrenergic noncholinergic lower oesophageal sphincter relaxation in rabbits

Nonadrenergic noncholinergic (NANC) nerves are known to be nitrergic and to have an important role in the regulation of gastrointestinal motility and function. Cardiac antiarrhythmic therapy in humans is accompanied by a high incidence of gastrointestinal side-effects. We investigated the effect of mexiletine, a class Ib antiarrhythmic drug, on NANC lower oesophageal sphincter relaxation. Mexiletine concentration dependently inhibited the NANC relaxation induced by 30 mM KCl (EC(50)=4.4 x 10(-6) M); the production of 3',5'-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) after KCl stimulation was concentration dependently decreased. The relaxation induced by the exogenous nitric oxide (NO) donor, diethylamine NONOate (10(-5) M), was not inhibited by mexiletine, and the cGMP production after diethylamine NONOate application was not altered. Mexiletine did not alter the activity of NO synthase. These findings suggest that mexiletine inhibits NANC relaxation via NO-cGMP pathway modulation, possibly by inhibiting myenteric nitrergic neurotransmission in the lower oesophageal sphincter in rabbits.

Anatomical and neurochemical features of the extrinsic and intrinsic innervation of the striated muscle in the porcine esophagus: evidence for regional and species differences

Studies of the intrinsic and extrinsic innervation patterns of esophageal motor endplates (MEPs) are mainly confined to small rodents. Therefore, an immunocytochemical, denervation and tracing study was conducted on the pig, an experimental model in which the distribution of the striated esophageal muscle portion more closely resembles the human situation. The purpose of this study was to analyze the origin and neurochemical content of the nerve fibers participating in the myoneural synapse. Fifteen 6-week-old domestic pigs were studied by immunohistochemistry combined with alpha-bungarotoxin labeling to define the co-innervation patterns of nitrergic and peptidergic nerve terminals in MEPs. Some animals were subjected to unilateral infra- or supranodose vagotomy to determine the origin of the nerve terminals in MEPs. Special attention was paid to the interregional differences in terms of co-innervation rates, and these findings were compared with literature data on small mammals. Double stainings revealed that most of the nNOS-immunoreactive (ir) terminals in MEPs co-stained for VIP, GAL and NPY, but not for PACAP and L-ENK. PACAP- and L-ENK-ir terminals were coarser than nNOS-ir terminals, and largely co-localized VAChT. High percentages of MEPs at the cervical level were contacted by PACAP- (approximately 94%) and L-ENK-ir (approximately 78%) terminals, but the proportion of both decreased in the rostrocaudal direction. Vagotomy significantly reduced their presence in MEPs at the thoracic and abdominal levels, while nNOS-ir terminals observed in approximately 30% of the MEPs were unaffected by vagotomy. Immunostainings on brainstem cryosections after retrograde tracing from the cervical esophagus showed that a large number of FB-positive cells in the nucleus ambiguus were PACAP-ir (approximately 72%). C-kit-positive interstitial cells of Cajal were seen adjacent to the striated muscle fibers, apparently without direct relationship to MEPs. Similar to mouse esophagus, intrinsic nitrergic fibers were found to run close to, or even spiral around, these interstitial cells, an association that might point to a role as specialized spindle proprioceptors. In conclusion, the cholinergic terminals-part of which coexpress PACAP and/or L-ENK-that innervate MEPs in the porcine esophagus have a vagal origin, whereas the nNOS/VIP/GAL/NPY-ir fibers co-innervating these MEPs are intrinsic in nature. The regional differences observed along the esophageal length pertain to the neurochemical content of the vagal motor innervation of the MEPs.

Neurotrophin-4 deficient mice have a loss of vagal intraganglionic mechanoreceptors from the small intestine and a disruption of short-term satiety

Intraganglionic laminar endings (IGLEs) and intramuscular arrays (IMAs) are the two putative mechanoreceptors that the vagus nerve supplies to gastrointestinal smooth muscle. To examine whether neurotrophin-4 (NT-4)-deficient mice, which have only 45% of the normal number of nodose ganglion neurons, exhibit selective losses of these endings and potentially provide a model for assessing their functional roles, we inventoried IGLEs and IMAs in the gut wall. Vagal afferents were labeled by nodose ganglion injections of wheat germ agglutinin-horseradish peroxidase, and a standardized sampling protocol was used to map the terminals in the stomach, duodenum, and ileum. NT-4 mutants had a substantial organ-specific reduction of IGLEs; whereas the morphologies and densities of both IGLEs and IMAs in the stomach were similar to wild-type patterns, IGLEs were largely absent in the small intestine (90 and 81% losses in duodenum and ileum, respectively). Meal pattern analyses revealed that NT-4 mutants had increased meal durations with solid food and increased meal sizes with liquid food. However, daily total food intake and body weight remained normal because of compensatory changes in other meal parameters. These findings indicate that NT-4 knock-out mice have a selective vagal afferent loss and suggest that intestinal IGLEs (1) may participate in short-term satiety, probably by conveying feedback about intestinal distension or transit to the brain, (2) are not essential for long-term control of feeding and body weight, and (3) play different roles in regulation of solid and liquid diet intake.

Orphan nuclear receptor Nurr1 is essential for Ret expression in midbrain dopamine neurons and in the brain stem

The orphan nuclear receptor Nurr1 is essential for development of midbrain dopamine (DA) cells. In Nurr1-deficient mice, DA precursor cells fail to migrate normally, are unable to innervate target areas, and only transiently express DA cell marker genes. In the search for Nurr1-regulated genes that might explain this developmental phenotype, we found that expression of the receptor tyrosine kinase Ret is deregulated in these cells of Nurr1-deficient embryos. In addition, our analyses establish Nurr1 as an early marker for the dorsal motor nucleus (DMN) of the vagus nerve. Interestingly, Ret expression is absent also in these cells in Nurr1-targeted mice. Neuronal innervation of vagus nerve target areas appeared normal apart from a subtle disorganization of the DMN-derived nerve fibers. In conclusion, regulation of Ret by Nurr1 in midbrain DA neurons and in the DMN has implications for both embryonal development and adult physiology in which signaling by neurotrophic factors plays important roles.

Gastrointestinal projection maps of the vagus nerve are specified permanently in the perinatal period

The vagal innervation of the proximal gastrointestinal (GI) tract is lateralized. To determine whether this pattern is specified as early as the perinatal period, neonatal rat pups were given unilateral cervical vagotomies. Separate groups received (1) transections below the left nodose ganglion, (2) left cervical resections that included removal of the nodose ganglion, or (3) sham surgeries. At 4 months of age, each animal's vagal afferent projections from the unoperated side were mapped by injecting the nodose with WGA-HRP, preparing the stomach as wholemounts, and processing the tissue with tetramethyl benzidine. The two types of vagal afferent endings in GI smooth muscle, namely intraganglionic laminar endings and intramuscular arrays, were surveyed separately, and their regional distributions were mapped. Changes in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NST) and dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMNX) were assessed with cell counts and area measurements. Neonatal loss of the vagus innervating one side of the GI tract, with or without ganglionectomy, did not cause the unoperated vagus to sprout to the denervated side. In addition, removal of the projections to the one side of the target organ did not produce a reorganization of the projection maps of the unoperated vagus within its normal or ipsilateral wall of the GI tract. Although the regional patterns of the unoperated ipsilateral vagus were not affected, the packing densities of both types of afferents supplied by this trunk were moderately reduced. The DMNX of the vagotomized side displayed extensive (approximately 83%) neuronal loss; the DMNX on the unoperated side as well as the NST on both sides exhibited limited (approximately 20--25%) losses. The lack of a peripheral projection field reorganization -- except for a moderate down-regulation -- after complete unilateral denervation suggests that both the laterality and the afferent terminal phenotypes (or target tissues) of the vagus in the proximal GI tract are specified by postnatal day one in the rat. The present results, taken together with other observations, also suggest that three different combinations of signals orchestrate the commitments of vagal afferents respectively to (1) the side of the organ, (2) the region within the organ wall, and (3) the accessory and innervated tissues that complex with the fully differentiated ending.

Intraganglionic laminar endings are mechano-transduction sites of vagal tension receptors in the guinea-pig stomach

1. Distension-sensitive vagal afferent fibres from the cardiac region of the guinea-pig stomach were recorded extracellularly, then filled with biotinamide, using an anterograde tracing technique. 2. Most of the stretch-sensitive units of the guinea-pig stomach (41 out of 47; number of animals N = 26) had low thresholds (less than 1 mm) to circumferential stretch and showed slow adaptation. Twenty of these units fired spontaneously under resting conditions (mean: 1.9 +/- 0.3 Hz, n = 20, N = 14). 3. Adaptation of firing during slow or maintained stretch correlated closely with accommodation of intramural tension, but tension-independent adaptation was also present. 4. Nicardipine (3 microM) with hyoscine (3 microM) reduced stretch-evoked firing of gastric vagal afferents, by inhibiting smooth muscle contraction. Gadolinium (1 mM) blocked distension-evoked firing. 5. Focal stimulation of the stomach muscle wall with a von Frey hair (0.4 mN) identified one to six punctate receptive fields in each low threshold vagal distension-sensitive afferent. These were marked on the serosal surface of the stomach wall. 6. Anterograde filling of recorded nerve trunks revealed intraganglionic laminar endings (IGLEs) within 142 +/- 34 microm (n = 38; N = 10) of marked receptive fields. The mean distance from randomly generated sites to the nearest IGLE was significantly greater (1500 +/- 48 microm, n = 380, N = 10, P < 0.0001). Viscerofugal nerve cell bodies, intramuscular arrays and varicose axons were not associated with receptive fields. The results indicate that IGLEs are the mechanotransduction sites of low threshold, slowly adapting vagal tension receptors in the guinea-pig upper stomach.

Retrograde tracing of enteric neuronal pathways

Neuroanatomical tracing techniques, and retrograde labelling in particular, are widely used tools for the analysis of neuronal pathways in the central and peripheral nervous system. Over the last 10 years, these techniques have been used extensively to identify enteric neuronal pathways. In combination with multiple-labelling immunohistochemistry, quantitative data about the projections and neurochemical profile of many functional classes of cells have been acquired. These data have revealed a high degree of organization of the neuronal plexuses, even though the different classes of nerve cell bodies appear to be randomly assorted in ganglia. Each class of neurone has a predictable target, length and polarity of axonal projection, a particular combination of neurochemicals in its cell body and distinctive morphological characteristics. The combination of retrograde labelling with targeted intracellular recording has made it possible to target small populations of cells that would rarely be sampled during random impalements. These neuroanatomical techniques have also been applied successfully to human tissue and are gradually unravelling the complexity of the human enteric nervous system.

Swallowing reflex and brain stem neurons activated by superior laryngeal nerve stimulation in the mouse

The purpose of the present study was to identify vagal subnuclei that participate in reflex swallowing in response to electrical stimulation of the left superior laryngeal nerve (SLN). SLN stimulation at 10 Hz evoked primary peristalsis, including oropharyngeal and esophageal peristalsis, and LES relaxation. It also induced c-fos expression in interneurons in the interstitial (SolI), intermediate (SolIM), central (SolCe), dorsomedial (SolDM) and commissural (SolC) solitary subnuclei. Neurons in parvicellular reticular nucleus (PCRt) and area postrema (AP) and motoneurons in the semicompact (NAsc), loose (NAl), and compact (NAc) formations of the nucleus ambiguus and both rostral (DMVr) and caudal (DMVc) parts of the dorsal motor nucleus of vagus were also activated. The activated neurons represent all neurons concerned with afferent SLN-mediated reflexes, including the swallowing-related neurons. SLN stimulation at 5 Hz elicited oropharyngeal and LES but not esophageal responses and evoked c-fos expression in neurons in SolI, SolIM, SolDM, PCRt, AP, NAsc, NAl, and DMVc but not in SolCe, NAc, or DMVr. These data are consistent with the role of SolI, SolIM, SolDM, NAsc, NAl, and DMVc circuit in oropharyngeal peristalsis and LES relaxation and SolCe, NAc, DMVc, and DMVr in esophageal peristalsis and LES responses.

Lower esophageal sphincter relaxation and activation of medullary neurons by subdiaphragmatic vagal stimulation in the mouse

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Isolated lower esophageal sphincter (LES) relaxation associated with belching and vomiting and the transient LES relaxation associated with gastroesophageal reflux are gastric afferent-mediated vagovagal reflexes. We aimed to identify the brain stem vagal subnuclei involved in these reflexes.

METHODS

In anesthetized mice, LES pressures were recorded using a manometric technique and response to electrical stimulation of the ventral trunk of subdiaphragmatic vagus was investigated. Anatomy of the vagal subnuclei was defined, and activated subnuclei with ventral subdiaphragmatic vagus stimulation were detected by c-fos immunohistochemical staining.

RESULTS

Ventral subdiaphragmatic vagal stimulation elicited frequency-dependent LES relaxation without evoking esophageal contractions and induced c-fos expression in interneurons in medial, dorsomedial, and commissural subnuclei along with outer shell of area postrema and motoneurons in the caudal dorsal motor nucleus of vagus. Brain stem subnuclei including interstitial, intermediate, and central subnuclei, and nucleus ambiguous, which have been reported to be involved in the response to swallowing, were not activated.

CONCLUSIONS

Stimulation of the ventral subdiaphragmatic vagus causes isolated LES relaxation and activates neurons in select vagal subnuclei that may represent the brain stem circuit involved in the abdominal vagal-afferent-evoked isolated LES relaxation. These observations suggest that different brain stem circuits are involved in swallow-induced and gastric afferent-mediated isolated LES relaxations.

Differential Ca(2+) signaling characteristics of inhibitory and excitatory myenteric motor neurons in culture

Physiological studies on functionally identified myenteric neurons are scarce because of technical limitations. We combined retrograde labeling, cell culturing, and fluorescent intracellular Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) signaling to study excitatory neurotransmitter responsiveness of myenteric motor neurons. 1, 1-Didodecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethyl indocarbocyanine (DiI) was used to label circular muscle motor neurons of the guinea pig ileum. DiI-labeled neurons were easily detectable in cultures prepared from these segments. The excitatory neurotransmitters (10(-5) M) acetylcholine, substance P, and serotonin induced a transient rise in [Ca(2+)](i) in subsets of DiI-labeled neurons (66.7, 56.5, and 84. 3%, respectively). DiI-labeled motor neurons were either inhibitory (23.8%) or excitatory (76.2%) as assessed by staining for nitric oxide synthase or choline acetyltransferase. Compared with excitatory motor neurons, significantly fewer inhibitory neurons in culture responded to acetylcholine (0 vs. 69%) and substance P (12.5 vs. 69.2%). We conclude that combining retrograde labeling and Ca(2+) imaging allows identification of differential receptor expression in functionally identified neurons in culture.

Transduction sites of vagal mechanoreceptors in the guinea pig esophagus

Extrinsic afferent neurons play an essential role in both sensation and reflex control of visceral organs, but their specialized morphological peripheral endings have never been functionally identified. Extracellular recordings were made from fine nerve trunks running between the vagus nerve and esophagus of the guinea pig. Mechanoreceptors, which responded to esophageal distension, fired spontaneously, had low thresholds to circumferential stretch, and were slowly adapting. Calibrated von Frey hairs (0.12 mN) were used to probe the serosal surface at 100-200 sites, which were mapped on a video image of the live preparation. Each stretch-sensitive unit had one to three highly localized receptive fields ("hot spots"), which were marked with Indian ink applied on the tip of the von Frey hair. Recorded nerve trunks were then filled anterogradely, using biotinamide in an artificial intracellular solution. Receptive fields were consistently associated with intraganglionic laminar endings (IGLEs) in myenteric ganglia, but not with other filled neuronal structures. The average distance of receptive fields to IGLEs was 73 +/- 14 microm (24 receptive fields, from 12 units; n = 5), compared to 374 +/- 17 microm for 240 randomly generated sites (n = 5; p < 0.001). After maintained probing on a single receptive field, spontaneous discharge of units was inhibited, as were responses to distension. During adapted discharge to maintained distension, interspike intervals were distributed in a narrow range. This indicates that multiple receptive fields interact to encode mechanical distortion in a graded manner. IGLEs are specialized transduction sites of mechanosensitive vagal afferent neurons in the guinea pig esophagus.

Transdifferentiation of esophageal smooth to skeletal muscle is myogenic bHLH factor-dependent

Previously, coexpression of smooth and skeletal differentiation markers, but not myogenic regulatory factors (MRFs), was observed from E16.5 mouse fetuses in a small percentage of diaphragm level esophageal muscle cells, suggesting that MRFs are not involved in the process of initiation of developmentally programmed transdifferentiation in the esophagus. To investigate smooth-to-skeletal esophageal muscle transition, we analyzed Myf5nlacZ knock-in mice, MyoD-lacZ and myogenin-lacZ transgenic embryos with a panel of the antibodies reactive with myogenic regulatory factors (MRFs) and smooth and skeletal muscle markers. We observed that lacZ-expressing myogenic precursors were not detected in the esophagus before E15.5, arguing against the hypothesis that muscle precursor cells populate the esophagus at an earlier stage of development. Rather, the expression of the MRFs initiated in smooth muscle cells in the upper esophagus of E15.5 mouse embryos and was immediately followed by the expression of skeletal muscle markers. Moreover, transdifferentiation was markedly delayed or absent only in the absence of Myf5, suggesting that appropriate initiation and progression of smooth-to-skeletal muscle transdifferentiation is Myf5-dependent. Accordingly, the esophagus of Myf5(−/−):MyoD(−/−)embryos completely failed to undergo skeletal myogenesis and consisted entirely of smooth muscle. Lastly, extensive proliferation of muscularis precursor cells, without programmed cell death, occurred concomitantly with esophageal smooth-to-skeletal muscle transdifferentiation. Taken together, these results indicate that transdifferentiation is the fate of all smooth muscle cells in the upper esophagus and is normally initiated by Myf5.