Evaluating the protective role of the olivocochlear bundle against acoustic overexposure in rats by using Fos immunohistochemistry

The role of the Ventral Nucleus of the Trapezoid Body in the auditory prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle reflex

Cholinergic signaling is essential to mediate the auditory prepulse inhibition (PPI), an operational measure of sensorimotor gating, that refers to the reduction of the acoustic startle reflex (ASR) when a low-intensity, non-startling acoustic stimulus (the prepulse) is presented just before the onset of the acoustic startle stimulus. The cochlear root neurons (CRNs) are the first cells of the ASR circuit to receive cholinergic inputs from non-olivocochlear neurons of the ventral nucleus of the trapezoid body (VNTB) and subsequently decrease their neuronal activity in response to auditory prepulses. Yet, the contribution of the VNTB-CRNs pathway to the mediation of PPI has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we used the immunotoxin anti-choline acetyltransferase (ChAT)-saporin as well as electrolytic lesions of the medial olivocochlear bundle to selectively eliminate cholinergic VNTB neurons, and then assessed the ASR and PPI paradigms. Retrograde track-tracing experiments were conducted to precisely determine the site of lesioning VNTB neurons projecting to the CRNs. Additionally, the effects of VNTB lesions and the integrity of the auditory pathway were evaluated via auditory brain responses tests, ChAT- and FOS-immunohistochemistry. Consequently, we established three experimental groups: 1) intact control rats (non-lesioned), 2) rats with bilateral lesions of the olivocochlear bundle (OCB-lesioned), and 3) rats with bilateral immunolesions affecting both the olivocochlear bundle and the VNTB (OCB/VNTB-lesioned). All experimental groups underwent ASR and PPI tests at several interstimulus intervals before the lesion and 7, 14, and 21 days after it. Our results show that the ASR amplitude remained unaffected both before and after the lesion across all experimental groups, suggesting that the VNTB does not contribute to the ASR. The%PPI increased across the time points of evaluation in the control and OCB-lesioned groups but not in the OCB/VNTB-lesioned group. At the ISI of 50 ms, the OCB-lesioned group exhibited a significant increase in%PPI (p < 0.01), which did not occur in the OCB/VNTB-lesioned group. Therefore, the ablation of cholinergic non-olivocochlear neurons in the OCB/VNTB-lesioned group suggests that these neurons contribute to the mediation of auditory PPI at the 50 ms ISI through their cholinergic projections to CRNs. Our study strongly reinforces the notion that auditory PPI encompasses a complex mechanism of top-down cholinergic modulation, effectively attenuating the ASR across different interstimulus intervals within multiple pathways.

The rat animal model for noise-induced hearing loss

Rats make excellent models for the study of medical, biological, genetic, and behavioral phenomena given their adaptability, robustness, survivability, and intelligence. The rat's general anatomy and physiology of the auditory system is similar to that observed in humans, and this has led to their use for investigating the effect of noise overexposure on the mammalian auditory system. The current paper provides a review of the rat model for studying noise-induced hearing loss and highlights advancements that have been made using the rat, particularly as these pertain to noise dose and the hazardous effects of different experimental noise types. In addition to the traditional loss of auditory function following acoustic trauma, recent findings have indicated the rat as a useful model in observing alterations in neuronal processing within the central nervous system following noise injury. Furthermore, the rat provides a second animal model when investigating noise-induced cochlear synaptopathy, as studies examining this in the rat model resemble the general patterns observed in mice. Together, these findings demonstrate the relevance of this animal model for furthering the authors' understanding of the effects of noise on structural, anatomical, physiological, and perceptual aspects of hearing.

A current view on contactin-4, -5, and -6: Implications in neurodevelopmental disorders

Contactins (Cntns) are a six-member subgroup of the immunoglobulin cell adhesion molecule superfamily (IgCAMs) with pronounced brain expression and function. Recent genetic studies of neuropsychiatric disorders have pinpointed contactin-4 (CNTN4), contactin-5 (CNTN5) and contactin-6 (CNTN6) as candidate genes in neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), but also in intellectual disability, schizophrenia (SCZ), attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), bipolar disorder (BD), alcohol use disorder (AUD) and anorexia nervosa (AN). This suggests that they have important functions during neurodevelopment. This suggestion is supported by data showing that neurite outgrowth, cell survival and neural circuit formation can be affected by disruption of these genes. Here, we review the current genetic data about their involvement in neuropsychiatric disorders and explore studies on how null mutations affect mouse behavior. Finally, we highlight to role of protein-protein interactions in the potential mechanism of action of Cntn4, -5 and -6 and emphasize that complexes with other membrane proteins may play a role in neuronal developmental functions.

Contactins in the neurobiology of autism

Autism is a disease of brain plasticity. Inspiring work of Willem Hendrik Gispen on neuronal plasticity has stimulated us to investigate gene defects in autism and the consequences for brain development. The central process in the pathogenesis of autism is local dendritic mRNA translation which is dependent on axodendritic communication. Hence, most autism-related gene products (i) are part of the protein synthesis machinery itself, (ii) are components of the mTOR signal transduction pathway, or (iii) shape synaptic activity and plasticity. Accordingly, prototype drugs have been recognized that interfere with these pathways. The contactin (CNTN) family of Ig cell adhesion molecules (IgCAMs) harbours at least three members that have genetically been implicated in autism: CNTN4, CNTN5, and CNTN6. In this chapter we review the genetic and neurobiological data underpinning their role in normal and abnormal development of brain systems, and the consequences for behavior. Although data on each of these CNTNs are far from complete, we tentatively conclude that these three contactins play roles in brain development in a critical phase of establishing brain systems and their plasticity. They modulate neuronal activities, such as neurite outgrowth, synaptogenesis, survival, guidance of projections and terminal branching of axons in forming neural circuits. Current research on these CNTNs concentrate on the neurobiological mechanism of their developmental functions. A future task will be to establish if proposed pharmacological strategies to counteract ASD-related symptomes can also be applied to reversal of phenotypes caused by genetic defects in these CNTN genes.

Inactivation of O6-alkylguanine DNA alkyltransferase as a means to enhance chemotherapy

DNA adducts at the O6-position of guanine are a result of the carcinogenic, mutagenic and cytotoxic actions of methylating and chloroethylating agents. The presence of the DNA repair protein O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase (AGT) renders cells resistant to the biological effects induced by agents that attack at this position. O6-Benzylguanine (O6-BG) is a low molecular weight substrate of AGT and therefore, results in sensitizing cells and tumors to alkylating agent-induced cytotoxicity and antitumor activity. Presently, chemotherapy regimens of O6-BG in combination with BCNU, temozolomide and Gliadel are in clinical development. Other ongoing clinical trials include expression of mutant AGT proteins that confer resistance to O6-BG in bone marrow stem cells, in an effort to reduce the potential enhanced toxicity and mutagenicity of alkylating agents in the bone marrow. O6-BG has also been found to enhance the cytotoxicity of agents that do not form adducts at the O6-position of DNA, including platinating agents. O6-BG's mechanism of action with these agents is not fully understood; however, it is independent of AGT activity or AGT inactivation. A better understanding of the effects of this agent will contribute to its clinical usefulness and the design of better analogs to further improve cancer chemotherapy.

Protection from acoustic trauma is not a primary function of the medial olivocochlear efferent system

The medial olivocochlear (MOC) efferent system is an important component of an active mechanical outer hair cell system in mammals. An extensive neurophysiological literature demonstrates that the MOC system attenuates the response of the cochlea to sound by reducing the gain of the outer hair cell mechanical response to stimulation. Despite a growing understanding of MOC physiology, the biological role of the MOC system in mammalian audition remains uncertain. Some evidence suggests that the MOC system functions in a protective role by acting to reduce receptor damage during intense acoustic exposure. For the MOC system to have evolved as a protective mechanism, however, the inner ears of mammals must be exposed to potentially damaging sources of noise that can elicit MOC-mediated protective effects under natural conditions. In this review, we evaluate the possibility that the MOC system evolved to protect the inner ear from naturally occurring environmental noise. Our survey of nonanthropogenic noise levels shows that while sustained sources of broadband noise are found in nearly all natural acoustic environments, frequency-averaged ambient noise levels in these environments rarely exceed 70 dB SPL. Similarly, sources reporting ambient noise spectra in natural acoustic environments suggest that noise levels within narrow frequency bands are typically low in intensity (<40 dB SPL). Only in rare instances (e.g., during frog choruses) are ambient noise levels sustained at moderately high intensities (~70-90 dB SPL). By contrast, all experiments in which an MOC-mediated protective effect was demonstrated used much higher sound intensities to traumatize the cochlea (100-150 dB SPL). This substantial difference between natural ambient noise levels and the experimental conditions necessary to evoke MOC-mediated protection suggests that even the noisiest natural acoustic environments are not sufficiently intense to have selected for the evolution of the MOC system as a protective mechanism. Furthermore, although relatively intense noise environments do exist in nature, they are insufficiently distributed to account for the widespread distribution of the MOC system in mammals. The paucity of high-intensity noise and the near ubiquity of low-level noise in natural environments supports the hypothesis that the MOC system evolved as a mechanism for "unmasking" biologically significant acoustic stimuli by reducing the response of the cochlea to simultaneous low-level noise. This suggested role enjoys widespread experimental support.

Aberrant responses to acoustic stimuli in mice deficient for neural recognition molecule NB-2

NB-2, a member of the contactin subgroup in the immunoglobulin superfamily, is expressed specifically in the postnatal nervous system, reaching a maximum level at 3 weeks postnatal. NB-2 displays neurite outgrowth-promoting activity in vitro. To assess its function in the nervous system, we generated mutant mice in which a part of the NB-2 gene was ablated and replaced with the tau-LacZ gene. The general appearance of NB-2-deficient mice and their gross anatomical features were normal. The LacZ expression patterns in heterozygous mice revealed that NB-2 is preferentially expressed in the central auditory pathways. In the audiogenic seizure test, NB-2-deficient mice exhibited a lower incidence of wild running, but a higher mortality rate than the wild-type littermates. c-Fos immunohistochemistry demonstrated that neural excitability induced by the audiogenic seizure test in the NB-2-deficient mice was prominently attenuated in both the dorsal and external cortices of the inferior colliculus, where enhanced neural excitability was observed in the wild-type mice. In response to pure-tone stimulation after priming, NB-2-deficient mice exhibited a diffuse and low level of c-Fos expression in the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus, which was distinctly different from the band-like c-Fos expression corresponding to the tonotopic map in the wild-type littermates. Taken together, these results suggest that a lack of NB-2 causes impairment of the neuronal activity in the auditory system.