Sources of p75-nerve growth factor receptor-like immunoreactivity in the rat suprachiasmatic nucleus

In utero Exposure to Valproic-Acid Alters Circadian Organisation and Clock-Gene Expression: Implications for Autism Spectrum Disorders

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a pervasive neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by restrictive patterns of behaviour and alterations in social interaction and communication. Up to 80% of children with ASD exhibit sleep-wake cycle disturbances, emphasising the pressing need for novel approaches in the treatment of ASD-associated comorbidities. While sleep disturbances have been identified in ASD individuals, little has been done to assess the contribution of the circadian system to these findings. The objective of this study is to characterise circadian behaviour and clock-gene expression in a valproic acid (VPA)-induced animal model of autism to highlight perturbations potentially contributing to these disturbances. Male and female VPA-exposed offspring underwent circadian challenges, including baseline light-dark cycles, constant dark/light and light pulse protocols. Baseline analysis showed that VPA-exposed males, but not females, had a greater distribution of wheel-running behaviour across light-dark phases and a later activity offset (p < 0.0001), while controls showed greater activity confinement to the dark phase (p = 0.0256). Constant light analysis indicated an attenuated masking response and an increase in the number of days to reach arrhythmicity (p < 0.0001). A 1-h light pulse (150 lux) at CT 15 after 6 days of constant dark showed that both sexes exposed to VPA exhibited a lesser phase-shift when compared to controls (p = 0.0043). Immunohistochemical and western-blot assays reveal no alterations in retinal organisation or function. However, immunohistochemical assay of the SCN revealed altered expression of BMAL1 expression in VPA-exposed males (p = 0.0016), and in females (p = 0.0053). These findings suggest alterations within the core clockwork of the SCN and reduced photic-entrainment capacity, independent of retinal dysfunction. The results of this study shed light on the nature of circadian dysregulation in VPA-exposed animals and highlights the urgent need for novel perspectives in the treatment of ASD-associated comorbidities.

Signalling pathways contributing to learning and memory deficits in the Ts65Dn mouse model of Down syndrome

Down syndrome (DS) is a genetic trisomic disorder that produces life-long changes in physiology and cognition. Many of the changes in learning and memory seen in DS are reminiscent of disorders involving the hippocampal/entorhinal circuit. Mouse models of DS typically involve trisomy of murine chromosome 16 is homologous for many of the genes triplicated in human trisomy 21, and provide us with good models of changes in, and potential pharmacotherapy for, human DS. Recent careful dissection of the Ts65Dn mouse model of DS has revealed differences in key signalling pathways from the basal forebrain to the hippocampus and associated rhinal cortices, as well as changes in the microstructure of the hippocampus itself. In vivo behavioural and electrophysiological studies have shown that Ts65Dn animals have difficulties in spatial memory that mirror hippocampal deficits, and have changes in hippocampal electrophysiological phenomenology that may explain these differences, and align with expectations generated from in vitro exploration of this model. Finally, given the existing data, we will examine the possibility for pharmacotherapy for DS, and outline the work that remains to be done to fully understand this system.

Time to pay attention: attentional performance time-stamped prefrontal cholinergic activation, diurnality, and performance

Although the impairments in cognitive performance that result from shifting or disrupting daily rhythms have been demonstrated, the neuronal mechanisms that optimize fixed-time daily performance are poorly understood. We previously demonstrated that daily practice of a sustained attention task (SAT) evokes a diurnal activity pattern in rats. Here, we report that SAT practice at a fixed time produced practice time-stamped increases in prefrontal cholinergic neurotransmission that persisted after SAT practice was terminated and in a different environment. SAT time-stamped cholinergic activation occurred regardless of whether the SAT was practiced during the light or dark phase or in constant-light conditions. In contrast, prior daily practice of an operant schedule of reinforcement, albeit generating more rewards and lever presses per session than the SAT, neither activated the cholinergic system nor affected the animals' nocturnal activity pattern. Likewise, food-restricted animals exhibited strong food anticipatory activity (FAA) and attenuated activity during the dark phase but FAA was not associated with increases in prefrontal cholinergic activity. Removal of cholinergic neurons impaired SAT performance and facilitated the reemergence of nocturnality. Shifting SAT practice away from a fixed time resulted in significantly lower performance. In conclusion, these experiments demonstrated that fixed-time, daily practice of a task assessing attention generates a precisely practice time-stamped activation of the cortical cholinergic input system. Time-stamped cholinergic activation benefits fixed-time performance and, if practiced during the light phase, contributes to a diurnal activity pattern.

Interactions between cognition and circadian rhythms: attentional demands modify circadian entrainment

Animals and humans are able to predict and synchronize their daily activity to signals present in their environments. Environmental cues are most often associated with signaling the beginning or the end of a daily activity cycle, but they can also be used to time the presentation or availability of scarce resources. If the signal occurs consistently, animals can begin to anticipate its arrival and ultimately become entrained to its presence. While many stimuli can produce anticipation for a daily event, these events rarely lead to changes in activity patterns during the rest of the circadian cycle. Here the authors demonstrate that performance of a task requiring sustained attention not only produces entrainment, but produces a robust modification in the animals' activity throughout the entire circadian cycle. In particular, normally nocturnal rats, when trained during the light phase (ZT 4) adopted a significant and reversible diurnal activity pattern. Of importance, control experiments demonstrated that this entrainment could not be attributed to the noncognitive components of task performance, such as handling, water deprivation, access to water used as a reward, or animal activity associated with operant training. These findings additionally indicate that levels of cognitive performance are modulated by the circadian cycle and that such activity can act as a highly effective entrainment signal. These results form the basis for future research on the role of neuronal systems mediating interactions between cognitive activity and circadian rhythms.

Role of substantia innominata in cerebral blood flow autoregulation

Ascending projections from the substantia innominata (SI) may have an important role in the regulation of cerebral blood flow (CBF). However, several reports have suggested that unilateral lesion of the SI does not affect CBF autoregulation. On the other hand, it is also reported that several cortical and subcortical functions may be regulated not only by ipsilateral SI, but also by contralateral SI. Thus, the objective of this study is to test the hypothesis that bilateral lesions of the SI affect CBF autoregulation. Experiments were performed on anesthetized male Sprague-Dawley rats. Ibotenic acid or physiological saline was microinjected into bilateral SI. Rats were classified into four groups as follows: bilateral SI lesion rats (ibotenic acid was injected bilaterally), left or right SI lesion rats (ibotenic acid was injected into the unilateral SI and saline into the contralateral SI), and control rats (saline was injected bilaterally). Ten days after injection, CBF in the left frontal cortex was measured by laser-Doppler flowmetry during stepwise controlled hemorrhagic hypotension. In bilateral SI lesion rats, CBF was started to decrease significantly at 80 mm Hg (p<0.01). In the other three groups, CBF was well maintained until 50 mm Hg. Changes in CBF through stepwise hypotension in bilateral SI lesion rats were significantly different from the other groups (p<0.01). These results suggest that bilateral SI regulates cortical vasodilator mechanisms during hemorrhagic hypotension. Under unilateral SI lesion, some compensatory effects from the contralateral SI may maintain CBF autoregulation.

The circadian visual system, 2005

The primary mammalian circadian clock resides in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), a recipient of dense retinohypothalamic innervation. In its most basic form, the circadian rhythm system is part of the greater visual system. A secondary component of the circadian visual system is the retinorecipient intergeniculate leaflet (IGL) which has connections to many parts of the brain, including efferents converging on targets of the SCN. The IGL also provides a major input to the SCN, with a third major SCN afferent projection arriving from the median raphe nucleus. The last decade has seen a blossoming of research into the anatomy and function of the visual, geniculohypothalamic and midbrain serotonergic systems modulating circadian rhythmicity in a variety of species. There has also been a substantial and simultaneous elaboration of knowledge about the intrinsic structure of the SCN. Many of the developments have been driven by molecular biological investigation of the circadian clock and the molecular tools are enabling novel understanding of regional function within the SCN. The present discussion is an extension of the material covered by the 1994 review, "The Circadian Visual System."

Nerve growth factor restores the expression of vasopressin and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of aged rats

Aging leads to a decrease in the number of neurons expressing vasopressin (VP) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the rat. Similar results were observed following prolonged alcohol consumption and withdrawal. In the latter circumstances, the administration of nerve growth factor (NGF) restored the synthesis and expression of those neuropeptides despite the absence of TrkA receptors in SCN neurons. Thus, we decided to test whether the administration of NGF would improve the expression of neuropeptides in the SCN of aged rats. For this purpose, NGF was delivered intraventricularly to aged rats over a period of 14 days. The somatic volume and the total number of VP- and VIP-immunostained SCN neurons were estimated by applying stereological methods. No age-related variations were found regarding the volume of the neuronal cell bodies. Yet, a striking reduction in the number of VP- and VIP-immunoreactive neurons was detected in aged animals and found to be completely retrieved by NGF. This finding shows that exogenous NGF administered to aged rats restores the neurochemical phenotype of the SCN. This might occur either through direct signaling of SCN neurons via p75NTR or through enhancement of the cholinergic input to the SCN.

Nerve growth factor-induced circadian phase shifts and MAP kinase activation in the hamster suprachiasmatic nuclei

Circadian rhythms are entrained by light and by several neurochemical stimuli. In hamsters housed in constant darkness, i.c.v. administration of nerve growth factor (NGF) at various times in their circadian cycle produced phase shifts of locomotor activity rhythms that were similar in direction and circadian timing to those produced by brief pulses of light. Moreover, the effect of NGF and light were not additive, indicating signalling points in common. These points include the immediate-early gene c-fos and ERK1/2, a component of the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) family. NGF activates c-FOS and ERK1/2-MAPK in the suprachiasmatic nuclei, the site of a circadian clock in mammals, when administered during the subjective night but not during the day. The effect of NGF on ERK1/2 activation was not inhibited by the administration of MK-801, a glutamate/NMDA receptor antagonist. These results suggest that NGF, acting through MAPK activation, plays a role in photic entrainment of the mammalian circadian clock.

TrkB-deficient mice show diminished phase shifts of the circadian activity rhythm in response to light

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been implicated in the mechanism underlying the circadian sensitivity of the clock in the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) to the phase-shifting effects of light. In the present study, we examined the role of the cognate receptor for BDNF, the TrkB tyrosine kinase, in the photic regulation of the SCN clock by determining whether the phase-shifting action of light is impaired in mice with targeted mutation of the TrkB gene. In comparison with wild-type littermates, heterozygous TrkB mutant mice (trkB(+/-)) showed marked reductions in SCN and cortical levels of this neurotrophin receptor that were accompanied by decreases in the amplitude of light-induced phase shifts during the subjective night. These results provide further evidence indicating that BDNF-mediated signaling through the TrkB receptor is an important process in the gating of SCN responses to light and its phase-shifting effects on circadian rhythms.

Overlap in the distribution of TrkB immunoreactivity and retinohypothalamic tract innervation of the rat suprachiasmatic nucleus

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) may regulate the circadian sensitivity of the clock in the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) to light, possibly by modulating retinohypothalamic tract (RHT) input. In the present study, the anatomical distribution of the cognate receptor for BDNF, the TrkB tyrosine kinase, in RHT fibers and the SCN of rats was analyzed using combined immunohistochemical and anterograde tracing methods. Fluorescent immunostaining for the TrkB receptor was evident in fibers and cell bodies throughout the SCN. Dual labeling analysis revealed that there was substantial overlap in the distribution of TrkB immunostaining and cholera toxin subunit B (CTB)-labeling within RHT terminals and fibers projecting from the optic chiasm to the ventrolateral SCN. The present results suggest that RHT fibers may express TrkB receptors and thus provide a paracrine target for BDNF-mediated regulation of photic input to the SCN.

Modulation of photic resetting in rats by lesions of projections to the suprachiasmatic nuclei expressing p75 neurotrophin receptor

The suprachiasmatic nuclei of the hypothalamus (SCN) are the site of the master circadian clock in mammals. The SCN clock is mainly entrained by the light-dark cycle. Light information is conveyed from the retina to the SCN through direct, retinohypothalamic fibres. The SCN also receive other projections, like cholinergic fibres from basal forebrain. To test whether cholinergic afferents are involved in photic resetting, lesions of cholinergic projections were performed in rats with intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injections or intra-SCN microinjections of 192 IgG-saporin. When injected in the SCN, this immunotoxin destroys the cholinergic projections and retinohypothalamic afferents that express p75 low-affinity nerve growth factor (p75(NGF)) receptors. The extent of lesions in the basal forebrain and SCN was assessed by acetylcholinesterase histochemistry, p75(NGF) receptor, choline acetyl-transferase, calbindin-D28K and VIP immunocytochemistry. The intra-SCN treatment reduced light-induced phase advances by 30%, and induced a complete loss of forebrain and retinal afferents expressing p75(NGF) receptors within the SCN and a decrease of forebrain cholinergic neurons, most likely those projecting to the SCN. The i.c.v. treatment reduced light-induced phase advances by 40%, increased phase delays and led to extensive damage of forebrain p75(NGF)-expressing neurons, while sparing half of the fibres expressing p75(NGF) receptors (retinal afferents?) in the SCN. Because the integrity of forebrain p75(NGF)-expressing neurons appears to be critical in mediating the effects on light-induced phase advances, we therefore suggest that anterior cholinergic projections expressing p75(NGF) receptors modulate the sensitivity of the SCN clock to the phase advancing effects of light.

Basal forebrain neurons modulate the synthesis and expression of neuropeptides in the rat suprachiasmatic nucleus

We tested the hypothesis that efferents from the nucleus basalis magnocellularis (NBM) play a direct role in the regulation of neuropeptide synthesis and expression by neurons of the rat suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). Adult male rats in which the NBM was destroyed with quinolinic acid, either unilaterally or bilaterally, were compared with rats injected with physiological saline and with control rats. The estimators used to assess the effects of cholinergic deafferentation on the neuroanatomy and neurochemistry of the SCN were the total number of SCN neurons, the total number and somatic size of SCN neurons producing vasopressin (VP) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), and the respective mRNA levels. Bilateral destruction of the NBM did not produce cell death in the SCN, but caused a marked reduction in the number and somatic size of SCN neurons expressing VP and VIP, and in the mRNA levels of these peptides. The decrease in the number of VP- and VIP-producing neurons provoked by unilateral lesions was less striking than that resulting from bilateral lesions. It was, however, statistically significant in the ipsilateral hemisphere, but not in the contralateral hemisphere. The results show that the reduction of cholinergic inputs to the SCN impairs the synthesis, and thereby decreases the expression of neuropeptides by SCN neurons, and that the extent of the decline correlates with the amount of cholinergic afferents destroyed. This supports the notion that acetylcholine plays an important, and direct role in the regulation of the metabolic activity of SCN neurons.

NGF and NT-3 exert differential effects on the expression of neuropeptides in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of rats withdrawn from ethanol treatment

Some neurotrophins have the capability of enhancing neuropeptide expression in several regions of the brain. It was also recently shown that NGF, infused over 1 month, offsets the decreased synthesis and expression of vasopressin (VP) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of rats submitted to chronic ethanol treatment and withdrawal. In the present study we examined the effectiveness of neutrotrophin-3 (NT-3) in promoting such effects, given that SCN neurons express both the high and the low affinity receptors for this neurotrophin. NT-3 was intraventricularly infused during 10 days to rats withdrawn from prolonged ethanol treatment. The total number, and the mean somatic volume, of VP- and VIP-immunoreactive neurons was compared with the estimates obtained from control rats and withdrawn rats treated with either NGF or cerebrospinal fluid during the same period. The infusion of cerebrospinal fluid and of NT-3 did not prevent the reduction in the number of peptide-producing neurons induced by withdrawal from ethanol treatment. Conversely, NGF infusion increased their number to control levels and led to neuronal hypertrophy. Our results show that, unlike NGF, NT-3 does not display the capacity of enhancing neuropeptide expression in the SCN. Because SCN neurons express the low affinity p75(NTR), which is equally activated by both neurotrophins, our results additionally indicate that the effects of NGF upon SCN neurons are not receptor-mediated. Taken together, our data suggest that indirect mechanisms, rather than direct neutrophin signaling, are likely to mediate the trophic effects exerted by NGF upon SCN neurons.

Effect of 192 IgG-saporin on circadian activity rhythms, expression of P75 neurotrophin receptors, calbindin-D28K, and light-induced Fos in the suprachiasmatic nucleus in rats

Photic entrainment of circadian rhythms in mammals is mediated through a direct retinal projection to the core region of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), the circadian clock. A proportion of this projection contains the low-affinity p75 neurotrophic receptor (p75NTR). Neonatal monosodium glutamate (MSG) treatment, which dramatically reduces p75NTR immunoreactivity in the SCN has no impact on photic entrainment. In order to clarify the contribution of p75NTR fibers in photic entrainment, targeted lesions of the p75NTR-immunoreactive SCN plexus were performed using intracerebroventricular (ICV) or intrahypothalamic injections of the immunotoxin 192 IgG-saporin (SAP) in rats. SAP treatment effectively abolished p75NTR immunoreactivity within the SCN core. ICV SAP treatment produced three different behavioral activity patterns: Animals became arrhythmic, displayed a shorter free-running period, or remained rhythmic following the lesion. Arrhythmic animals had large hypothalamic lesion which encompassed the entire SCN. In rhythmic rats, ICV-SAP significantly reduced immunostaining for calbindin-D28k (CaBP) in the SCN, and rats with shortened free-running periods had the lowest number of CaBP immunoreactive cells. ICV SAP also attenuated light-induced Fos expression in the SCN core. Despite lack of p75NTR and reduced CaBP and Fos expression in the SCN, SAP-treated rhythmic rats displayed normal photic entrainment. Intrahypothalamic SAP treatment reduced CaBP expression in the SCN but had no effect on light-induced Fos expression, free-running rhythms, or photic entrainment. The data show that p75NTR-immunoreactive elements in the SCN are not required for photic entrainment.

Photic regulation of circadian rhythms and the expression of p75 neurotrophin receptor immunoreactivity in the suprachiasmatic nucleus in rats

Neurotrophic factors have been implicated in the mechanism underlying photic regulation of circadian rhythms in mammals. In rats, the most abundant neurotrophin receptor found in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), the circadian clock, is the low affinity p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR). This receptor is expressed by retinal afferents of the SCN, but nothing is known about its role in photic regulation of circadian rhythms. We show here that neonatal treatment with the retinal neurotoxin, monosodium glutamate (MSG), which has no effect on photic entrainment of circadian rhythms, nearly completely abolished p75NTR immunoreactivity in the SCN in rats. These findings suggest that p75NTR from retinal sources do not play an essential role in the mechanism mediating photic entrainment of circadian rhythms in rats.

Selective in vivo fluorescence labelling of cholinergic neurons containing p75(NTR) in the rat basal forebrain

The cholinergic system of the rat basal forebrain is used as a model for the homologous region in humans which is highly susceptible to neuropathological alterations as in Alzheimer's disease. Cholinergic cells in the basal forebrain express the low-affinity neurotrophin receptor p75NTR. This has been utilized for selective immunolesioning of cholinergic neurons after internalization of an immunotoxin composed of anti-p75NTR and the ribosome-inactivating toxin saporin. However, the goal of many studies may be not the lesion, but the identification of cholinergic cells after other experimentally induced alterations in the basal forebrain. Therefore, a novel cholinergic marker was prepared by conjugating the monoclonal antibody 192IgG directed against p75NTR with the bright red fluorochrome carbocyanine 3 (Cy3). Three days after intraventricular injection of Cy3-192IgG the fluorescence microscopic analysis revealed a pattern of Cy3-labelled cells matching the distribution of cholinergic neurons. Apparently the marker was internalized within complexes of p75NTR and Cy3-192IgG which were then retrogradely transported to the cholinergic perikarya of the basal forebrain. In addition to the even labelling of somata, a strong punctate-like Cy3-immunofluorescence was seen in structures resembling lysosomes. The specificity of the in vivo staining was proven by subsequent immunolabelling of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) with green fluorescent Cy2-tagged secondary antibodies. In the medial septum, the diagonal band and the nucleus basalis only cholinergic neurons were marked by Cy3-192IgG. In parallel experiments, digoxigenylated 192IgG was not detectable within cholinergic basal forebrain neurons after intraventricular injection. Presumably, this modified antibody could not be internalized. On the other hand, digoxigenylated 192IgG was found to be an excellent immunocytochemical marker for p75NTR as shown by double labelling including highly sensitive mouse antibodies directed against ChAT. Based on the present findings, future applications of the apparently non-toxic Cy3-192IgG and other antibodies for fluorescent in vivo and in vitro labelling are discussed.

192 IgG-saporin abolishes p75 neurotrophin receptor immunoreactivity in rat SCN

The rat suprachiasmatic (SCN) contains a dense plexus of low-affinity p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR)-immunoreactivity. In some SCN neurons, p75NTR is co-localized with vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP). The present study examines the effect of third ventricle administration of 192 IgG-saporin immunotoxin on p75NTR and VIP immunoreactivity in the rat SCN. The 192 IgG-saporin immunotoxin abolished p75NTR immunoreactivity in the SCN. VIP immunoreactivity in the SCN of saporin-lesioned animals was not significantly different from that of control animals. Immunolesions of the p75NTR-ir cell population in the SCN may prove useful in clarifying the role of p75NTR in circadian timing.

Delayed loss of p75 neurotrophin receptor-immunoreactivity in the rat suprachiasmatic nucleus and intergeniculate leaflet after binocular enucleation

The rat suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) contains a dense plexus of low-affinity p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR)-immunoreactivity. Scattered patches of p75NTR immunoreactivity are present in the intergeniculate leaflet (IGL). Both SCN and IGL receive a direct retinal input. After binocular enucleation, there is a delayed loss of p75NTR-immunoreactivity in the SCN and IGL beginning at, respectively, 4 and 8 weeks post-enucleation, with complete loss occurring in both nuclei by week 12. This delayed loss may be due to an up-regulation of growth factor secretion by local cells in response to retinal axon degeneration.