1
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Zhu M, Luo J, Zhang B, Li K, Li Y, Zhang Q, Wang H, Hou C. An afferent nerve-like electronic device with somatic mechanical perception and sensation management. Biosens Bioelectron 2024; 263:116625. [PMID: 39116630 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2024.116625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 07/30/2024] [Accepted: 07/31/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
Tactile and pain perception are essential for biological skin to interact with the external environment. This complex interplay of sensations allows for the detection of potential threats and appropriate responses to stimuli. However, the challenge is to enable flexible electronics to respond to mechanical stimuli such as biological skin, and researchers have not clearly reported the successful integration of somatic mechanical perception and sensation management functions into neuro-like electronics. In this work, an afferent nerve-like device with a pressure sensor and a perception management module is proposed. The pressure sensor comprises two conductive fabric layers and an ionic hydrogel, forming a capacitor structure that emulates the swift transition from tactile to pain perception under mechanical stimulation. Drawing inspiration from the neuronal "gate control" mechanism, the sensation management module adjusts signals in response to rubbing, accelerating the discharge process and reducing the perception duration, thereby replicating the inhibitory effect of biological neurons on pain following tactile interference. This integrated device, encompassing somatic mechanical perception and sensation management, holds promise for applications in soft robotics, prosthetics, and human-machine interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Zhu
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, PR China
| | - Jiabei Luo
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, PR China
| | - Bin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, PR China
| | - Kerui Li
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, PR China
| | - Yaogang Li
- Engineering Research Center of Advanced Glasses Manufacturing Technology, Ministry of Education, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, PR China
| | - Qinghong Zhang
- Engineering Research Center of Advanced Glasses Manufacturing Technology, Ministry of Education, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, PR China
| | - Hongzhi Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, PR China
| | - Chengyi Hou
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, PR China.
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2
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Luedke KP, Yoshino J, Yin C, Jiang N, Huang JM, Huynh K, Parrish JZ. Dendrite intercalation between epidermal cells tunes nociceptor sensitivity to mechanical stimuli in Drosophila larvae. PLoS Genet 2024; 20:e1011237. [PMID: 38662763 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
An animal's skin provides a first point of contact with the sensory environment, including noxious cues that elicit protective behavioral responses. Nociceptive somatosensory neurons densely innervate and intimately interact with epidermal cells to receive these cues, however the mechanisms by which epidermal interactions shape processing of noxious inputs is still poorly understood. Here, we identify a role for dendrite intercalation between epidermal cells in tuning sensitivity of Drosophila larvae to noxious mechanical stimuli. In wild-type larvae, dendrites of nociceptive class IV da neurons intercalate between epidermal cells at apodemes, which function as body wall muscle attachment sites, but not at other sites in the epidermis. From a genetic screen we identified miR-14 as a regulator of dendrite positioning in the epidermis: miR-14 is expressed broadly in the epidermis but not in apodemes, and miR-14 inactivation leads to excessive apical dendrite intercalation between epidermal cells. We found that miR-14 regulates expression and distribution of the epidermal Innexins ogre and Inx2 and that these epidermal gap junction proteins restrict epidermal dendrite intercalation. Finally, we found that altering the extent of epidermal dendrite intercalation had corresponding effects on nociception: increasing epidermal intercalation sensitized larvae to noxious mechanical inputs and increased mechanically evoked calcium responses in nociceptive neurons, whereas reducing epidermal dendrite intercalation had the opposite effects. Altogether, these studies identify epidermal dendrite intercalation as a mechanism for mechanical coupling of nociceptive neurons to the epidermis, with nociceptive sensitivity tuned by the extent of intercalation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kory P Luedke
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington State, United States of America
| | - Jiro Yoshino
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington State, United States of America
| | - Chang Yin
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington State, United States of America
| | - Nan Jiang
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington State, United States of America
| | - Jessica M Huang
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington State, United States of America
| | - Kevin Huynh
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington State, United States of America
| | - Jay Z Parrish
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington State, United States of America
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3
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Jiang Y, Perez-Moreno M. Translational frontiers: insight from lymphatics in skin regeneration. Front Physiol 2024; 15:1347558. [PMID: 38487264 PMCID: PMC10937408 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2024.1347558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
The remarkable regenerative ability of the skin, governed by complex molecular mechanisms, offers profound insights into the skin repair processes and the pathogenesis of various dermatological conditions. This understanding, derived from studies in human skin and various model systems, has not only deepened our knowledge of skin regeneration but also facilitated the development of skin substitutes in clinical practice. Recent research highlights the crucial role of lymphatic vessels in skin regeneration. Traditionally associated with fluid dynamics and immune modulation, these vessels are now recognized for interacting with skin stem cells and coordinating regeneration. This Mini Review provides an overview of recent advancements in basic and translational research related to skin regeneration, focusing on the dynamic interplay between lymphatic vessels and skin biology. Key highlights include the critical role of stem cell-lymphatic vessel crosstalk in orchestrating skin regeneration, emerging translational approaches, and their implications for skin diseases. Additionally, the review identifies research gaps and proposes potential future directions, underscoring the significance of this rapidly evolving research arena.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mirna Perez-Moreno
- Section for Cell Biology and Physiology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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4
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Logan DR, Hall J, Bianchi L. A helping hand: roles for accessory cells in the sense of touch across species. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 18:1367476. [PMID: 38433863 PMCID: PMC10904576 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1367476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
During touch, mechanical forces are converted into electrochemical signals by tactile organs made of neurons, accessory cells, and their shared extracellular spaces. Accessory cells, including Merkel cells, keratinocytes, lamellar cells, and glia, play an important role in the sensation of touch. In some cases, these cells are intrinsically mechanosensitive; however, other roles include the release of chemical messengers, the chemical modification of spaces that are shared with neurons, and the tuning of neural sensitivity by direct physical contact. Despite great progress in the last decade, the precise roles of these cells in the sense of touch remains unclear. Here we review the known and hypothesized contributions of several accessory cells to touch by incorporating research from multiple organisms including C. elegans, D. melanogaster, mammals, avian models, and plants. Several broad parallels are identified including the regulation of extracellular ions and the release of neuromodulators by accessory cells, as well as the emerging potential physical contact between accessory cells and sensory neurons via tethers. Our broader perspective incorporates the importance of accessory cells to the understanding of human touch and pain, as well as to animal touch and its molecular underpinnings, which are underrepresented among the animal welfare literature. A greater understanding of touch, which must include a role for accessory cells, is also relevant to emergent technical applications including prosthetics, virtual reality, and robotics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Laura Bianchi
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
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5
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Rummel AD, Sierra MM, Quinn BL, Swartz SM. Hair, there and everywhere: A comparison of bat wing sensory hair distribution. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2023; 306:2681-2692. [PMID: 36790015 DOI: 10.1002/ar.25176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
Bat wing membranes are composed of specialized skin that is covered with small sensory hairs which are likely mechanosensory and have been suggested to help bats sense airflow during flight. These sensory hairs have to date been studied in only a few of the more than 1,400 bat species around the world. Little is known about the diversity of the sensory hair network across the bat phylogeny. In this study, we use high-resolution photomicrographs of preserved bat wings from 17 species in 12 families to characterize the distribution of sensory hairs along the wing and among species. We identify general patterns of sensory hair distribution across species, including the apparent relationships of sensory hairs to intramembranous wing muscles, the network of connective tissues in the wing membrane, and the bones of the forelimb. We also describe distinctive clustering of these sensory structures in some species. We also quantified sensory hair density in several regions of interest in the propatagium, plagiopatagium, and dactylopagatia, finding that sensory hair density was higher proximally than distally. This examination of the anatomical organization of the sensory hair network in a comparative context provides a framework for existing research on sensory hair function and highlights avenues for further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea D Rummel
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Melissa M Sierra
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Brooke L Quinn
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Sharon M Swartz
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- School of Engineering, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
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6
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Santiago C, Sharma N, Africawala N, Siegrist J, Handler A, Tasnim A, Anjum R, Turecek J, Lehnert BP, Renauld S, Nolan-Tamariz M, Iskols M, Magee AR, Paradis S, Ginty DD. Activity-dependent development of the body's touch receptors. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.23.559109. [PMID: 37790437 PMCID: PMC10542488 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.23.559109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
We report a role for activity in the development of the primary sensory neurons that detect touch. Genetic deletion of Piezo2, the principal mechanosensitive ion channel in somatosensory neurons, caused profound changes in the formation of mechanosensory end organ structures and altered somatosensory neuron central targeting. Single cell RNA sequencing of Piezo2 conditional mutants revealed changes in gene expression in the sensory neurons activated by light mechanical forces, whereas other neuronal classes were less affected. To further test the role of activity in mechanosensory end organ development, we genetically deleted the voltage-gated sodium channel Nav1.6 (Scn8a) in somatosensory neurons throughout development and found that Scn8a mutants also have disrupted somatosensory neuron morphologies and altered electrophysiological responses to mechanical stimuli. Together, these findings indicate that mechanically evoked neuronal activity acts early in life to shape the maturation of the mechanosensory end organs that underlie our sense of gentle touch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celine Santiago
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Nikhil Sharma
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Nusrat Africawala
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Julianna Siegrist
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Annie Handler
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Aniqa Tasnim
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Rabia Anjum
- Department of Biology and Volen Center for Complex Systems, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, 02453, USA
| | - Josef Turecek
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Brendan P. Lehnert
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Sophia Renauld
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Michael Nolan-Tamariz
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Michael Iskols
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Alexandra R. Magee
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Suzanne Paradis
- Department of Biology and Volen Center for Complex Systems, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, 02453, USA
| | - David D. Ginty
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Lead Contact
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7
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Luedke KP, Yoshino J, Yin C, Jiang N, Huang JM, Huynh K, Parrish JZ. Dendrite intercalation between epidermal cells tunes nociceptor sensitivity to mechanical stimuli in Drosophila larvae. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.14.557275. [PMID: 37745567 PMCID: PMC10515945 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.14.557275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
An animal's skin provides a first point of contact with the sensory environment, including noxious cues that elicit protective behavioral responses. Nociceptive somatosensory neurons densely innervate and intimately interact with epidermal cells to receive these cues, however the mechanisms by which epidermal interactions shape processing of noxious inputs is still poorly understood. Here, we identify a role for dendrite intercalation between epidermal cells in tuning sensitivity of Drosophila larvae to noxious mechanical stimuli. In wild-type larvae, dendrites of nociceptive class IV da neurons intercalate between epidermal cells at apodemes, which function as body wall muscle attachment sites, but not at other sites in the epidermis. From a genetic screen we identified miR-14 as a regulator of dendrite positioning in the epidermis: miR-14 is expressed broadly in the epidermis but not in apodemes, and miR-14 inactivation leads to excessive apical dendrite intercalation between epidermal cells. We found that miR-14 regulates expression and distribution of the epidermal Innexins ogre and Inx2 and that these epidermal gap junction proteins restrict epidermal dendrite intercalation. Finally, we found that altering the extent of epidermal dendrite intercalation had corresponding effects on nociception: increasing epidermal intercalation sensitized larvae to noxious mechanical inputs and increased mechanically evoked calcium responses in nociceptive neurons, whereas reducing epidermal dendrite intercalation had the opposite effects. Altogether, these studies identify epidermal dendrite intercalation as a mechanism for mechanical coupling of nociceptive neurons to the epidermis, with nociceptive sensitivity tuned by the extent of intercalation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kory P. Luedke
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Campus Box 351800, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Jiro Yoshino
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Campus Box 351800, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Chang Yin
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Campus Box 351800, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Nan Jiang
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Campus Box 351800, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Jessica M. Huang
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Campus Box 351800, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Kevin Huynh
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Campus Box 351800, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Jay Z. Parrish
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Campus Box 351800, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
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8
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Ehlers VL, Sadler KE, Stucky CL. Peripheral transient receptor potential vanilloid type 4 hypersensitivity contributes to chronic sickle cell disease pain. Pain 2023; 164:1874-1886. [PMID: 36897169 PMCID: PMC10363186 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Debilitating pain affects the lives of patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). Current pain treatment for patients with SCD fail to completely resolve acute or chronic SCD pain. Previous research indicates that the cation channel transient receptor potential vanilloid type 4 (TRPV4) mediates peripheral hypersensitivity in various inflammatory and neuropathic pain conditions that may share similar pathophysiology with SCD, but this channel's role in chronic SCD pain remains unknown. Thus, the current experiments examined whether TRPV4 regulates hyperalgesia in transgenic mouse models of SCD. Acute blockade of TRPV4 alleviated evoked behavioral hypersensitivity to punctate, but not dynamic, mechanical stimuli in mice with SCD. TRPV4 blockade also reduced the mechanical sensitivity of small, but not large, dorsal root ganglia neurons from mice with SCD. Furthermore, keratinocytes from mice with SCD showed sensitized TRPV4-dependent calcium responses. These results shed new light on the role of TRPV4 in SCD chronic pain and are the first to suggest a role for epidermal keratinocytes in the heightened sensitivity observed in SCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa L Ehlers
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
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9
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Guillot AJ, Martínez-Navarrete M, Zinchuk-Mironova V, Melero A. Microneedle-assisted transdermal delivery of nanoparticles: Recent insights and prospects. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. NANOMEDICINE AND NANOBIOTECHNOLOGY 2023:e1884. [PMID: 37041036 DOI: 10.1002/wnan.1884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
Transdermal delivery of drugs offers an interesting alternative for the administration of molecules that present certain troubles when delivered by the oral route. It can produce systemic effects or perform a local action when the formulation exerts an optimal controlled drug release or a targeted delivery to the specific cell type or site. It also avoids several inconveniences of the oral administration such as the hepatic first pass effect, gastric pH-induced hydrolysis, drug malabsorption because of certain diseases or surgeries, and unpleasant organoleptic properties. Nanomedicine and microneedle array patches (MAPs) are two of the trendiest delivery systems applied to transdermal research nowadays. However, the skin is a protective barrier and nanoparticles (NPs) cannot pass through the intact stratum corneum. The association of NPs and MAPs (NPs@MAPs) work synergistically, since MAPs assist NPs to bypass the outer skin layers, and NPs contribute to the system providing controlled drug release and targeted delivery. Vaccination and tailored therapies have been proposed as fields where both NPs and MAPs have great potential due to inherent characteristics. MAPs conception and easy use could allow self-administration and therefore facilitate mass vaccination campaigns in undeveloped areas with weak healthcare services. Additionally, nanomedicine is being explored as a platform to personalize therapies in such an important field as oncology. In this work we show recent insights that prove the benefits of NPs@MAPs association and analyze the prospects and the discrete interest of the industry in NPs@MAPs, evaluating different limiting steps that restricts NPs@MAPs translation to the clinical practice. This article is categorized under: Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > NA Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > NA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio José Guillot
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Av. Vicent Andrés Estelles s/n, 46100, Burjassot, Spain
| | - Miquel Martínez-Navarrete
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Av. Vicent Andrés Estelles s/n, 46100, Burjassot, Spain
| | - Valeria Zinchuk-Mironova
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Av. Vicent Andrés Estelles s/n, 46100, Burjassot, Spain
| | - Ana Melero
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Av. Vicent Andrés Estelles s/n, 46100, Burjassot, Spain
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10
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Guillot AJ, Martínez-Navarrete M, Garrigues TM, Melero A. Skin drug delivery using lipid vesicles: A starting guideline for their development. J Control Release 2023; 355:624-654. [PMID: 36775245 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2023.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/14/2023]
Abstract
Lipid vesicles can provide a cost-effective enhancement of skin drug absorption when vesicle production process is optimised. It is an important challenge to design the ideal vesicle, since their properties and features are related, as changes in one affect the others. Here, we review the main components, preparation and characterization methods commonly used, and the key properties that lead to highly efficient vesicles for transdermal drug delivery purposes. We stand by size, deformability degree and drug loading, as the most important vesicle features that determine the further transdermal drug absorption. The interest in this technology is increasing, as demonstrated by the exponential growth of publications on the topic. Although long-term preservation and scalability issues have limited the commercialization of lipid vesicle products, freeze-drying and modern escalation methods overcome these difficulties, thus predicting a higher use of these technologies in the market and clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio José Guillot
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology and Parasitology, University of Valencia, Avda. Vicente A. Estelles SN, Burjassot (Valencia), Spain
| | - Miquel Martínez-Navarrete
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology and Parasitology, University of Valencia, Avda. Vicente A. Estelles SN, Burjassot (Valencia), Spain
| | - Teresa M Garrigues
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology and Parasitology, University of Valencia, Avda. Vicente A. Estelles SN, Burjassot (Valencia), Spain
| | - Ana Melero
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology and Parasitology, University of Valencia, Avda. Vicente A. Estelles SN, Burjassot (Valencia), Spain.
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11
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Non-rectangular neurostimulation waveforms elicit varied sensation quality and perceptive fields on the hand. Sci Rep 2023; 13:1588. [PMID: 36709376 PMCID: PMC9884304 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-28594-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Electrical stimulation of the nerves is known to elicit distinct sensations perceived in distal parts of the body. The stimulation is typically modulated in current with charge-balanced rectangular shapes that, although easily generated by stimulators available on the market, are not able to cover the entire range of somatosensory experiences from daily life. In this regard, we have investigated the effect of electrical neurostimulation with four non-rectangular waveforms in an experiment involving 11 healthy able-bodied subjects. Weiss curves were estimated and rheobase and chronaxie values were obtained showing increases in stimulation time required to elicit sensations for some waveforms. The localization of the sensations reported in the hand also appeared to differ between waveforms, although the total area did not vary significantly. Finally, the possibility of distinguishing different charge- and amplitude-matched stimuli was demonstrated through a two-alternative-forced-choice (2AFC) match-to-sample task, showing the ability of participants to successfully distinguish between waveforms with similar electrical characteristics but different shapes and charge transfer rates. This study provides evidence that, by using different waveforms to stimulate nerves, it is possible to affect not only the required charge to elicit sensations but also the sensation quality and its localization.
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12
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Chirila AM, Rankin G, Tseng SY, Emanuel AJ, Chavez-Martinez CL, Zhang D, Harvey CD, Ginty DD. Mechanoreceptor signal convergence and transformation in the dorsal horn flexibly shape a diversity of outputs to the brain. Cell 2022; 185:4541-4559.e23. [PMID: 36334588 PMCID: PMC9691598 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The encoding of touch in the spinal cord dorsal horn (DH) and its influence on tactile representations in the brain are poorly understood. Using a range of mechanical stimuli applied to the skin, large-scale in vivo electrophysiological recordings, and genetic manipulations, here we show that neurons in the mouse spinal cord DH receive convergent inputs from both low- and high-threshold mechanoreceptor subtypes and exhibit one of six functionally distinct mechanical response profiles. Genetic disruption of DH feedforward or feedback inhibitory motifs, comprised of interneurons with distinct mechanical response profiles, revealed an extensively interconnected DH network that enables dynamic, flexible tuning of postsynaptic dorsal column (PSDC) output neurons and dictates how neurons in the primary somatosensory cortex respond to touch. Thus, mechanoreceptor subtype convergence and non-linear transformations at the earliest stage of the somatosensory hierarchy shape how touch of the skin is represented in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anda M Chirila
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Genelle Rankin
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Shih-Yi Tseng
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Alan J Emanuel
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Carmine L Chavez-Martinez
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Dawei Zhang
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Christopher D Harvey
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - David D Ginty
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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13
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Bono D, Belyk M, Longo MR, Dick F. Beyond language: The unspoken sensory-motor representation of the tongue in non-primates, non-human and human primates. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 139:104730. [PMID: 35691470 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The English idiom "on the tip of my tongue" commonly acknowledges that something is known, but it cannot be immediately brought to mind. This phrase accurately describes sensorimotor functions of the tongue, which are fundamental for many tongue-related behaviors (e.g., speech), but often neglected by scientific research. Here, we review a wide range of studies conducted on non-primates, non-human and human primates with the aim of providing a comprehensive description of the cortical representation of the tongue's somatosensory inputs and motor outputs across different phylogenetic domains. First, we summarize how the properties of passive non-noxious mechanical stimuli are encoded in the putative somatosensory tongue area, which has a conserved location in the ventral portion of the somatosensory cortex across mammals. Second, we review how complex self-generated actions involving the tongue are represented in more anterior regions of the putative somato-motor tongue area. Finally, we describe multisensory response properties of the primate and non-primate tongue area by also defining how the cytoarchitecture of this area is affected by experience and deafferentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Bono
- Birkbeck/UCL Centre for Neuroimaging, 26 Bedford Way, London WC1H0AP, UK; Department of Experimental Psychology, UCL Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, 26 Bedford Way, London WC1H0AP, UK.
| | - Michel Belyk
- Department of Speech, Hearing, and Phonetic Sciences, UCL Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, 2 Wakefield Street, London WC1N 1PJ, UK
| | - Matthew R Longo
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck College, University of London, Malet St, London WC1E7HX, UK
| | - Frederic Dick
- Birkbeck/UCL Centre for Neuroimaging, 26 Bedford Way, London WC1H0AP, UK; Department of Experimental Psychology, UCL Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, 26 Bedford Way, London WC1H0AP, UK; Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck College, University of London, Malet St, London WC1E7HX, UK.
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Aliotta GE, Lo Vecchio S, Elberling J, Arendt-Nielsen L. Evaluation of itch and pain induced by bovine adrenal medulla (BAM)8-22, a new human model of non-histaminergic itch. Exp Dermatol 2022; 31:1402-1410. [PMID: 35587729 DOI: 10.1111/exd.14611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Chronic itch is a socioeconomic burden with limited management options. Non-histaminergic itch, involved in problematic pathological itch conditions, is transmitted by a subgroup of polymodal C-fibers. Cowhage is traditionally used for studying experimentally induced non-histaminergic itch in humans, but encounter some limitations. The present study therefore aims to design a new human, experimental model of non-histaminergic itch based on the application of bovine adrenal medulla (BAM)8-22, an endogenous peptide that activates MrgprX1 receptor. 22 healthy subjects were recruited. Different concentrations (0.5, 1, and 2 mg/ml) of BAM8-22 solution and vehicle, applied by a single skin prick test (SPT), were tested in the first session. In the second session, the BAM8-22 solution (1 mg/ml) was applied by different number of SPTs (1, 5, and 25) and by heat-inactivated cowhage spicules coated with BAM8-22. Provoked itch and pain intensities were monitored for 9 minutes followed by the measurement of superficial blood perfusion (SBP), mechanical and thermal sensitivity. BAM8-22 induced itch at the concentration of 1 mg/ml, 2 mg/ml (p<0.05), and with the significantly highest intensity when applied through BAM8-22 spicules (p<0.001). No concomitant pain sensation nor increased SBP were observed. SBP increased only in the 25 SPTs area probably due to micro-trauma from the multiple skin penetrations. Mechanical and thermal sensitivities were not affected by any of the applications. BAM8-22 applied through heat-inactivated spicules was the most efficient method to induce itch (without pain nor changes in SBP, mechanical and thermal sensitivity) suggesting BAM8-22 as a novel non-histaminergic, human, experimental itch model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Erica Aliotta
- Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP), SMI, Department of Health Science and Technology, Faculty of Medicine, Aalborg University, Denmark
| | - Silvia Lo Vecchio
- Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP), SMI, Department of Health Science and Technology, Faculty of Medicine, Aalborg University, Denmark
| | - Jesper Elberling
- Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lars Arendt-Nielsen
- Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP), SMI, Department of Health Science and Technology, Faculty of Medicine, Aalborg University, Denmark.,Department of Medical Gastroenterology, Mech-Sense, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark
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15
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Noguri T, Hatakeyama D, Kitahashi T, Oka K, Ito E. Profile of dorsal root ganglion neurons: study of oxytocin expression. Mol Brain 2022; 15:44. [PMID: 35534837 PMCID: PMC9082903 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-022-00927-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Although dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons have been so far classified according to the difference in their fibers (Aβ, Aδ, and C), this classification should be further subdivided according to gene expression patterns. We focused on oxytocin (OXT) and its related receptors, because OXT plays a local role in DRG neurons. We measured the mRNA levels of OXT, OXT receptor (OXTR), vasopressin V1a receptor (V1aR), transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 1 (TRPV1), and piezo-type mechanosensitive ion channel component 2 (Piezo2) in single DRG neurons by using real-time PCR, and then performed a cluster analysis. According to the gene expression patterns, DRG neurons were classified into 4 clusters: Cluster 1 was characterized mainly by Piezo2, Cluster 2 by TRPV1, Cluster 4 by OXTR, and neurons in Cluster 3 did not express any of the target genes. The cell body diameter of OXT-expressing neurons was significantly larger in Cluster 1 than in Cluster 2. These results suggest that OXT-expressing DRG neurons with small cell bodies (Cluster 2) and large cell bodies (Cluster 1) probably correspond to C-fiber neurons and Aβ-fiber neurons, respectively. Furthermore, the OXT-expressing neurons contained not only TRPV1 but also Piezo2, suggesting that OXT may be released by mechanical stimulation regardless of nociception. Thus, mechanoreception and nociception themselves may induce the autocrine/paracrine function of OXT in the DRG, contributing to alleviation of pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taisei Noguri
- Department of Biology, Waseda University, Tokyo, 162-8480, Japan
| | - Dai Hatakeyama
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokushima Bunri University, Tokushima, 770-8514, Japan
| | - Takashi Kitahashi
- Kushiro Nature Conservation Office, Ministry of the Environment, Kushiro, 085-8639, Japan
| | - Kotaro Oka
- Department of Biosciences and Informatics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, Yokohama, 223-8522, Japan
- Waseda Research Institute for Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, 169-8555, Japan
- Graduate Institute of Medicine, School of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 80708, Taiwan
| | - Etsuro Ito
- Department of Biology, Waseda University, Tokyo, 162-8480, Japan.
- Waseda Research Institute for Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, 169-8555, Japan.
- Graduate Institute of Medicine, School of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 80708, Taiwan.
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16
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Ito E, Oka K, Koshikawa F. Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex sensing analgesia. Biophys Physicobiol 2022; 19:1-10. [PMID: 35797407 PMCID: PMC9173858 DOI: 10.2142/biophysico.bppb-v19.0014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic pain often has an unknown cause, and many patients with chronic pain learn to accept that their pain is incurable and pharmacologic treatments are only temporarily effective. Complementary and integrative health approaches for pain are thus in high demand. One such approach is soft touch, e.g., adhesion of pyramidal thorn patches in a pain region. The effects of patch adhesion on pain relief have been confirmed in patients with various types of pain. A recent study using near-infrared spectroscopy revealed that the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), especially the left side, is likely to be inactivated in patients experiencing pain relief during patch treatment. Mindfulness meditation is another well-known complementary and integrative approach for achieving pain relief. The relation between pain relief due to mindfulness meditation and changes in brain regions, including the DLPFC, has long been examined. In the present review article, we survey the literature describing the effects of the above-mentioned complementary and integrative treatments on pain relief, and outline the important brain regions, including the DLPFC, that are involved in analgesia. We hope that the present article will provide clues to researchers who hope to advance neurosensory treatments for pain relief without medication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Etsuro Ito
- Department of Biology, Waseda University
| | - Kotaro Oka
- Department of Bioscience and Informatics, Keio University
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17
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Stucky CL, Mikesell AR. Cutaneous pain in disorders affecting peripheral nerves. Neurosci Lett 2021; 765:136233. [PMID: 34506882 PMCID: PMC8579816 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2021.136233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Our ability to quickly detect and respond to harmful environmental stimuli is vital for our safety and survival. This inherent acute pain detection is a "gift" because it both protects our body from harm and allows healing of damaged tissues [1]. Damage to tissues from trauma or disease can result in distorted or amplified nociceptor signaling and sensitization of the spinal cord and brain (Central Nervous System; CNS) pathways to normal input from light touch mechanoreceptors. Together, these processes can result in nagging to unbearable chronic pain and extreme sensitivity to light skin touch (allodynia). Unlike acute protective pain, chronic pain and allodynia serve no useful purpose and can severely reduce the quality of life of an affected person. Chronic pain can arise from impairment to peripheral neurons, a phenomenon called "peripheral neuropathic pain." Peripheral neuropathic pain can be caused by many insults that directly affect peripheral sensory neurons, including mechanical trauma, metabolic imbalance (e.g., diabetes), autoimmune diseases, chemotherapeutic agents, viral infections (e.g., shingles). These insults cause "acquired" neuropathies such as small-fiber neuropathies, diabetic neuropathy, chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, and post herpetic neuralgia. Peripheral neuropathic pain can also be caused by genetic factors and result in hereditary neuropathies that include Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, rare channelopathies and Fabry disease. Many acquired and hereditary neuropathies affect the skin, our largest organ and protector of nearly our entire body. Here we review how cutaneous nociception (pain perceived from the skin) is altered following diseases that affect peripheral nerves that innervate the skin. We provide an overview of how noxious stimuli are detected and encoded by molecular transducers on subtypes of cutaneous afferent endings and conveyed to the CNS. Next, we discuss several acquired and hereditary diseases and disorders that cause painful or insensate (lack of sensation) cutaneous peripheral neuropathies, the symptoms and percepts patients experience, and how cutaneous afferents and other peripheral cell types are altered in function in these disorders. We highlight exciting new research areas that implicate non-neuronal skin cells, particularly keratinocytes, in cutaneous nociception and peripheral neuropathies. Finally, we conclude with ideas for innovative new directions, areas of unmet need, and potential opportunities for novel cutaneous therapeutics that may avoid CNS side effects, as well as ideas for improved translation of mechanisms identified in preclinical models to patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheryl L Stucky
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI 53226, United States.
| | - Alexander R Mikesell
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI 53226, United States
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18
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Chachar S, Chen J, Qin Y, Wu X, Yu H, Zhou Q, Fan X, Wang C, Brownell I, Xiao Y. Reciprocal signals between nerve and epithelium: how do neurons talk with epithelial cells? AMERICAN JOURNAL OF STEM CELLS 2021; 10:56-67. [PMID: 34849302 PMCID: PMC8610808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Most epithelium tissues continuously undergo self-renewal through proliferation and differentiation of epithelial stem cells (known as homeostasis), within a specialized stem cell niche. In highly innervated epithelium, peripheral nerves compose perineural niche and support stem cell homeostasis by releasing a variety of neurotransmitters, hormones, and growth factors and supplying trophic factors to the stem cells. Emerging evidence has shown that both sensory and motor nerves can regulate the fate of epithelial stem cells, thus influencing epithelium homeostasis. Understanding the mechanism of crosstalk between epithelial stem cells and neurons will reveal the important role of the perineural niche in physiological and pathological conditions. Herein, we review recent discoveries of the perineural niche in epithelium mainly in tissue homeostasis, with a limited touch in wound repair and pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sadaruddin Chachar
- Central Lab of Biomedical Research Center, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang UniversityHangzhou 310020, Zhejiang, China
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Crop Production, Sindh Agriculture UniversityTandojam 70060, Pakistan
| | - Jing Chen
- Department of Breast Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang UniversityHangzhou 310016, Zhejiang, China
- Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute, International Campus, Zhejiang UniversityHaining 314400, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yumei Qin
- School of Food Science and Bioengineering, Zhejiang Gongshang UniversityHangzhou 310018, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xia Wu
- Department of Dermatology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang UniversityHangzhou 310020, Zhejiang, China
| | - Haiyan Yu
- Department of Dermatology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang UniversityHangzhou 310020, Zhejiang, China
| | - Qiang Zhou
- Department of Dermatology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang UniversityHangzhou 310020, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiaojiao Fan
- School of Pharmacy, Jiangsu UniversityZhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Chaochen Wang
- Department of Breast Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang UniversityHangzhou 310016, Zhejiang, China
- Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute, International Campus, Zhejiang UniversityHaining 314400, Zhejiang, China
| | - Isaac Brownell
- Dermatology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of HealthBethesda 20892, Maryland, USA
| | - Ying Xiao
- Central Lab of Biomedical Research Center, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang UniversityHangzhou 310020, Zhejiang, China
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19
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Handler A, Ginty DD. The mechanosensory neurons of touch and their mechanisms of activation. Nat Rev Neurosci 2021; 22:521-537. [PMID: 34312536 PMCID: PMC8485761 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-021-00489-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 42.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Our sense of touch emerges from an array of mechanosensory structures residing within the fabric of our skin. These tactile end organ structures convert innocuous forces acting on the skin into electrical signals that propagate to the CNS via the axons of low-threshold mechanoreceptors (LTMRs). Our rich capacity for tactile discrimination arises from the dissimilar intrinsic properties of the LTMR subtypes that innervate different regions of the skin and the structurally distinct end organ complexes with which they associate. These end organ structures comprise a range of non-neuronal cell types, which may themselves actively contribute to the transformation of tactile forces into neural impulses within the LTMR afferents. Although the mechanism and the site of transduction across end organs remain unclear, PIEZO2 has emerged as the principal mechanosensitive channel involved in light touch of the skin. Here we review the physiological properties of LTMR subtypes and discuss how features of their cutaneous end organ complexes shape subtype-specific tuning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie Handler
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David D Ginty
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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20
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Negrini-Ferrari SE, Medeiros P, Malvestio RB, de Oliveira Silva M, Medeiros AC, Coimbra NC, Machado HR, de Freitas RL. The primary motor cortex electrical and chemical stimulation attenuates the chronic neuropathic pain by activation of the periaqueductal grey matter: The role of NMDA receptors. Behav Brain Res 2021; 415:113522. [PMID: 34391797 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 07/31/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Motor cortex stimulation (MCS) is proper as a non-pharmacological therapy for patients with chronic and neuropathic pain (NP). AIMS This work aims to investigate if the MCS in the primary motor cortex (M1) produces analgesia and how the MCS could interfere in the MCS-induced analgesia. Also, to elucidate if the persistent activation of N-methyl-d-aspartic acid receptor (NMDAr) in the periaqueductal grey matter (PAG) can contribute to central sensitisation of the NP. METHODS Male Wistar rats were submitted to the von Frey test to evaluate the mechanical allodynia after 21 days of chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve. The MCS was performed with low-frequency (20 μA, 100 Hz) currents during 15 s by a deep brain stimulation (DBS) device. Moreover, the effect of M1-treatment with an NMDAr agonist (at 2, 4, and 8 nmol) was investigated in CCI rats. The PAG dorsomedial column (dmPAG) was pretreated with the NMDAr antagonist LY 235959 (at 8 nmol), followed by MCS. RESULTS The MCS decreased the mechanical allodynia in rats with chronic NP. The M1-treatment with an NMDA agonist at 2 and 8 nmol reduced the mechanical allodynia in CCI rats. In addition, dmPAG-pretreatment with LY 235959 at 8 nmol attenuated the mechanical allodynia evoked by MCS. CONCLUSION The M1 cortex glutamatergic system is involved in the modulation of chronic NP. The analgesic effect of MCS may depend on glutamate signaling recruitting NMDAr located on PAG neurons in rodents with chronic NP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylmara Esther Negrini-Ferrari
- Laboratory of Neurosciences of Pain & Emotions and Multi-User Centre of Neuroelectrophysiology, Department of Surgery and Anatomy, Ribeirão Preto Medical School of the University of São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil; Laboratory of Neuroanatomy and Neuropsychobiology, Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School of the University of São Paulo (FMRP-USP), Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, 14049-900, Brazil
| | - Priscila Medeiros
- Laboratory of Neurosciences of Pain & Emotions and Multi-User Centre of Neuroelectrophysiology, Department of Surgery and Anatomy, Ribeirão Preto Medical School of the University of São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil; Laboratory of Neuroanatomy and Neuropsychobiology, Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School of the University of São Paulo (FMRP-USP), Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, 14049-900, Brazil
| | - Rafael Braghetto Malvestio
- Laboratory of Neurosciences of Pain & Emotions and Multi-User Centre of Neuroelectrophysiology, Department of Surgery and Anatomy, Ribeirão Preto Medical School of the University of São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil; Laboratory of Neuroanatomy and Neuropsychobiology, Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School of the University of São Paulo (FMRP-USP), Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, 14049-900, Brazil
| | - Mariana de Oliveira Silva
- Laboratory of Neurosciences of Pain & Emotions and Multi-User Centre of Neuroelectrophysiology, Department of Surgery and Anatomy, Ribeirão Preto Medical School of the University of São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil; Laboratory of Neuroanatomy and Neuropsychobiology, Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School of the University of São Paulo (FMRP-USP), Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, 14049-900, Brazil
| | - Ana Carolina Medeiros
- Laboratory of Neurosciences of Pain & Emotions and Multi-User Centre of Neuroelectrophysiology, Department of Surgery and Anatomy, Ribeirão Preto Medical School of the University of São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil; Laboratory of Neuroanatomy and Neuropsychobiology, Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School of the University of São Paulo (FMRP-USP), Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, 14049-900, Brazil
| | - Norberto Cysne Coimbra
- Laboratory of Neurosciences of Pain & Emotions and Multi-User Centre of Neuroelectrophysiology, Department of Surgery and Anatomy, Ribeirão Preto Medical School of the University of São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil; Laboratory of Neuroanatomy and Neuropsychobiology, Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School of the University of São Paulo (FMRP-USP), Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, 14049-900, Brazil; Behavioural Neurosciences Institute (INeC), Av. do Café, 2450, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, 14050-220, Brazil
| | - Helio Rubens Machado
- Laboratory of Neurosciences of Pain & Emotions and Multi-User Centre of Neuroelectrophysiology, Department of Surgery and Anatomy, Ribeirão Preto Medical School of the University of São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil; Brain Protection Laboratory in Childhood, Department of Surgery and Anatomy, Ribeirão Preto Medical School of the University of São Paulo, Avenida Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirão Preto, 14049-900, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Renato Leonardo de Freitas
- Laboratory of Neurosciences of Pain & Emotions and Multi-User Centre of Neuroelectrophysiology, Department of Surgery and Anatomy, Ribeirão Preto Medical School of the University of São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil; Laboratory of Neuroanatomy and Neuropsychobiology, Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School of the University of São Paulo (FMRP-USP), Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, 14049-900, Brazil; Biomedical Sciences Institute, Federal University of Alfenas (UNIFAL-MG), Str. Gabriel Monteiro da Silva, 700, Alfenas, 37130-000, Minas Gerais, Brazil; Behavioural Neurosciences Institute (INeC), Av. do Café, 2450, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, 14050-220, Brazil.
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21
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Oss-Ronen L, Cohen I. Epigenetic regulation and signalling pathways in Merkel cell development. Exp Dermatol 2021; 30:1051-1064. [PMID: 34152646 DOI: 10.1111/exd.14415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Merkel cells are specialized epithelial cells connected to afferent nerve endings responsible for light-touch sensations, formed at specific locations in touch-sensitive regions of the mammalian skin. Although Merkel cells are descendants of the epidermal lineage, little is known about the mechanisms responsible for the development of these unique mechanosensory cells. Recent studies have highlighted that the Polycomb group (PcG) of proteins play a significant role in spatiotemporal regulation of Merkel cell formation. In addition, several of the major signalling pathways involved in skin development have been shown to regulate Merkel cell development as well. Here, we summarize the current understandings of the role of developmental regulators in Merkel cell formation, including the interplay between the epigenetic machinery and key signalling pathways, and the lineage-specific transcription factors involved in the regulation of Merkel cell development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liat Oss-Ronen
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics, Faculty of Health Science, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Idan Cohen
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics, Faculty of Health Science, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
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22
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García-Mesa Y, García-Piqueras J, Cobo R, Martín-Cruces J, Suazo I, García-Suárez O, Feito J, Vega JA. Sensory innervation of the human male prepuce: Meissner's corpuscles predominate. J Anat 2021; 239:892-902. [PMID: 34120333 PMCID: PMC8450466 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Meissner's corpuscles are the most abundant sensory corpuscles in the glabrous skin of the male prepuce. They are type I, rapidly adapting, low‐threshold mechanoreceptors, and their function is linked to the expression of the mechanoprotein piezo‐type mechanosensitive ion channel component 2 (PIEZO2). Stimulation of genital Meissner's corpuscles gives rise to sexual sensations. It has been recently demonstrated that digital Meissner's corpuscles, Meissner‐like corpuscles, and genital end bulbs have an endoneurium‐like capsule surrounding their neuronal elements; that is, the axon and glial lamellar cells, and their axons, display PIEZO2 immunoreactivity. It is unknown whether this is also the case for preputial Meissner's corpuscles. Furthermore, the expression of certain proteins that have been found in Meissner's corpuscles at other anatomical locations, especially in the digits, has not been investigated in preputial Meissner's corpuscles. Here, we used immunohistochemistry to investigate the expression of axonal (neurofilament, neuron‐specific enolase), glial (S100 protein, glial fibrillary acidic protein, vimentin), endoneurial (CD34), and perineurial (glucose transporter 1) markers in the preputial and digital Meissner's corpuscles of male participants aged between 5 and 23 years. Furthermore, we investigated the occurrence of the mechanoprotein PIEZO2 in male preputial Meissner's corpuscles. Human male prepuce contains numerous Meissner's corpuscles, which may be grouped or isolated and are regularly distributed in the dermal papillae. Lamellar glial cells display strong expression of S100 protein and vimentin but lack expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein. In addition, they show axonal PIEZO2 expression and have an endoneurial capsule, but no perineurial. Our results indicate that human male preputial Meissner's corpuscles share the immunohistochemical profile of digital Meissner's corpuscles, which is considered to be necessary for mechanotransduction. These data strongly suggest that the structure and function of Meissner's corpuscles are independent of their anatomical location.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yolanda García-Mesa
- Departamento de Morfología y Biología Celular, Grupo SINPOS, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Jorge García-Piqueras
- Departamento de Morfología y Biología Celular, Grupo SINPOS, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Ramón Cobo
- Departamento de Morfología y Biología Celular, Grupo SINPOS, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - José Martín-Cruces
- Departamento de Morfología y Biología Celular, Grupo SINPOS, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Iván Suazo
- Departamento de Morfología y Biología Celular, Grupo SINPOS, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain.,Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Olivia García-Suárez
- Departamento de Morfología y Biología Celular, Grupo SINPOS, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Jorge Feito
- Departamento de Morfología y Biología Celular, Grupo SINPOS, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain.,Servicio de Anatomía Patológica, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.,Departamento de Anatomía e Histología Humanas, Universidad de Salamanca, Spain
| | - José A Vega
- Departamento de Morfología y Biología Celular, Grupo SINPOS, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain.,Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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23
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Macefield VG. The roles of mechanoreceptors in muscle and skin in human proprioception. CURRENT OPINION IN PHYSIOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cophys.2021.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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24
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Yin C, Peterman E, Rasmussen JP, Parrish JZ. Transparent Touch: Insights From Model Systems on Epidermal Control of Somatosensory Innervation. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:680345. [PMID: 34135734 PMCID: PMC8200473 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.680345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Somatosensory neurons (SSNs) densely innervate our largest organ, the skin, and shape our experience of the world, mediating responses to sensory stimuli including touch, pressure, and temperature. Historically, epidermal contributions to somatosensation, including roles in shaping innervation patterns and responses to sensory stimuli, have been understudied. However, recent work demonstrates that epidermal signals dictate patterns of SSN skin innervation through a variety of mechanisms including targeting afferents to the epidermis, providing instructive cues for branching morphogenesis, growth control and structural stability of neurites, and facilitating neurite-neurite interactions. Here, we focus onstudies conducted in worms (Caenorhabditis elegans), fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster), and zebrafish (Danio rerio): prominent model systems in which anatomical and genetic analyses have defined fundamental principles by which epidermal cells govern SSN development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jay Z. Parrish
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
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25
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Bandet MV, Dong B, Winship IR. Distinct patterns of activity in individual cortical neurons and local networks in primary somatosensory cortex of mice evoked by square-wave mechanical limb stimulation. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0236684. [PMID: 33914738 PMCID: PMC8084136 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0236684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Artificial forms of mechanical limb stimulation are used within multiple fields of study to determine the level of cortical excitability and to map the trajectory of neuronal recovery from cortical damage or disease. Square-wave mechanical or electrical stimuli are often used in these studies, but a characterization of sensory-evoked response properties to square-waves with distinct fundamental frequencies but overlapping harmonics has not been performed. To distinguish between somatic stimuli, the primary somatosensory cortex must be able to represent distinct stimuli with unique patterns of activity, even if they have overlapping features. Thus, mechanical square-wave stimulation was used in conjunction with regional and cellular imaging to examine regional and cellular response properties evoked by different frequencies of stimulation. Flavoprotein autofluorescence imaging was used to map the somatosensory cortex of anaesthetized C57BL/6 mice, and in vivo two-photon Ca2+ imaging was used to define patterns of neuronal activation during mechanical square-wave stimulation of the contralateral forelimb or hindlimb at various frequencies (3, 10, 100, 200, and 300 Hz). The data revealed that neurons within the limb associated somatosensory cortex responding to various frequencies of square-wave stimuli exhibit stimulus-specific patterns of activity. Subsets of neurons were found to have sensory-evoked activity that is either primarily responsive to single stimulus frequencies or broadly responsive to multiple frequencies of limb stimulation. High frequency stimuli were shown to elicit more population activity, with a greater percentage of the population responding and greater percentage of cells with high amplitude responses. Stimulus-evoked cell-cell correlations within these neuronal networks varied as a function of frequency of stimulation, such that each stimulus elicited a distinct pattern that was more consistent across multiple trials of the same stimulus compared to trials at different frequencies of stimulation. The variation in cortical response to different square-wave stimuli can thus be represented by the population pattern of supra-threshold Ca2+ transients, the magnitude and temporal properties of the evoked activity, and the structure of the stimulus-evoked correlation between neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mischa V. Bandet
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Neurochemical Research Unit, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Bin Dong
- Neurochemical Research Unit, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Ian R. Winship
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Neurochemical Research Unit, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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26
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Lowy DB, Makker PGS, Moalem-Taylor G. Cutaneous Neuroimmune Interactions in Peripheral Neuropathic Pain States. Front Immunol 2021; 12:660203. [PMID: 33912189 PMCID: PMC8071857 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.660203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Bidirectional interplay between the peripheral immune and nervous systems plays a crucial role in maintaining homeostasis and responding to noxious stimuli. This crosstalk is facilitated by a variety of cytokines, inflammatory mediators and neuropeptides. Dysregulation of this delicate physiological balance is implicated in the pathological mechanisms of various skin disorders and peripheral neuropathies. The skin is a highly complex biological structure within which peripheral sensory nerve terminals and immune cells colocalise. Herein, we provide an overview of the sensory innervation of the skin and immune cells resident to the skin. We discuss modulation of cutaneous immune response by sensory neurons and their mediators (e.g., nociceptor-derived neuropeptides), and sensory neuron regulation by cutaneous immune cells (e.g., nociceptor sensitization by immune-derived mediators). In particular, we discuss recent findings concerning neuroimmune communication in skin infections, psoriasis, allergic contact dermatitis and atopic dermatitis. We then summarize evidence of neuroimmune mechanisms in the skin in the context of peripheral neuropathic pain states, including chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, diabetic polyneuropathy, post-herpetic neuralgia, HIV-induced neuropathy, as well as entrapment and traumatic neuropathies. Finally, we highlight the future promise of emerging therapies associated with skin neuroimmune crosstalk in neuropathic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel B Lowy
- School of Medical Sciences, The University of New South Wales, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Preet G S Makker
- School of Medical Sciences, The University of New South Wales, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Gila Moalem-Taylor
- School of Medical Sciences, The University of New South Wales, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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27
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Nonpeptidergic neurons suppress mast cells via glutamate to maintain skin homeostasis. Cell 2021; 184:2151-2166.e16. [PMID: 33765440 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2021.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Revised: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Cutaneous mast cells mediate numerous skin inflammatory processes and have anatomical and functional associations with sensory afferent neurons. We reveal that epidermal nerve endings from a subset of sensory nonpeptidergic neurons expressing MrgprD are reduced by the absence of Langerhans cells. Loss of epidermal innervation or ablation of MrgprD-expressing neurons increased expression of a mast cell gene module, including the activating receptor, Mrgprb2, resulting in increased mast cell degranulation and cutaneous inflammation in multiple disease models. Agonism of MrgprD-expressing neurons reduced expression of module genes and suppressed mast cell responses. MrgprD-expressing neurons released glutamate which was increased by MrgprD agonism. Inhibiting glutamate release or glutamate receptor binding yielded hyperresponsive mast cells with a genomic state similar to that in mice lacking MrgprD-expressing neurons. These data demonstrate that MrgprD-expressing neurons suppress mast cell hyperresponsiveness and skin inflammation via glutamate release, thereby revealing an unexpected neuroimmune mechanism maintaining cutaneous immune homeostasis.
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28
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García‐Mesa Y, Cárcaba L, Coronado C, Cobo R, Martín‐Cruces J, García‐Piqueras J, Feito J, García‐Suárez O, Vega JA. Glans clitoris innervation: PIEZO2 and sexual mechanosensitivity. J Anat 2021; 238:446-454. [PMID: 32996126 PMCID: PMC7812125 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The clitoris is a leading player in female sexual arousal, if not the main protagonist. Despite this role, studies performed on this structure with specific neuroanatomical techniques are few. This study focuses on glans clitoris innervation, with special emphasis on sensory corpuscles and the presence of the mechanotransducer protein PIEZO2 in these structures. Six glans clitoris samples were obtained at autopsy covering an age spectrum between 52 and 83 years old. Several types of nerve terminations including free nerve endings, genital endbulbs as well as Meissner-like corpuscles and Pacinian corpuscles, but not Ruffini corpuscles, were found. Although corpuscular morphology in the glans clitoris was subtly different from the cutaneous digital counterparts, their basic composition was comparable for both Pacinian and Meissner-like corpuscles. Genital endbulbs showed heterogeneous morphology, and the axons usually exhibited a typical "wool ball" or "yarn ball" aspect. Some of them were lobulated and variably encapsulated by endoneurial elements (65%); from the capsule originate septa that divides the genital endbulbs, suggesting that they are found in clusters rather than as single corpuscles. In addition, most corpuscles in the glans clitoris showed axonal PIEZO2 immunoreactivity, thus, suggesting a mechanical role and molecular mechanisms of mechanosensibility similar to those of digital Meissner's corpuscles. Our results demonstrate that sensory corpuscles of the glans clitoris are similar to those of other glabrous skin zones, as most genital organs are characterized by clusters of corpuscles and the occurrence of the mechanoprotein PIEZO2 in the axons. These findings strongly suggest that PIEZO2 participates in erotic and sexual mechanical sensing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yolanda García‐Mesa
- Departamento de Morfología y Biología CelularUniversidad de OviedoOviedoSpain
| | - Lucía Cárcaba
- Departamento de Morfología y Biología CelularUniversidad de OviedoOviedoSpain
| | - César Coronado
- Facultad de Ciencias de la SaludUniversidad Autónoma de ChileSantiagoChile
| | - Ramón Cobo
- Departamento de Morfología y Biología CelularUniversidad de OviedoOviedoSpain
| | - José Martín‐Cruces
- Departamento de Morfología y Biología CelularUniversidad de OviedoOviedoSpain
| | | | - Jorge Feito
- Departamento de Morfología y Biología CelularUniversidad de OviedoOviedoSpain,Servicio de Anatomía PatológicaComplejo Hospitalario Universitario de SalamancaSalamancaSpain
| | | | - José A. Vega
- Departamento de Morfología y Biología CelularUniversidad de OviedoOviedoSpain,Facultad de Ciencias de la SaludUniversidad Autónoma de ChileSantiagoChile
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29
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Maertens T, Schöll E, Ruiz J, Hövel P. Multilayer network analysis of C. elegans: Looking into the locomotory circuitry. Neurocomputing 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neucom.2020.11.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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30
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Cobo R, García‐Mesa Y, Cárcaba L, Martin‐Cruces J, Feito J, García‐Suárez O, Cobo J, García‐Piqueras J, Vega JA. Verification and characterisation of human digital Ruffini's sensory corpuscles. J Anat 2021; 238:13-19. [PMID: 32864772 PMCID: PMC7754963 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Ruffini's corpuscles are present as long fusiform encapsulated sensory structures in different tissues including the skin. Although physiological analyses strongly suggest their existence in glabrous digital skin, such localisation remains unconfirmed. Here, we have investigated the occurrence of typical Ruffini's corpuscles in 372 sections of human digital skin obtained from 186 subjects of both sexes and different ages (19-92 years). S100 protein, neuron-specific enolase and neurofilament proteins were detected, and the basic immunohistochemical profile of these corpuscles was analysed. Fewer than 0.3 Ruffini's corpuscles/mm2 were detected, with density distribution across the fingers being F4 > F3 > F2 > F1 > F5 and absolute values being F2 > F1 > F3 > F4 > F5. Axons displayed neuron-specific enolase immunoreactivity, glial cells forming the core contained S100 protein, and the capsule was positive for CD34 but not Glut1, demonstrating an endoneurial origin. Present results demonstrate the existence of Ruffini's corpuscles in human glabrous digital skin at very low densities. Moreover, the identified Ruffini's corpuscles share the basic immunohistochemical characteristics of other dermal sensory corpuscles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramón Cobo
- Departamento de Morfología y Biología CelularGrpo SINPOSUniversidad de OviedoOviedoSpain
| | - Yolanda García‐Mesa
- Departamento de Morfología y Biología CelularGrpo SINPOSUniversidad de OviedoOviedoSpain
| | - Lucía Cárcaba
- Departamento de Morfología y Biología CelularGrpo SINPOSUniversidad de OviedoOviedoSpain
| | - José Martin‐Cruces
- Departamento de Morfología y Biología CelularGrpo SINPOSUniversidad de OviedoOviedoSpain
| | - Jorge Feito
- Departamento de Morfología y Biología CelularGrpo SINPOSUniversidad de OviedoOviedoSpain,Servicio de Anatomía PatológicaComplejo Hospitalario Universitario de SalamancaSalamancaSpain
| | - Olivia García‐Suárez
- Departamento de Morfología y Biología CelularGrpo SINPOSUniversidad de OviedoOviedoSpain
| | - Juan Cobo
- Departamento de Cirugía y Especialidades Médico‐QuirúrgicasUniversidad de OviedoOviedoSpain,Instituto Asturiano de OdontologíaOviedoSpain
| | - Jorge García‐Piqueras
- Departamento de Morfología y Biología CelularGrpo SINPOSUniversidad de OviedoOviedoSpain
| | - José A. Vega
- Departamento de Morfología y Biología CelularGrpo SINPOSUniversidad de OviedoOviedoSpain,Facultad de Ciencias de la SaludUniversidad Autónoma de ChileSantiagoChile
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31
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Choi S, Hachisuka J, Brett MA, Magee AR, Omori Y, Iqbal NUA, Zhang D, DeLisle MM, Wolfson RL, Bai L, Santiago C, Gong S, Goulding M, Heintz N, Koerber HR, Ross SE, Ginty DD. Parallel ascending spinal pathways for affective touch and pain. Nature 2020; 587:258-263. [PMID: 33116307 PMCID: PMC7666110 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2860-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2019] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The anterolateral pathway consists of ascending spinal tracts that convey pain, temperature and touch information from the spinal cord to the brain1-4. Projection neurons of the anterolateral pathway are attractive therapeutic targets for pain treatment because nociceptive signals emanating from the periphery are channelled through these spinal projection neurons en route to the brain. However, the organizational logic of the anterolateral pathway remains poorly understood. Here we show that two populations of projection neurons that express the structurally related G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) TACR1 and GPR83 form parallel ascending circuit modules that cooperate to convey thermal, tactile and noxious cutaneous signals from the spinal cord to the lateral parabrachial nucleus of the pons. Within this nucleus, axons of spinoparabrachial (SPB) neurons that express Tacr1 or Gpr83 innervate distinct sets of subnuclei, and strong optogenetic stimulation of the axon terminals induces distinct escape behaviours and autonomic responses. Moreover, SPB neurons that express Gpr83 are highly sensitive to cutaneous mechanical stimuli and receive strong synaptic inputs from both high- and low-threshold primary mechanosensory neurons. Notably, the valence associated with activation of SPB neurons that express Gpr83 can be either positive or negative, depending on stimulus intensity. These findings reveal anatomically, physiologically and functionally distinct subdivisions of the SPB tract that underlie affective aspects of touch and pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seungwon Choi
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Junichi Hachisuka
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.,Pittsburgh Center for Pain Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.,Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Matthew A Brett
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alexandra R Magee
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yu Omori
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.,Pittsburgh Center for Pain Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.,Toray Industries, Inc., Pharmaceutical Research Laboratories, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Noor-Ul-Aine Iqbal
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dawei Zhang
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michelle M DeLisle
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rachel L Wolfson
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ling Bai
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Celine Santiago
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Shiaoching Gong
- The Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Martyn Goulding
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Nathaniel Heintz
- The Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - H Richard Koerber
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.,Pittsburgh Center for Pain Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Sarah E Ross
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.,Pittsburgh Center for Pain Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - David D Ginty
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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32
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Elofsson R, Kröger RHH. A new type of somatosensory organ in the nasolabial skin of the dog. J Morphol 2020; 281:413-419. [DOI: 10.1002/jmor.21108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Revised: 01/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rolf Elofsson
- Unit of Functional Zoology, Department of BiologyLund University Lund Sweden
| | - Ronald H. H. Kröger
- Unit of Functional Zoology, Department of BiologyLund University Lund Sweden
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33
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Yamada K, Noguchi K, Kimitsuki K, Kaimori R, Saito N, Komeno T, Nakajima N, Furuta Y, Nishizono A. Reevaluation of the efficacy of favipiravir against rabies virus using in vivo imaging analysis. Antiviral Res 2019; 172:104641. [PMID: 31672666 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2019.104641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Revised: 10/13/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Rabies virus (RABV) is a highly neurotropic virus and the causative agent of rabies, an encephalitis with an almost 100% case-fatality rate that remains incurable after the onset of symptoms. Favipiravir (T-705), a broad-spectrum antiviral drug against RNA viruses, has been shown to be effective against RABV in vitro but ineffective in vivo. We hypothesized that favipiravir is effective in infected mice when RABV replicates in the peripheral tissues/nerves but not after virus neuroinvasion. We attempted to clarify this point in this study using in vivo bioluminescence imaging. We generated a recombinant RABV from the field isolate 1088, which expressed red firefly luciferase (1088/RFLuc). This allowed semiquantitative detection and monitoring of primary replication at the inoculation site and viral spread in the central nervous system (CNS) in the same mice. Bioluminescence imaging revealed that favipiravir (300 mg/kg/day) treatment commencing 1 h after intramuscular inoculation of RABV efficiently suppressed viral replication at the inoculation site and the subsequent replication in the CNS. However, virus replication in the CNS was not inhibited when the treatment began 2 days after inoculation. We also found that higher doses (600 or 900 mg/kg/day) of favipiravir could suppress viral replication in the CNS even when administration started 2 days after inoculation. These results support our hypothesis and suggest that a highly effective drug-delivery system into the CNS and/or the enhancement of favipiravir conversion to its active form are required to improve favipiravir treatment of rabies. Furthermore, the bioluminescence imaging system established in this study will facilitate the development of treatment for symptomatic rabies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kentaro Yamada
- Research Promotion Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, 1-1 Idaigaoka, Hasama-machi, Yufu City, Oita, 879-5593, Japan
| | - Kazuko Noguchi
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, 1-1 Idaigaoka, Hasama-machi, Yufu City, Oita, 879-5593, Japan; Department of Food Science and Technology, Minami Kyushu University, 5-1-2 Kirishima, Miyazaki City, Miyazaki, 880-0031, Japan
| | - Kazunori Kimitsuki
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, 1-1 Idaigaoka, Hasama-machi, Yufu City, Oita, 879-5593, Japan
| | - Ryo Kaimori
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, 1-1 Idaigaoka, Hasama-machi, Yufu City, Oita, 879-5593, Japan
| | - Nobuo Saito
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, 1-1 Idaigaoka, Hasama-machi, Yufu City, Oita, 879-5593, Japan
| | - Takashi Komeno
- FUJIFILM Toyama Chemical Co.,Ltd, 2-4-1 Shimookui, Toyama City, Toyama, 930-8508, Japan
| | - Nozomi Nakajima
- FUJIFILM Toyama Chemical Co.,Ltd, 2-4-1 Shimookui, Toyama City, Toyama, 930-8508, Japan
| | - Yousuke Furuta
- FUJIFILM Toyama Chemical Co.,Ltd, 2-4-1 Shimookui, Toyama City, Toyama, 930-8508, Japan
| | - Akira Nishizono
- Research Promotion Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, 1-1 Idaigaoka, Hasama-machi, Yufu City, Oita, 879-5593, Japan; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, 1-1 Idaigaoka, Hasama-machi, Yufu City, Oita, 879-5593, Japan.
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34
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Artificial-Hand Technology—Current State of Knowledge in Designing and Forecasting Changes. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/app9194090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The subject of human-hand versatility has been intensively investigated for many years. Emerging robotic constructions change continuously in order to mimic natural mechanisms as accurately as possible. Such an attitude is motivated by the demand for humanoid robots with sophisticated end effectors and highly biomimic prostheses. This paper provides wide analysis of more than 80 devices that have been created over the last 40 years. It compares both the mechanical structure and various actuators from conventional DC motors and servomechanisms, through pneumatic muscles, to soft actuators and artificial muscles. Described measured factors include angles, forces, torques, tensions, and tactiles. Furthermore, the appropriate statistics of kinematic configuration, as well as the type or number of drive units and sensory systems, show not only recent problems, but also trends that will be followed in the future.
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35
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Moehring F, Halder P, Seal RP, Stucky CL. Uncovering the Cells and Circuits of Touch in Normal and Pathological Settings. Neuron 2019; 100:349-360. [PMID: 30359601 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.10.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2018] [Revised: 10/08/2018] [Accepted: 10/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The sense of touch is fundamental as it provides vital, moment-to-moment information about the nature of our physical environment. Primary sensory neurons provide the basis for this sensation in the periphery; however, recent work demonstrates that touch transduction mechanisms also occur upstream of the sensory neurons via non-neuronal cells such as Merkel cells and keratinocytes. Within the spinal cord, deep dorsal horn circuits transmit innocuous touch centrally and also transform touch into pain in the setting of injury. Here non-neuronal cells play a key role in the induction and maintenance of persistent mechanical pain. This review highlights recent advances in our understanding of mechanosensation, including a growing appreciation for the role of non-neuronal cells in both touch and pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francie Moehring
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Priyabrata Halder
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Rebecca P Seal
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; Pittsburgh Center for Pain Research, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Cheryl L Stucky
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA.
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36
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Tiling and somatotopic alignment of mammalian low-threshold mechanoreceptors. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:9168-9177. [PMID: 30996124 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1901378116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Innocuous mechanical stimuli acting on the skin are detected by sensory neurons, known as low-threshold mechanoreceptors (LTMRs). LTMRs are classified based on their response properties, action potential conduction velocity, rate of adaptation to static indentation of the skin, and terminal anatomy. Here, we report organizational properties of the cutaneous and central axonal projections of the five principal hairy skin LTMR subtypes. We find that axons of neurons within a particular LTMR class are largely nonoverlapping with respect to their cutaneous end organs (e.g., hair follicles), with Aβ rapidly adapting-LTMRs being the sole exception. Individual neurons of each LTMR class are mostly nonoverlapping with respect to their associated hair follicles, with the notable exception of C-LTMRs, which exhibit multiple branches that redundantly innervate individual hair follicles. In the spinal cord, LTMR central projections exhibit rostrocaudal elongation and mediolateral compression, compared with their cutaneous innervation patterns, and these central projections also exhibit a fine degree of homotypic topographic adjacency. These findings thus reveal homotypic tiling of LTMR subtype axonal projections in hairy skin and a remarkable degree of spatial precision of spinal cord axonal termination patterns, suggesting a somatotopically precise tactile encoding capability of the mechanosensory dorsal horn.
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Saito N, Shima R, Yen CT, Yang RC, Ito E, Yoshioka T. Adhesive pyramidal thorn patches provide pain relief to athletes. Kaohsiung J Med Sci 2019; 35:230-237. [PMID: 30887714 DOI: 10.1002/kjm2.12044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2018] [Accepted: 01/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Pain in athletes is ideally treated without systemic medicine. Therefore, complementary and alternative medicine, including patch treatments, is often used. The physiologic mechanisms of pain relief produced by patch treatment, however, are not well elucidated. In the present study, we introduce a pyramidal thorn (PT) patch that we developed, demonstrate the effects of this PT patch for the treatment of various types of pain in 300 subjects, and suggest a physiologic mechanism for the pain relief effects. One treatment with the PT patch effectively relieved pain in almost half the subjects evaluated. Except for pain generated deeply under the skin, such as low-back pain, pain was eliminated within four treatments with the PT patch in almost all of the subjects. Interestingly, the pain-sensing region moved along the nerve fibers after each trial. Further, patches without PT also provided some pain relief. We considered that this effect was due to hair deflection on the skin; that is, adhesion of the PT patch activates Merkel cells directly as well as Merkel cell-neurite complexes around the hair follicles by deflecting the hair follicles, whereas adhesion of a patch without PT only activates the Merkel cell-neurite complexes. In any case, patch adhesion stimulates Aβ fibers to alleviate pain. Finally, we found that the pain threshold is increased by electric stimulation, suggesting that the gentle adhesion of a PT patch would be more effective. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate physiologically the validity of an adherent patch for pain relief.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norio Saito
- Research Institute for Elderly Health, Waseda University, Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan.,Tokai Acupuncture Moxibustion Traditional Medicine Clinic, Numazu, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Rei Shima
- Department of Biology, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Chen-Tung Yen
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Rei-Cheng Yang
- Department of Pediatrics, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan
| | - Etsuro Ito
- Department of Biology, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan.,Graduate Institute of Medicine, School of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan
| | - Tohru Yoshioka
- Graduate Institute of Medicine, School of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan
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Nguyen MB, Valdes VJ, Cohen I, Pothula V, Zhao D, Zheng D, Ezhkova E. Dissection of Merkel cell formation in hairy and glabrous skin reveals a common requirement for FGFR2-mediated signalling. Exp Dermatol 2019; 28:374-382. [PMID: 30758073 DOI: 10.1111/exd.13901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2018] [Revised: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Merkel cells are mechanosensory cells involved in tactile discrimination. Merkel cells have been primarily studied in the murine back skin, where they are found in specialized structures called touch domes located around primary hair follicles. Yet, little is known about the morphogenesis of Merkel cells in areas of the skin devoid of hair, such as the glabrous paw skin. Here, we describe Merkel cell formation in the glabrous paw skin during embryogenesis. We first found in the glabrous paw skin that Merkel cells were specified at E15.5, 24 hours later, compared to in the back skin. Additionally, by performing lineage-tracing experiments, we found that unlike in the back skin, SOX9(+) cells do not give rise to Merkel cells in the glabrous paw skin. Finally, we compared the transcriptomes of Merkel cells in the back and the glabrous paw skin and showed that they are similar. Genetic and transcriptome studies showed that the formation of Merkel cells in both regions was controlled by similar regulators. Among them was FGFR2, an upstream factor of MAPK signalling that was reported to have a critical function in Merkel cell formation in the back skin. Here, we showed that FGFR2 is also required for Merkel cell development in the glabrous paw skin. Taken together, our results demonstrate that Merkel cells in the murine back skin and glabrous paw skin are similar, and even though their formation is controlled by a common genetic programme, their precursor cells might differ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minh Binh Nguyen
- Department of Cell, Developmental, and Regenerative Biology, Black Family Stem Cell Institute, The Tisch Cancer Institute, New York City, New York.,Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, New York
| | - Victor Julian Valdes
- Department of Cell, Developmental, and Regenerative Biology, Black Family Stem Cell Institute, The Tisch Cancer Institute, New York City, New York.,Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, New York
| | - Idan Cohen
- Department of Cell, Developmental, and Regenerative Biology, Black Family Stem Cell Institute, The Tisch Cancer Institute, New York City, New York.,Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, New York
| | - Venu Pothula
- Department of Cell, Developmental, and Regenerative Biology, Black Family Stem Cell Institute, The Tisch Cancer Institute, New York City, New York.,Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, New York
| | - Dejian Zhao
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
| | - Deyou Zheng
- Departments of Genetics, Neurology, and Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
| | - Elena Ezhkova
- Department of Cell, Developmental, and Regenerative Biology, Black Family Stem Cell Institute, The Tisch Cancer Institute, New York City, New York.,Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, New York
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Jiang N, Rasmussen JP, Clanton JA, Rosenberg MF, Luedke KP, Cronan MR, Parker ED, Kim HJ, Vaughan JC, Sagasti A, Parrish JZ. A conserved morphogenetic mechanism for epidermal ensheathment of nociceptive sensory neurites. eLife 2019; 8:42455. [PMID: 30855229 PMCID: PMC6450671 DOI: 10.7554/elife.42455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2018] [Accepted: 03/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Interactions between epithelial cells and neurons influence a range of sensory modalities including taste, touch, and smell. Vertebrate and invertebrate epidermal cells ensheath peripheral arbors of somatosensory neurons, including nociceptors, yet the developmental origins and functional roles of this ensheathment are largely unknown. Here, we describe an evolutionarily conserved morphogenetic mechanism for epidermal ensheathment of somatosensory neurites. We found that somatosensory neurons in Drosophila and zebrafish induce formation of epidermal sheaths, which wrap neurites of different types of neurons to different extents. Neurites induce formation of plasma membrane phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate microdomains at nascent sheaths, followed by a filamentous actin network, and recruitment of junctional proteins that likely form autotypic junctions to seal sheaths. Finally, blocking epidermal sheath formation destabilized dendrite branches and reduced nociceptive sensitivity in Drosophila. Epidermal somatosensory neurite ensheathment is thus a deeply conserved cellular process that contributes to the morphogenesis and function of nociceptive sensory neurons. Humans and other animals perceive and interact with the outside world through their sensory nervous system. Nerve cells, acting as the body’s ‘telegraph wires’, convey signals from sensory organs – like the eyes – to the brain, which then processes this information and tells the body how to respond. There are different kinds of sensory nerve cells that carry different types of information, but they all associate closely with the tissues and organs they connect to the brain. Human skin contains sensory nerve cells, which underpin our senses of touch and pain. There is a highly specialized, complex connection between some of these nerve cells and cells in the skin: the skin cells wrap tightly around the nerve cells’ free ends, forming sheath-like structures. This ‘ensheathment’ process happens in a wide range of animals, including those with a backbone, like fish and humans, and those without, like insects. Ensheathment is thought to be important for the skin’s nerve cells to work properly. Yet it remains unclear how or when these connections first appear. Jiang et al. therefore wanted to determine the developmental origins of ensheathment and to find out if these were also similar in animals with and without backbones. Experiments using fruit fly and zebrafish embryos revealed that nerve cells, not skin cells, were responsible for forming and maintaining the sheaths. In embryos where groups of sensory nerve cells were selectively killed – either using a laser or by making the cells produce a toxin – ensheathment did not occur. Further studies, using a variety of microscopy techniques, revealed that the molecular machinery required to stabilize the sheaths was similar in both fish and flies, and therefore likely to be conserved across different groups of animals. Removing sheaths in fly embryos led to nerve cells becoming unstable; the animals were also less sensitive to touch. This confirmed that ensheathment was indeed necessary for sensory nerve cells to work properly. By revealing how ensheathment first emerges, these findings shed new light on how the sensory nervous system develops and how its activity is controlled. In humans, skin cells ensheath the nerve cells responsible for sensing pain. A better understanding of how ensheathments first arise could therefore lead to new avenues for treating chronic pain and related conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Jiang
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, United States
| | - Jeffrey P Rasmussen
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Joshua A Clanton
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Marci F Rosenberg
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Kory P Luedke
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, United States
| | - Mark R Cronan
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University, Durham, United States
| | - Edward D Parker
- Department of Opthalmology, University of Washington, Seattle, United States
| | - Hyeon-Jin Kim
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, United States.,Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, United States
| | - Joshua C Vaughan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, United States.,Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, United States
| | - Alvaro Sagasti
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Jay Z Parrish
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, United States
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40
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Liu Y, Latremoliere A, Li X, Zhang Z, Chen M, Wang X, Fang C, Zhu J, Alexandre C, Gao Z, Chen B, Ding X, Zhou JY, Zhang Y, Chen C, Wang KH, Woolf CJ, He Z. Touch and tactile neuropathic pain sensitivity are set by corticospinal projections. Nature 2018; 561:547-550. [PMID: 30209395 PMCID: PMC6163083 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-018-0515-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 148] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2017] [Accepted: 07/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Current models of somatosensory perception emphasize transmission from primary sensory neurons to the spinal cord and on to the brain1-4. Mental influence on perception is largely assumed to occur locally within the brain. Here we investigate whether sensory inflow through the spinal cord undergoes direct top-down control by the cortex. Although the corticospinal tract (CST) is traditionally viewed as a primary motor pathway5, a subset of corticospinal neurons (CSNs) originating in the primary and secondary somatosensory cortex directly innervate the spinal dorsal horn via CST axons. Either reduction in somatosensory CSN activity or transection of the CST in mice selectively impairs behavioural responses to light touch without altering responses to noxious stimuli. Moreover, such CSN manipulation greatly attenuates tactile allodynia in a model of peripheral neuropathic pain. Tactile stimulation activates somatosensory CSNs, and their corticospinal projections facilitate light-touch-evoked activity of cholecystokinin interneurons in the deep dorsal horn. This touch-driven feed-forward spinal-cortical-spinal sensitization loop is important for the recruitment of spinal nociceptive neurons under tactile allodynia. These results reveal direct cortical modulation of normal and pathological tactile sensory processing in the spinal cord and open up opportunities for new treatments for neuropathic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Liu
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alban Latremoliere
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Neurosurgery Department, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Xinjian Li
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Department of Neurology and Research Center of Neurology in Second Affiliated Hospital, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zicong Zhang
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mengying Chen
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Child Health Care, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xuhua Wang
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Chao Fang
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Junjie Zhu
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Chloe Alexandre
- Neurosurgery Department, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Zhongyang Gao
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bo Chen
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Xin Ding
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jin-Yong Zhou
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yiming Zhang
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Chinfei Chen
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kuan Hong Wang
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Clifford J Woolf
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Zhigang He
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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FGF signalling controls the specification of hair placode-derived SOX9 positive progenitors to Merkel cells. Nat Commun 2018; 9:2333. [PMID: 29899403 PMCID: PMC5998134 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-04399-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2017] [Accepted: 04/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Merkel cells are innervated mechanosensory cells responsible for light-touch sensations. In murine dorsal skin, Merkel cells are located in touch domes and found in the epidermis around primary hairs. While it has been shown that Merkel cells are skin epithelial cells, the progenitor cell population that gives rise to these cells is unknown. Here, we show that during embryogenesis, SOX9-positive (+) cells inside hair follicles, which were previously known to give rise to hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) and cells of the hair follicle lineage, can also give rise to Merkel Cells. Interestingly, while SOX9 is critical for HFSC specification, it is dispensable for Merkel cell formation. Conversely, FGFR2 is required for Merkel cell formation but is dispensable for HFSCs. Together, our studies uncover SOX9(+) cells as precursors of Merkel cells and show the requirement for FGFR2-mediated epithelial signalling in Merkel cell specification. Merkel cells are mechanoreceptors located in the epidermis whose developmental origin is unclear. Here the authors show that Merkel cells originate from SOX9 positive cells inside hair follicles and that FGFR2-mediated epithelial signalling is required for their specification.
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42
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Alamri AS, Wood RJ, Ivanusic JJ, Brock JA. The neurochemistry and morphology of functionally identified corneal polymodal nociceptors and cold thermoreceptors. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0195108. [PMID: 29590195 PMCID: PMC5874071 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0195108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2017] [Accepted: 03/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
It is generally believed that the unencapsulated sensory nerve terminals of modality specific C- and Aδ-neurons lack structural specialization. Here we determined the morphology of functionally defined polymodal receptors and cold thermoreceptors in the guinea pig corneal epithelium. Polymodal receptors and cold thermoreceptors were identified by extracellular recording at the surface of the corneal epithelium. After marking the recording sites, corneas were processed to reveal immunoreactivity for the transient receptor potential channels TRPV1 (transient receptor potential cation channel, subfamily V, member 1) or TPRM8 (transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily M member 8). Polymodal receptor nerve terminals (n = 6) were TRPV1-immunoreactive and derived from an axon that ascended from the sub-basal plexus to the squamous cell layer where it branched into fibers that ran parallel to the corneal surface and terminated with small bulbar endings (ramifying endings). Cold thermoreceptor nerve terminals were TRPM8-immunoreactive (n = 6) and originated from an axon that branched as it ascended through the wing cell and squamous cell layers and terminated with large bulbar endings (complex endings). These findings indicate that modality specific corneal sensory neurons with unencapsulated nerve endings have distinct nerve terminal morphologies that are likely to relate to their function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdulhakeem S. Alamri
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Rhiannon J. Wood
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jason J. Ivanusic
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - James A. Brock
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- * E-mail:
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43
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Schneider ER, Gracheva EO, Bagriantsev SN. Evolutionary Specialization of Tactile Perception in Vertebrates. Physiology (Bethesda) 2017; 31:193-200. [PMID: 27053733 DOI: 10.1152/physiol.00036.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Evolution has endowed vertebrates with the remarkable tactile ability to explore the world through the perception of physical force. Yet the sense of touch remains one of the least well understood senses at the cellular and molecular level. Vertebrates specializing in tactile perception can highlight general principles of mechanotransduction. Here, we review cellular and molecular adaptations that underlie the sense of touch in typical and acutely mechanosensitive vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eve R Schneider
- Department of Cellular & Molecular Physiology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Elena O Gracheva
- Department of Cellular & Molecular Physiology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut; Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration and Repair, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut; and Department of Neuroscience, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Slav N Bagriantsev
- Department of Cellular & Molecular Physiology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut;
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The Cellular and Synaptic Architecture of the Mechanosensory Dorsal Horn. Cell 2016; 168:295-310.e19. [PMID: 28041852 PMCID: PMC5236062 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2016.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 235] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2016] [Revised: 11/18/2016] [Accepted: 12/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The deep dorsal horn is a poorly characterized spinal cord region implicated in processing low-threshold mechanoreceptor (LTMR) information. We report an array of mouse genetic tools for defining neuronal components and functions of the dorsal horn LTMR-recipient zone (LTMR-RZ), a role for LTMR-RZ processing in tactile perception, and the basic logic of LTMR-RZ organization. We found an unexpectedly high degree of neuronal diversity in the LTMR-RZ: seven excitatory and four inhibitory subtypes of interneurons exhibiting unique morphological, physiological, and synaptic properties. Remarkably, LTMRs form synapses on between four and 11 LTMR-RZ interneuron subtypes, while each LTMR-RZ interneuron subtype samples inputs from at least one to three LTMR classes, as well as spinal cord interneurons and corticospinal neurons. Thus, the LTMR-RZ is a somatosensory processing region endowed with a neuronal complexity that rivals the retina and functions to pattern the activity of ascending touch pathways that underlie tactile perception. Convergent LTMR and cortical inputs define the mechanosensory dorsal horn A dorsal horn molecular-genetic toolbox defines 11 interneuron subtypes Dorsal horn interneurons receive specific patterns of cortical and LTMR inputs Dorsal horn interneurons modulate output pathways and tactile perception
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Polycomb-Mediated Repression and Sonic Hedgehog Signaling Interact to Regulate Merkel Cell Specification during Skin Development. PLoS Genet 2016; 12:e1006151. [PMID: 27414999 PMCID: PMC4944976 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2016] [Accepted: 06/08/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
An increasing amount of evidence indicates that developmental programs are tightly regulated by the complex interplay between signaling pathways, as well as transcriptional and epigenetic processes. Here, we have uncovered coordination between transcriptional and morphogen cues to specify Merkel cells, poorly understood skin cells that mediate light touch sensations. In murine dorsal skin, Merkel cells are part of touch domes, which are skin structures consisting of specialized keratinocytes, Merkel cells, and afferent neurons, and are located exclusively around primary hair follicles. We show that the developing primary hair follicle functions as a niche required for Merkel cell specification. We find that intraepidermal Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling, initiated by the production of Shh ligand in the developing hair follicles, is required for Merkel cell specification. The importance of Shh for Merkel cell formation is further reinforced by the fact that Shh overexpression in embryonic epidermal progenitors leads to ectopic Merkel cells. Interestingly, Shh signaling is common to primary, secondary, and tertiary hair follicles, raising the possibility that there are restrictive mechanisms that regulate Merkel cell specification exclusively around primary hair follicles. Indeed, we find that loss of Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) in the epidermis results in the formation of ectopic Merkel cells that are associated with all hair types. We show that PRC2 loss expands the field of epidermal cells competent to differentiate into Merkel cells through the upregulation of key Merkel-differentiation genes, which are known PRC2 targets. Importantly, PRC2-mediated repression of the Merkel cell differentiation program requires inductive Shh signaling to form mature Merkel cells. Our study exemplifies how the interplay between epigenetic and morphogen cues regulates the complex patterning and formation of the mammalian skin structures. Merkel cells are innervated touch-receptor cells that are responsible for light touch sensations. They originate from embryonic epidermal stem cells and, in hairy regions of skin, are organized in touch domes. Touch domes are highly patterned structures that form exclusively around primary hair follicles. Strikingly, the mechanisms controlling Merkel cell formation are largely unknown. Here, we show that the hair follicle functions as a niche required for Merkel cell formation. We find that intraepidermal Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling, initiated by the production of Shh in the developing hair follicles, is required for Merkel cell specification, whereas Shh overexpression in embryonic epidermal progenitors leads to ectopic Merkel cells. Interestingly, Shh signaling is common to all hair types, suggesting that there are restrictive mechanisms that allow Merkel cell specification to occur exclusively around primary hairs. Indeed, we find that loss of Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) in the epidermis leads to the formation of ectopic Merkel cells around all hair types. We show that PRC2 loss expands the field of epidermal cells competent to differentiate into Merkel cells through derepression of key Merkel-differentiation genes; however, inductive Shh signaling is still required for the formation of mature Merkel cells. Our study illustrates how the interplay between epigenetic and morphogen cues functions to establish the complex patterning and formation of the mammalian skin.
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Abstract
Diabetic neuropathy is a common secondary complication of diabetes that impacts on patient's health and well-being. Distal axon degeneration is a key feature of diabetic neuropathy, but the pathological changes which underlie axonal die-back are incompletely understood; despite decades of research a treatment has not yet been identified. Basic research must focus on understanding the complex mechanisms underlying changes that occur in the nervous system during diabetes. To this end, tissue culture techniques are invaluable as they enable researchers to examine the intricate mechanistic responses of cells to high glucose or other factors in order to better understand the pathogenesis of nerve dysfunction. This chapter describes the use of in vitro models to study a wide range of specific cellular effects pertaining to diabetic neuropathy including apoptosis, neurite outgrowth, neurodegeneration, activity, and bioenergetics. We consider problems associated with in vitro modeling and future refinement such as use of induced pluripotent stem cells and microfluidic technology.
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47
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Dauber KL, Perdigoto CN, Valdes VJ, Santoriello FJ, Cohen I, Ezhkova E. Dissecting the Roles of Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 Subunits in the Control of Skin Development. J Invest Dermatol 2016; 136:1647-1655. [PMID: 26994968 DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2016.02.809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2015] [Revised: 02/23/2016] [Accepted: 02/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) is an essential regulator of cell physiology. Although there have been numerous studies on PRC2 function in somatic tissue development and stem cell control, these have focused on the loss of a single PRC2 subunit. Recent studies, however, have shown that PRC2 subunits may function independently of the PRC2 complex. To investigate the function of PRC2 in the control of skin development, we generated and analyzed three conditional knockout mouse lines, in which the essential PRC2 subunits embryonic ectoderm development (EED), suppressor of zeste 12 homolog (Suz12), and enhancer of zeste homologs 1 and 2 (Ezh1/2) are conditionally ablated in the embryonic epidermal progenitors that give rise to the epidermis, hair follicles, and Merkel cells. Our studies showed that the observed loss-of-function phenotypes are shared between the three knockouts, indicating that in the skin epithelium, EED, Suz12, and Ezh1/2 function largely as subunits of the PRC2 complex. Interestingly, the absence of PRC2 results in dramatically different phenotypes across the different skin lineages: premature acquisition of a functional epidermal barrier, formation of ectopic Merkel cells, and defective postnatal development of hair follicles. The strikingly different roles of PRC2 in the formation of three lineages exemplify the complex outcomes that the lack of PRC2 can have in a somatic stem cell system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine L Dauber
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Department of Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Carolina N Perdigoto
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Department of Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Victor J Valdes
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Department of Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Francis J Santoriello
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Department of Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Idan Cohen
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Department of Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Elena Ezhkova
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Department of Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA.
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48
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Black JB, Premont RT, Daaka Y. Feedback regulation of G protein-coupled receptor signaling by GRKs and arrestins. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2016; 50:95-104. [PMID: 26773211 PMCID: PMC4779377 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2015.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2015] [Accepted: 12/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
GPCRs are ubiquitous in mammalian cells and present intricate mechanisms for cellular signaling and communication. Mechanistically, GPCR signaling was identified to occur vectorially through heterotrimeric G proteins that are negatively regulated by GRK and arrestin effectors. Emerging evidence highlights additional roles for GRK and Arrestin partners, and establishes the existence of interconnected feedback pathways that collectively define GPCR signaling. GPCRs influence cellular dynamics and can mediate pathologic development, such as cancer and cardiovascular remolding. Hence, a better understanding of their overall signal regulation is of great translational interest and research continues to exploit the pharmacologic potential for modulating their activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph B Black
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States
| | - Richard T Premont
- Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, United States
| | - Yehia Daaka
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States.
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49
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Reynders A, Mantilleri A, Malapert P, Rialle S, Nidelet S, Laffray S, Beurrier C, Bourinet E, Moqrich A. Transcriptional Profiling of Cutaneous MRGPRD Free Nerve Endings and C-LTMRs. Cell Rep 2015; 10:1007-1019. [PMID: 25683706 PMCID: PMC4542317 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2015.01.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2014] [Revised: 12/13/2014] [Accepted: 01/08/2015] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous C-unmyelinated MRGPRD+ free nerve endings and C-LTMRs innervating hair follicles convey two opposite aspects of touch sensation: a sensation of pain and a sensation of pleasant touch. The molecular mechanisms underlying these diametrically opposite functions are unknown. Here, we used a mouse model that genetically marks C-LTMRs and MRGPRD+ neurons in combination with fluorescent cell surface labeling, flow cytometry, and RNA deep-sequencing technology (RNA-seq). Cluster analysis of RNA-seq profiles of the purified neuronal subsets revealed 486 and 549 genes differentially expressed in MRGPRD-expressing neurons and C-LTMRs, respectively. We validated 48 MRGPD- and 68 C-LTMRs-enriched genes using a triple-staining approach, and the Cav3.3 channel, found to be exclusively expressed in C-LTMRs, was validated using electrophysiology. Our study greatly expands the molecular characterization of C-LTMRs and suggests that this particular population of neurons shares some molecular features with Aβ and Aδ low-threshold mechanoreceptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Reynders
- Aix-Marseille-Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille, UMR 7288, Case 907, 13288 Marseille Cedex 09, France
| | - Annabelle Mantilleri
- Aix-Marseille-Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille, UMR 7288, Case 907, 13288 Marseille Cedex 09, France
| | - Pascale Malapert
- Aix-Marseille-Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille, UMR 7288, Case 907, 13288 Marseille Cedex 09, France
| | - Stéphanie Rialle
- Laboratories of Excellence, Ion Channel Science and Therapeutics, Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, UMR 5203, CNRS, U1191, INSERM, Université de Montpellier, 141 Rue de la Cardonille, 34094 Montpellier Cedex 05, France
| | - Sabine Nidelet
- Laboratories of Excellence, Ion Channel Science and Therapeutics, Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, UMR 5203, CNRS, U1191, INSERM, Université de Montpellier, 141 Rue de la Cardonille, 34094 Montpellier Cedex 05, France
| | - Sophie Laffray
- Laboratories of Excellence, Ion Channel Science and Therapeutics, Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, UMR 5203, CNRS, U1191, INSERM, Université de Montpellier, 141 Rue de la Cardonille, 34094 Montpellier Cedex 05, France
| | - Corinne Beurrier
- Aix-Marseille-Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille, UMR 7288, Case 907, 13288 Marseille Cedex 09, France
| | - Emmanuel Bourinet
- Laboratories of Excellence, Ion Channel Science and Therapeutics, Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, UMR 5203, CNRS, U1191, INSERM, Université de Montpellier, 141 Rue de la Cardonille, 34094 Montpellier Cedex 05, France.
| | - Aziz Moqrich
- Aix-Marseille-Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille, UMR 7288, Case 907, 13288 Marseille Cedex 09, France.
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50
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Cai T, Groves AK. The Role of Atonal Factors in Mechanosensory Cell Specification and Function. Mol Neurobiol 2014; 52:1315-1329. [PMID: 25339580 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-014-8925-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2014] [Accepted: 10/07/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Atonal genes are basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors that were first identified as regulating the formation of mechanoreceptors and photoreceptors in Drosophila. Isolation of vertebrate homologs of atonal genes has shown these transcription factors to play diverse roles in the development of neurons and their progenitors, gut epithelial cells, and mechanosensory cells in the inner ear and skin. In this article, we review the molecular function and regulation of atonal genes and their targets, with particular emphasis on the function of Atoh1 in the development, survival, and function of hair cells of the inner ear. We discuss cell-extrinsic signals that induce Atoh1 expression and the transcriptional networks that regulate its expression during development. Finally, we discuss recent work showing how identification of Atoh1 target genes in the cerebellum, spinal cord, and gut can be used to propose candidate Atoh1 targets in tissues such as the inner ear where cell numbers and biochemical material are limiting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiantian Cai
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA
| | - Andrew K Groves
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA. .,Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA. .,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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