Aquaporin 4 differentially modulates osmotic effects on vasopressin neurons in rat supraoptic nucleus

Intranasal Application of Diluted Saline Alleviates Ischemic Brain Injury in Association with Suppression of Vasopressin Neurons

INTRODUCTION

Cerebral swelling and brain injury in ischemic stroke are closely related to increased vasopressin (VP) secretion. How to alleviate ischemic brain injury by suppressing VP hypersecretion through simply available approaches remains to be established.

METHODS

Using a rat model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), testing effects of the intranasal application of low concentration saline-0.09% NaCl (IAL) on brain damage, VP neuronal activity, synaptic inputs, astrocytic plasticity, and olfactory bulb (OB) activity in immunohistochemistry, patch-clamp recording, Western blotting, and co-immunoprecipitation.

RESULTS

IAL reduced MCAO-evoked neurological disorders, brain swelling, injury and loss of neurons, increase in c-Fos expression, and excitation of supraoptic VP neurons. The effects of IAL on VP neurons were associated with its suppression of MCAO-evoked increase in the frequency of excitatory synaptic inputs and decrease in the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) filaments around VP neurons. MCAO and IAL also caused similar but weaker reactions in putative oxytocin neurons. In the OB, MCAO increased the firing rate of mitral cells on the MCAO side, which was reduced by IAL. A direct hypotonic challenge of OB slices increased the expression of glutamine synthetase and GFAP filaments in the glomerular bodies while reducing the firing rate of mitral cells. Blocking aquaporin 4 activity in the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei on the MCAO side reduced MCAO-evoked VP increase and brain damage.

CONCLUSION

IAL reduces ischemic stroke-evoked brain injury in association with suppression of VP neuronal activity through reducing excitatory synaptic inputs and astrocytic process retraction, which likely result from reducing mitral cell activation in ischemic side.

The impact of sedative and vasopressor agents on cerebrovascular reactivity in severe traumatic brain injury

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of commonly administered sedatives (Propofol, Alfentanil, Fentanyl, and Midazolam) and vasopressor (Dobutamine, Ephedrine, Noradrenaline and Vasopressin) agents on cerebrovascular reactivity in moderate/severe TBI patients. Cerebrovascular reactivity, as a surrogate for cerebral autoregulation was assessed using the long pressure reactivity index (LPRx). We evaluated the data in two phases, first we assessed the minute-by-minute data relationships between different dosing amounts of continuous infusion agents and physiological variables using boxplots, multiple linear regression and ANOVA. Next, we assessed the relationship between continuous/bolus infusion agents and physiological variables, assessing pre-/post- dose of medication change in physiology using a Wilcoxon signed-ranked test. Finally, we evaluated sub-groups of data for each individual dose change per medication, focusing on key physiological thresholds and demographics.

RESULTS

Of the 475 patients with an average stay of 10 days resulting in over 3000 days of recorded information 367 (77.3%) were male with a median Glasgow coma score of 7 (4-9). The results of this retrospective observational study confirmed that the infusion of most administered agents do not impact cerebrovascular reactivity, which is confirmed by the multiple linear regression components having p value > 0.05. Incremental dose changes or bolus doses in these medications in general do not lead to significant changes in cerebrovascular reactivity (confirm by Wilcoxon signed-ranked p value > 0.05 for nearly all assessed relationships). Within the sub-group analysis that separated the data based on LPRx pre-dose, a significance between pre-/post-drug change in LPRx was seen, however this may be more of a result from patient state than drug impact.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, this study indicates that commonly administered agents with incremental dosing changes have no clinically significant influence on cerebrovascular reactivity in TBI (nor do they impair cerebrovascular reactivity). Though further investigation in a larger and more diverse TBI patient population is required.

Interactions between the Astrocytic Volume-Regulated Anion Channel and Aquaporin 4 in Hyposmotic Regulation of Vasopressin Neuronal Activity in the Supraoptic Nucleus

We assessed interactions between the astrocytic volume-regulated anion channel (VRAC) and aquaporin 4 (AQP4) in the supraoptic nucleus (SON). Acute SON slices and cultures of hypothalamic astrocytes prepared from rats received hyposmotic challenge (HOC) with/without VRAC or AQP4 blockers. In acute slices, HOC caused an early decrease with a late rebound in the neuronal firing rate of vasopressin neurons, which required activity of astrocytic AQP4 and VRAC. HOC also caused a persistent decrease in the excitatory postsynaptic current frequency, supported by VRAC and AQP4 activity in early HOC; late HOC required only VRAC activity. These events were associated with the dynamics of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) filaments, the late retraction of which was mediated by VRAC activity; this activity also mediated an HOC-evoked early increase in AQP4 expression and late subside in GFAP-AQP4 colocalization. AQP4 activity supported an early HOC-evoked increase in VRAC levels and its colocalization with GFAP. In cultured astrocytes, late HOC augmented VRAC currents, the activation of which depended on AQP4 pre-HOC/HOC activity. HOC caused an early increase in VRAC expression followed by a late rebound, requiring AQP4 and VRAC, or only AQP4 activity, respectively. Astrocytic swelling in early HOC depended on AQP4 activity, and so did the early extension of GFAP filaments. VRAC and AQP4 activity supported late regulatory volume decrease, the retraction of GFAP filaments, and subside in GFAP-VRAC colocalization. Taken together, astrocytic morphological plasticity relies on the coordinated activities of VRAC and AQP4, which are mutually regulated in the astrocytic mediation of HOC-evoked modulation of vasopressin neuronal activity.

Contribution of inwardly rectifying K+ channel 4.1 of supraoptic astrocytes to the regulation of vasopressin neuronal activity by hypotonicity

Astrocytic morphological plasticity and its modulation of adjacent neuronal activity are largely determined by astrocytic volume regulation, in which glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), aquaporin 4 (AQP4), and potassium channels including inwardly rectifying K⁺ channel 4.1 (Kir4.1) are essential. However, associations of astrocyte-dominant Kir4.1 with other molecules in astrocytic volume regulation and the subsequent influence on neuronal activity remain unclear. Here, we report our study on these issues using primary cultures of rat pups' hypothalamic astrocytes and male adult rat brain slices. In astrocyte culture, hyposmotic challenge (HOC) significantly decreased GFAP monomer expression and astrocytic volume at 1.5 min and increased Kir4.1 expression and inwardly rectifying currents (IRCs) at 10 min. BaCl₂ (100 μmol/l) suppressed the HOC-increased IRCs, which was simulated by VU0134992 (2 μmol/l), a Kir4.1 blocker. Preincubation of the astrocyte culture with TGN-020 (10 μmol/l, a specific AQP4 blocker) made the HOC-increased Kir4.1 currents insignificant. In hypothalamic brain slices, HOC initially decreased and then increased the firing rate of vasopressin (VP) neurons in the supraoptic nucleus. In the presence of BaCl₂ or VU0134992, HOC-elicited rebound increase in VP neuronal activity was blocked. GFAP was molecularly associated with Kir4.1, which was increased by HOC at 20 min; this increase was blocked by BaCl₂ . These results suggest that HOC-evoked astrocytic retraction or decrease in the volume and length of its processes is associated with increased Kir4.1 activity. Kir4.1 involvement in HOC-elicited astrocytic retraction is associated with AQP4 activity and GFAP plasticity, which together determines the rebound excitation of VP neurons.

The pathogenesis of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus based on the understanding of AQP1 and AQP4

Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) is a neurological disorder without a recognized cause. Aquaporins (AQPs) are transmembrane channels that carry water through cell membranes and are critical for cerebrospinal fluid circulation and cerebral water balance. The function of AQPs in developing and maintaining hydrocephalus should be studied in greater detail as a possible diagnostic and therapeutic tool. Recent research indicates that patients with iNPH exhibited high levels of aquaporin 1 and low levels of aquaporin 4 expression, suggesting that these AQPs are essential in iNPH pathogenesis. To determine the source of iNPH and diagnose and treat it, it is necessary to examine and appreciate their function in the genesis and maintenance of hydrocephalus. The expression, function, and regulation of AQPs in iNPH are reviewed in this article, in order to provide fresh targets and suggestions for future research.

Osmoregulation and the Hypothalamic Supraoptic Nucleus: From Genes to Functions

Due to the relatively high permeability to water of the plasma membrane, water tends to equilibrate its chemical potential gradient between the intra and extracellular compartments. Because of this, changes in osmolality of the extracellular fluid are accompanied by changes in the cell volume. Therefore, osmoregulatory mechanisms have evolved to keep the tonicity of the extracellular compartment within strict limits. This review focuses on the following aspects of osmoregulation: 1) the general problems in adjusting the "milieu interieur" to challenges imposed by water imbalance, with emphasis on conceptual aspects of osmosis and cell volume regulation; 2) osmosensation and the hypothalamic supraoptic nucleus (SON), starting with analysis of the electrophysiological responses of the magnocellular neurosecretory cells (MNCs) involved in the osmoreception phenomenon; 3) transcriptomic plasticity of SON during sustained hyperosmolality, to pinpoint the genes coding membrane channels and transporters already shown to participate in the osmosensation and new candidates that may have their role further investigated in this process, with emphasis on those expressed in the MNCs, discussing the relationships of hydration state, gene expression, and MNCs electrical activity; and 4) somatodendritic release of neuropeptides in relation to osmoregulation. Finally, we expect that by stressing the relationship between gene expression and the electrical activity of MNCs, studies about the newly discovered plastic-regulated genes that code channels and transporters in the SON may emerge.