Inspiration-promoting vagal reflex under NMDA receptor blockade in anaesthetized rabbits

NMDA receptors control vagal afferent excitability in the nucleus of the solitary tract

Previous behavioral studies have demonstrated that presynaptic N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors expressed on vagal afferent terminals are involved in food intake and satiety. Therefore, using in vitro live cell calcium imaging of prelabeled rat hindbrain slices, we characterized which NMDA receptor GluN2 subunits may regulate vagal afferent activity. The nonselective NMDA receptor antagonist d,l-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (d,l-AP5) significantly inhibited vagal terminal calcium influx, while the excitatory amino acid reuptake inhibitor d,l-threo-β-benzyloxyaspartic acid (TBOA), significantly increased terminal calcium levels following pharmacological stimulation with ATP. Subunit-specific NMDA receptor antagonists and potentiators were used to identify which GluN2 subunits mediate the NMDA receptor response on the vagal afferent terminals. The GluN2B-selective antagonist, ifenprodil, selectively reduced vagal calcium influx with stimulation compared to the time control. The GluN2A-selective antagonist, 3-chloro-4-fluoro-N-[4-[[2-(phenylcarbonyl)hydrazino]carbonyl] benzyl]benzenesulfonamide (TCN 201) produced smaller but not statistically significant effects. Furthermore, the GluN2A/B-selective potentiator (pregnenolone sulfate) and the GluN2C/D-selective potentiator [(3-chlorophenyl)(6,7-dimethoxy-1-((4-methoxyphenoxy)methyl)-3,4-dihydroisoquinolin-2(1H)-yl)methanone; (CIQ)] enhanced vagal afferent calcium influx during stimulation. These data suggest that presynaptic NMDA receptors with GluN2B, GluN2C, and GluN2D subunits may predominantly control vagal afferent excitability in the nucleus of the solitary tract.

Distinct target cell-dependent forms of short-term plasticity of the central visceral afferent synapses of the rat

Background

The visceral afferents from various cervico-abdominal sensory receptors project to the dorsal vagal complex (DVC), which is composed of the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS), the area postrema and the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve (DMX), via the vagus and glossopharyngeal nerves and then the solitary tract (TS) in the brainstem. While the excitatory transmission at the TS-NTS synapses shows strong frequency-dependent suppression in response to repeated stimulation of the afferents, the frequency dependence and short-term plasticity at the TS-DMX synapses, which also transmit monosynaptic information from the visceral afferents to the DVC neurons, remain largely unknown.

Results

Recording of the EPSCs activated by paired or repeated TS stimulation in the brainstem slices of rats revealed that, unlike NTS neurons whose paired-pulse ratio (PPR) is consistently below 0.6, the distribution of the PPR of DMX neurons shows bimodal peaks that are composed of type I (PPR, 0.6-1.5; 53% of 120 neurons recorded) and type II (PPR, < 0.6; 47%) neurons. Some of the type I DMX neurons showed paired-pulse potentiation. The distinction of these two types depended on the presynaptic release probability and the projection target of the postsynaptic cells; the distinction was not dependent on the location or soma size of the cell, intensity or site of the stimulation, the latency, standard deviation of latency or the quantal size. Repeated stimulation at 20 Hz resulted in gradual and potent decreases in EPSC amplitude in the NTS and type II DMX neurons, whereas type I DMX neurons displayed only slight decreases, which indicates that the DMX neurons of this type could be continuously activated by repeated firing of primary afferent fibers at a high (~10 Hz) frequency.

Conclusions

These two general types of short-term plasticity might contribute to the differential activation of distinct vago-vagal reflex circuits, depending on the firing frequency and type of visceral afferents.

Respiratory activity of the neonatal dorsolateral pons in vitro

The lateral and medial parabrachial and the Kölliker-Fuse nuclei (NPB/KF) are well known respiratory modulating centers in adulthood, but their role in neonates is largely unknown. We examined the role of the NPB/KF using hemi-sectioned pons-brainstem-spinal cord preparations in neonatal rats. Electrical stimulation applied at various intensities and delays in relation to the onset of spontaneous inspiratory C4 bursts, evoked transient depression or termination of C4 activity. This depression/termination was greatly attenuated either after perfusion of the NMDA-receptor antagonists (MK-801 or APV) or after microinjecting MK-801 into NPB/KF. Furthermore systemic application of the GABA-A receptor antagonist bicuculline reduced NPB/KF evoked inhibition of the C4 burst. Finally, we identified inspiratory, tonic inspiratory, expiratory, and inspiratory-expiratory (I-E) neurons which was major in the recorded neurons in the NPB/KF using the whole-cell patch-clamp method. MK-801 significantly decreased the driving potential and burst duration of I-E neurons. We conclude that neonatal NPB/KF mediated inspiratory off-switch operates on similar synaptic mechanisms as an adult.

Inspiration-promoting vagal reflex in anaesthetized rabbits after rostral dorsolateral pons lesions

The centrally generated respiratory rhythm is under strong modulation by peripheral information, such as that from the slowly adapting pulmonary stretch receptors (SA-PSRs) conveyed via the vagus nerve. We have already demonstrated that vagal afferent stimulation at a low frequency (5-40 Hz), or holding the lung volume at the end-expiratory level (no-inflation test) prevents spontaneous termination of the inspiratory (I) phase or initiates I activity in anaesthetized rabbits in which the NMDA receptors (NMDA-Rs) are pharmacologically blocked. Here we show that this I-promoting vagal reflex also becomes manifest in animals where the pontine respiratory groups are ablated. Following lesions of the rostral dorsolateral pons, including the nucleus parabrachialis medialis and Kölliker-Fuse nucleus, with radio-frequency current or local injection of kainic acid, low-frequency stimulation of the vagus nerve and the no-inflation test significantly prolonged the I phase in a manner highly similar to that observed in rabbits with NMDA-R block. Brief stimuli at low frequency during the mid-expiratory (E) phase evoked I discharge with a latency significantly smaller and less variable than that before the lesions. It is concluded that low-frequency input from the SA-PSR suppresses I-to-E phase transition and promotes central I activity when the medullary respiratory network is released from pontine influence, which involves NMDA-R-mediated signalling.

Apneusis follows disruption of NMDA-type glutamate receptors in vagotomized ground squirrels

The influences of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) type glutamate receptor antagonism, by (+)-5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[a,d]-cyclohepten-5,10-imine maleate (MK-801), on breathing pattern and ventilatory chemoresponses, were assessed in anaesthetized vagotomized spontaneously breathing golden-mantled ground squirrels, Spermophilus lateralis. MK-801 was administered by either bilateral pressure micro-injection into a region of the rostral dorsolateral pons, containing the medial and lateral Parabrachial and Kölliker-Fuse nuclei (the Parabrachial complex, PbC), or by systemic injection. Both treatments induced apneusis. These data indicate that functional NMDA receptor-mediated processes located within the PbC terminate inspiration and actively prevent apneusis in vagotomized ground squirrels. Although both hypercapnia and hypoxia stimulated breathing during the apneusis, the responses were generally slight. The breathing frequency component of the hypercapnic ventilatory response was completely eliminated supporting the hypothesis that the PbC is an integral component of the control network for CO(2) chemoreflex responses. Differences in the results of systemic versus PbC MK-801 illustrate that NMDA receptor-mediated processes outside the PbC do influence ventilation. Our data also show that such processes outside the PbC lengthen both inspiration and expiration in this species, slowing ventilation, and are necessary for the expression of the hypoxic ventilatory response.

Lung inflation inhibits rapidly adapting receptor relay neurons in the rat

Pulmonary slowly adapting receptors (SARs) and rapidly adapting receptors (RARs) are important components of various respiratory reflexes. In anesthetized, paralyzed and artificially ventilated rats, we found an inhibitory linkage from the former to the latter system at the level of their second-order relay neurons (P cells and RAR cells, respectively). Lung inflation which activates RARs as well as SARs suppressed RAR cell activity evoked by electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve. Intracellular recordings from RAR cells showed IPSPs locked to electrical stimulation of the ipsilateral and contralateral vagus nerves at an intensity just above the threshold for P cell activation. Activation of P cells with glutamate suppressed RAR cell firing. Since P cells project to the area of RAR cells, taken together, these results strongly suggest that P cells synaptically inhibit RAR cells.

Neuropharmacology of control of respiratory rhythm and pattern in mature mammals

This review summarizes the current understanding of the neurotransmitters and neuromodulators that are involved, firstly, in respiratory rhythm and pattern generation, where glutamate plays an essential role in the excitatory mechanisms and glycine and gamma-aminobutyric acid mediate inhibitory postsynaptic effects, and secondly, in the transmission of input signals from the central and peripheral chemoreceptors and of motor outputs to respiratory motor neurons. Finally, neuronal mechanisms underlying respiratory modulations caused by respiratory depressants and excitants, such as general anesthetics, benzodiazepines, opioids, and cholinergic agents, are described.

Synaptic interactions between respiratory neurons during inspiratory on-switching evoked by vagal stimulation in decerebrate cats

To elucidate neuronal mechanisms underlying phase-switching from expiration to inspiration, or inspiratory on-switching (IonS), postsynaptic potentials (PSPs) of bulbar respiratory neurons together with phrenic nerve discharges were recorded during IonS evoked by vagal stimulation in decerebrate and vagotomized cats. A single shock stimulation of the vagus nerve applied at late-expiration developed an inspiratory discharge in the phrenic neurogram after a latency of 79+/-11 ms (n = 11). Preceding this evoked inspiratory discharge, a triphasic response was induced, consisting of an early silence (phase 1 silence), a transient burst discharge (phase 2 discharge) and a late pause (phase 3 pause). During phase 1 silence, IPSPs occurred in augmenting inspiratory (aug-I) and expiratory (E2) neurons, and EPSPs in postinspiratory (PI) neurons. During phase 2 discharge, EPSPs arose in aug-I neurons and IPSPs in PI and E2 neurons. These initial biphasic PSPs were comparable with those during inspiratory off-switching evoked by the same stimulation applied at late-inspiration. In both on- and off-switching, phase-transition in respiratory neuronal activities started to arise concomitantly with the phrenic phase 3 pause. These results suggest that vagal inputs initially produce a non-specific, biphasic response in bulbar respiratory neurons, which consecutively activates a more specific process connected to IonS.