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Pu B, Zhu H, Wei L, Gu L, Zhang S, Jian Z, Xiong X. The Involvement of Immune Cells Between Ischemic Stroke and Gut Microbiota. Transl Stroke Res 2024; 15:498-517. [PMID: 37140808 DOI: 10.1007/s12975-023-01151-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Ischemic stroke, a disease with high mortality and disability rate worldwide, currently has no effective treatment. The systemic inflammation response to the ischemic stroke, followed by immunosuppression in focal neurologic deficits and other inflammatory damage, reduces the circulating immune cell counts and multiorgan infectious complications such as intestinal and gut dysfunction dysbiosis. Evidence showed that microbiota dysbiosis plays a role in neuroinflammation and peripheral immune response after stroke, changing the lymphocyte populations. Multiple immune cells, including lymphocytes, engage in complex and dynamic immune responses in all stages of stroke and may be a pivotal moderator in the bidirectional immunomodulation between ischemic stroke and gut microbiota. This review discusses the role of lymphocytes and other immune cells, the immunological processes in the bidirectional immunomodulation between gut microbiota and ischemic stroke, and its potential as a therapeutic strategy for ischemic stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bei Pu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, 99 Zhang Zhidong Rd, Wuhan, Hubei, 430060, People's Republic of China
- Central Laboratory, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430060, People's Republic of China
| | - Hua Zhu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, 99 Zhang Zhidong Rd, Wuhan, Hubei, 430060, People's Republic of China
- Central Laboratory, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430060, People's Republic of China
| | - Liang Wei
- Organ Transplantation Center, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital and School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610000, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
- Clinical Immunology Translational Medicine Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610000, Sichuan, China
| | - Lijuan Gu
- Central Laboratory, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430060, People's Republic of China
| | - Shenqi Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, 99 Zhang Zhidong Rd, Wuhan, Hubei, 430060, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhihong Jian
- Department of Neurosurgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, 99 Zhang Zhidong Rd, Wuhan, Hubei, 430060, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xiaoxing Xiong
- Department of Neurosurgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, 99 Zhang Zhidong Rd, Wuhan, Hubei, 430060, People's Republic of China.
- Central Laboratory, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430060, People's Republic of China.
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Mora J, Climent A, Roldán M, Flores MC, Varo A, Perez-Jaume S, Jou C, Celma MS, Lazaro JJ, Cheung I, Castañeda A, Gorostegui M, Rodriguez E, Chamorro S, Muñoz JP, Cheung NK. Desensitizing the autonomic nervous system to mitigate anti-GD2 monoclonal antibody side effects. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1380917. [PMID: 38812778 PMCID: PMC11134175 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1380917] [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: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Anti-GD2 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have shown to improve the overall survival of patients with high-risk neuroblastoma (HR-NB). Serious adverse events (AEs), including pain, within hours of antibody infusion, have limited the development of these therapies. In this study, we provide evidence of Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) activation as the mechanism to explain the main side effects of anti-GD2 mAbs. Methods Through confocal microscopy and computational super-resolution microscopy experiments we explored GD2 expression in postnatal nerves of infants. In patients we assessed the ANS using the Sympathetic Skin Response (SSR) test. To exploit tachyphylaxis, a novel infusion protocol (the Step-Up) was mathematically modelled and tested. Results Through confocal microscopy, GD2 expression is clearly visible in the perineurium surrounding the nuclei of nerve cells. By computational super-resolution microscopy experiments we showed the selective expression of GD2 on the cell membranes of human Schwann cells in peripheral nerves (PNs) significantly lower than on NB. In patients, changes in the SSR were observed 4 minutes into the anti-GD2 mAb naxitamab infusion. SSR latency quickly shortened followed by gradual decrease in the amplitude before disappearance. SSR response did not recover for 24 hours consistent with tachyphylaxis and absence of side effects in the clinic. The Step-Up protocol dissociated on-target off-tumor side effects while maintaining serum drug exposure. Conclusion We provide first evidence of the ANS as the principal non-tumor target of anti-GD2 mAbs in humans. We describe the development and modeling of the Step-Up protocol exploiting the tachyphylaxis phenomenon we demonstrate in patients using the SSR test.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaume Mora
- Pediatric Cancer Center Barcelona (PCCB), Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alejandra Climent
- Department of Neurophysiology, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mònica Roldán
- Department of Genetics, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Amalia Varo
- Pediatric Cancer Center Barcelona (PCCB), Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sara Perez-Jaume
- Pediatric Cancer Center Barcelona (PCCB), Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cristina Jou
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mónica S. Celma
- Department of Pharmacy, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Juan José Lazaro
- Department of Anesthesiology, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Irene Cheung
- Department of Pediatrics, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), New York, NY, United States
| | - Alicia Castañeda
- Pediatric Cancer Center Barcelona (PCCB), Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maite Gorostegui
- Pediatric Cancer Center Barcelona (PCCB), Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Eva Rodriguez
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Saray Chamorro
- Pediatric Cancer Center Barcelona (PCCB), Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Juan Pablo Muñoz
- Pediatric Cancer Center Barcelona (PCCB), Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Nai-Kong Cheung
- Department of Pediatrics, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), New York, NY, United States
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Athavale ON, Avci R, Clark AR, Di Natale MR, Wang X, Furness JB, Liu Z, Cheng LK, Du P. Neural regulation of slow waves and phasic contractions in the distal stomach: a mathematical model. J Neural Eng 2024; 20:066040. [PMID: 38100816 PMCID: PMC10765034 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/ad1610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Objective.Neural regulation of gastric motility occurs partly through the regulation of gastric bioelectrical slow waves (SWs) and phasic contractions. The interaction of the tissues and organs involved in this regulatory process is complex. We sought to infer the relative importance of cellular mechanisms in inhibitory neural regulation of the stomach by enteric neurons and the interaction of inhibitory and excitatory electrical field stimulation.Approach.A novel mathematical model of gastric motility regulation by enteric neurons was developed and scenarios were simulated to determine the mechanisms through which enteric neural influence is exerted. This model was coupled to revised and extended electrophysiological models of gastric SWs and smooth muscle cells (SMCs).Main results.The mathematical model predicted that regulation of contractile apparatus sensitivity to intracellular calcium in the SMC was the major inhibition mechanism of active tension development, and that the effect on SW amplitude depended on the inhibition of non-specific cation currents more than the inhibition of calcium-activated chloride current (kiNSCC= 0.77 vs kiAno1= 0.33). The model predicted that the interaction between inhibitory and excitatory neural regulation, when applied with simultaneous and equal intensity, resulted in an inhibition of contraction amplitude almost equivalent to that of inhibitory stimulation (79% vs 77% decrease), while the effect on frequency was overall excitatory, though less than excitatory stimulation alone (66% vs 47% increase).Significance.The mathematical model predicts the effects of inhibitory and excitatory enteric neural stimulation on gastric motility function, as well as the effects when inhibitory and excitatory enteric neural stimulation interact. Incorporation of the model into organ-level simulations will provide insights regarding pathological mechanisms that underpin gastric functional disorders, and allow forin silicotesting of the effects of clinical neuromodulation protocols for the treatment of these disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omkar N Athavale
- Auckland Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Recep Avci
- Auckland Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Alys R Clark
- Auckland Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Madeleine R Di Natale
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Anatomy & Physiology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Xiaokai Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America
| | - John B Furness
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Anatomy & Physiology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Zhongming Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America
| | - Leo K Cheng
- Auckland Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Peng Du
- Auckland Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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Ma J, Nguyen D, Madas J, Bizanti A, Mistareehi A, Kwiat AM, Chen J, Lin M, Christie R, Hunter P, Heal M, Baldwin S, Tappan S, Furness JB, Powley TL, Cheng Z(J. Organization and morphology of calcitonin gene-related peptide-immunoreactive axons in the whole mouse stomach. J Comp Neurol 2023; 531:1608-1632. [PMID: 37694767 PMCID: PMC10593087 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Nociceptive afferent axons innervate the stomach and send signals to the brain and spinal cord. Peripheral nociceptive afferents can be detected with a variety of markers (e.g., substance P [SP] and calcitonin gene-related peptide [CGRP]). We recently examined the topographical organization and morphology of SP-immunoreactive (SP-IR) axons in the whole mouse stomach muscular layer. However, the distribution and morphological structure of CGRP-IR axons remain unclear. We used immunohistochemistry labeling and applied a combination of imaging techniques, including confocal and Zeiss Imager M2 microscopy, Neurolucida 360 tracing, and integration of axon tracing data into a 3D stomach scaffold to characterize CGRP-IR axons and terminals in the whole mouse stomach muscular layers. We found that: (1) CGRP-IR axons formed extensive terminal networks in both ventral and dorsal stomachs. (2) CGRP-IR axons densely innervated the blood vessels. (3) CGRP-IR axons ran in parallel with the longitudinal and circular muscles. Some axons ran at angles through the muscular layers. (4) They also formed varicose terminal contacts with individual myenteric ganglion neurons. (5) CGRP-IR occurred in DiI-labeled gastric-projecting neurons in the dorsal root and vagal nodose ganglia, indicating CGRP-IR axons were visceral afferent axons. (6) CGRP-IR axons did not colocalize with tyrosine hydroxylase or vesicular acetylcholine transporter axons in the stomach, indicating CGRP-IR axons were not visceral efferent axons. (7) CGRP-IR axons were traced and integrated into a 3D stomach scaffold. For the first time, we provided a topographical distribution map of CGRP-IR axon innervation of the whole stomach muscular layers at the cellular/axonal/varicosity scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jichao Ma
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - Duyen Nguyen
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - Jazune Madas
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - Ariege Bizanti
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - Anas Mistareehi
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - Andrew M. Kwiat
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - Jin Chen
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - Mabelle Lin
- Auckland Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Richard Christie
- Auckland Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Peter Hunter
- Auckland Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Maci Heal
- MBF Bioscience, Williston, Vermont, USA
| | | | | | - John B. Furness
- Department of Anatomy & Physiology, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Terry L. Powley
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Zixi (Jack) Cheng
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
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Ma J, Nguyen D, Madas J, Kwiat AM, Toledo Z, Bizanti A, Kogut N, Mistareehi A, Bendowski K, Zhang Y, Chen J, Li DP, Powley TL, Furness JB, Cheng Z. Spinal afferent innervation in flat-mounts of the rat stomach: anterograde tracing. Sci Rep 2023; 13:17675. [PMID: 37853008 PMCID: PMC10584867 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43120-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The dorsal root ganglia (DRG) project spinal afferent axons to the stomach. However, the distribution and morphology of spinal afferent axons in the stomach have not been well characterized. In this study, we used a combination of state-of-the-art techniques, including anterograde tracer injection into the left DRG T7-T11, avidin-biotin and Cuprolinic Blue labeling, Zeiss M2 Imager, and Neurolucida to characterize spinal afferent axons in flat-mounts of the whole rat stomach muscular wall. We found that spinal afferent axons innervated all regions with a variety of distinct terminal structures innervating different gastric targets: (1) The ganglionic type: some axons formed varicose contacts with individual neurons within myenteric ganglia. (2) The muscle type: most axons ran in parallel with the longitudinal and circular muscles and expressed spherical varicosities. Complex terminal structures were observed within the circular muscle layer. (3) The ganglia-muscle mixed type: some individual varicose axons innervated both myenteric neurons and the circular muscle, exhibiting polymorphic terminal structures. (4) The vascular type: individual varicose axons ran along the blood vessels and occasionally traversed the vessel wall. This work provides a foundation for future topographical anatomical and functional mapping of spinal afferent axon innervation of the stomach under normal and pathophysiological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jichao Ma
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, 32816, USA
| | - Duyen Nguyen
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, 32816, USA
| | - Jazune Madas
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, 32816, USA
| | - Andrew M Kwiat
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, 32816, USA
| | - Zulema Toledo
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, 32816, USA
| | - Ariege Bizanti
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, 32816, USA
| | - Nicole Kogut
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, 32816, USA
| | - Anas Mistareehi
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, 32816, USA
| | - Kohlton Bendowski
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, 32816, USA
| | - Yuanyuan Zhang
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, 32816, USA
| | - Jin Chen
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, 32816, USA
| | - De-Pei Li
- Department of Medicine, Center for Precision Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65212, USA
| | - Terry L Powley
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 479062, USA
| | - John B Furness
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, University of Melbourne, and Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Zixi Cheng
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, 32816, USA.
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Moțățăianu A, Șerban G, Andone S. The Role of Short-Chain Fatty Acids in Microbiota-Gut-Brain Cross-Talk with a Focus on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Systematic Review. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15094. [PMID: 37894774 PMCID: PMC10606032 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242015094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a devastating neurodegenerative disease characterized by the gradual loss of motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord, leading to progressive motor function decline. Unfortunately, there is no effective treatment, and its increasing prevalence is linked to an aging population, improved diagnostics, heightened awareness, and changing lifestyles. In the gastrointestinal system, the gut microbiota plays a vital role in producing metabolites, neurotransmitters, and immune molecules. Short-chain fatty acids, of interest for their potential health benefits, are influenced by a fiber- and plant-based diet, promoting a diverse and balanced gut microbiome. These fatty acids impact the body by binding to receptors on enteroendocrine cells, influencing hormones like glucagon-like peptide-1 and peptide YY, which regulate appetite and insulin sensitivity. Furthermore, these fatty acids impact the blood-brain barrier, neurotransmitter levels, and neurotrophic factors, and directly stimulate vagal afferent nerves, affecting gut-brain communication. The vagus nerve is a crucial link between the gut and the brain, transmitting signals related to appetite, inflammation, and various processes. Dysregulation of this pathway can contribute to conditions like obesity and irritable bowel syndrome. Emerging evidence suggests the complex interplay among these fatty acids, the gut microbiota, and environmental factors influences neurodegenerative processes via interconnected pathways, including immune function, anti-inflammation, gut barrier, and energy metabolism. Embracing a balanced, fiber-rich diet may foster a diverse gut microbiome, potentially impacting neurodegenerative disease risk. Comprehensive understanding requires further research into interventions targeting the gut microbiome and fatty acid production and their potential therapeutic role in neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anca Moțățăianu
- 1st Neurology Clinic, Mures County Clinical Emergency Hospital, 540136 Târgu Mures, Romania
- Department of Neurology, University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Târgu Mures ‘George Emil Palade’, 540142 Târgu Mures, Romania
| | - Georgiana Șerban
- Doctoral School, University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Târgu Mures ‘George Emil Palade’, 540142 Târgu Mures, Romania
| | - Sebastian Andone
- 1st Neurology Clinic, Mures County Clinical Emergency Hospital, 540136 Târgu Mures, Romania
- Department of Neurology, University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Târgu Mures ‘George Emil Palade’, 540142 Târgu Mures, Romania
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Oleson S, Cao J, Wang X, Liu Z. In vivo tracing of the ascending vagal projections to the brain with manganese enhanced magnetic resonance imaging. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1254097. [PMID: 37781260 PMCID: PMC10540305 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1254097] [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: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The vagus nerve, the primary neural pathway mediating brain-body interactions, plays an essential role in transmitting bodily signals to the brain. Despite its significance, our understanding of the detailed organization and functionality of vagal afferent projections remains incomplete. Methods In this study, we utilized manganese-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MEMRI) as a non-invasive and in vivo method for tracing vagal nerve projections to the brainstem and assessing their functional dependence on cervical vagus nerve stimulation (VNS). Manganese chloride solution was injected into the nodose ganglion of rats, and T1-weighted MRI scans were performed at both 12 and 24 h after the injection. Results Our findings reveal that vagal afferent neurons can uptake and transport manganese ions, serving as a surrogate for calcium ions, to the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) in the brainstem. In the absence of VNS, we observed significant contrast enhancements of around 19-24% in the NTS ipsilateral to the injection side. Application of VNS for 4 h further promoted nerve activity, leading to greater contrast enhancements of 40-43% in the NTS. Discussion These results demonstrate the potential of MEMRI for high-resolution, activity-dependent tracing of vagal afferents, providing a valuable tool for the structural and functional assessment of the vagus nerve and its influence on brain activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Oleson
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Jiayue Cao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Xiaokai Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Zhongming Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Department of Electrical Engineering Computer Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
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Wang X, Cao J, Han K, Choi M, She Y, Scheven UM, Avci R, Du P, Cheng LK, Natale MRD, Furness JB, Liu Z. Diffeomorphic Surface Modeling for MRI-Based Characterization of Gastric Anatomy and Motility. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 2023; 70:2046-2057. [PMID: 37018592 PMCID: PMC10443119 DOI: 10.1109/tbme.2023.3234509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Gastrointestinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides rich spatiotemporal data about the movement of the food inside the stomach, but does not directly report muscular activity on the stomach wall. Here we describe a novel approach to characterize the motility of the stomach wall that drives the volumetric changes of the ingesta. METHODS A neural ordinary differential equation was optimized to model a diffeomorphic flow that ascribed the deformation of the stomach wall to a continuous biomechanical process. Driven by this diffeomorphic flow, the surface of the stomach progressively changes its shape over time, while preserving its topology and manifoldness. RESULTS We tested this approach with MRI data collected from 10 rats under a lightly anesthetized condition, and demonstrated accurate characterization of gastric motor events with an error in the order of sub-millimeters. Uniquely, we characterized gastric anatomy and motility with a surface coordinate system common at both individual and group levels. Functional maps were generated to reveal the spatial, temporal, and spectral characteristics of muscle activity and its coordination across different regions. The peristalsis at the distal antrum had a dominant frequency and peak-to-peak amplitude of [Formula: see text] cycles per minute and [Formula: see text] mm, respectively. The relationship between muscle thickness and gastric motility was found to be distinct between two functional regions in the proximal and distal stomach. CONCLUSION These results demonstrate the efficacy of using MRI to model gastric anatomy and function. SIGNIFICANCE The proposed approach is expected to enable non-invasive and accurate mapping of gastric motility for preclinical and clinical studies.
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Ma J, Nguyen D, Madas J, Bizanti A, Mistareehi A, Kwiat AM, Chen J, Lin M, Christie R, Hunter P, Heal M, Baldwin S, Tappan S, Furness JB, Powley TL, Cheng ZJ. Mapping the Organization and Morphology of Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide (CGRP)-IR Axons in the Whole Mouse Stomach. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.23.541811. [PMID: 37398245 PMCID: PMC10312482 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.23.541811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Nociceptive afferent axons innervate the stomach and send signals to the brain and spinal cord. Peripheral nociceptive afferents can be detected with a variety of markers [e.g., substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)]. We recently examined the topographical organization and morphology of SP-immunoreactive (SP-IR) axons in the whole mouse stomach muscular layer. However, the distribution and morphological structure of CGRP-IR axons remain unclear. We used immunohistochemistry labeling and applied a combination of imaging techniques, including confocal and Zeiss Imager M2 microscopy, Neurolucida 360 tracing, and integration of axon tracing data into a 3D stomach scaffold to characterize CGRP-IR axons and terminals in the whole mouse stomach muscular layers. We found that: 1) CGRP-IR axons formed extensive terminal networks in both ventral and dorsal stomachs. 2) CGRP-IR axons densely innervated the blood vessels. 3) CGRP-IR axons ran in parallel with the longitudinal and circular muscles. Some axons ran at angles through the muscular layers. 4) They also formed varicose terminal contacts with individual myenteric ganglion neurons. 5) CGRP-IR occurred in DiI-labeled gastric-projecting neurons in the dorsal root and vagal nodose ganglia, indicating CGRP-IR axons were visceral afferent axons. 6) CGRP-IR axons did not colocalize with tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) or vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) axons in the stomach, indicating CGRP-IR axons were not visceral efferent axons. 7) CGRP-IR axons were traced and integrated into a 3D stomach scaffold. For the first time, we provided a topographical distribution map of CGRP-IR axon innervation of the whole stomach muscular layers at the cellular/axonal/varicosity scale.
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10
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Mistareehi A, Bendowski KT, Bizanti A, Madas J, Zhang Y, Kwiat AM, Nguyen D, Kogut N, Ma J, Chen J, Cheng ZJ. Topographical distribution and morphology of SP-IR axons in the antrum, pylorus, and duodenum of mice. Auton Neurosci 2023; 246:103074. [PMID: 36804650 PMCID: PMC10515648 DOI: 10.1016/j.autneu.2023.103074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Substance-P (SP) is a commonly used marker of nociceptive afferent axons, and it plays an important role in a variety of physiological functions including the regulation of motility, gut secretion, and vascular flow. Previously, we found that SP-immunoreactive (SP-IR) axons densely innervated the pyloric antrum of the flat-mount of the mouse whole stomach muscular layer. However, the regional distribution and morphology of SP-IR axons in the submucosa and mucosa were not well documented. In this study, the mouse antrum-pylorus-duodenum (APD) were transversely and longitudinally sectioned. A Zeiss M2 imager was used to scan the serial sections of each APD (each section montage consisted of 50-100 all-in-focus maximal projection images). To determine the detailed structures of SP-IR axons and terminals, we used the confocal microscope to scan the regions of interest. We found that 1) SP-IR axons innervated the muscular, submucosal, and mucosal layers. 2) In the muscular layer, SP-IR varicose axons densely innervated the muscles and formed varicose terminals which encircled myenteric neurons. 3) In the submucosa, SP-IR axons innervated blood vessels and submucosal ganglia and formed a network in Brunner's glands. 4) In the mucosa, SP-IR axons innervated the muscularis mucosae. Some SP-IR axons entered the lamina propria. 5) The muscular layer of the antrum and duodenum showed a higher SP-IR axon density than the pyloric sphincter. 6) SP-IR axons were from extrinsic and intrinsic origins. This work provided a comprehensive view of the distribution and morphology of SP-IR axons in the APD at single cell/axon/varicosity scale. This data will be used to create a 3D scaffold of the SP-IR axon innervation of the APD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anas Mistareehi
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, United States of America
| | - Kohlton T Bendowski
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, United States of America
| | - Ariege Bizanti
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, United States of America
| | - Jazune Madas
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, United States of America
| | - Yuanyuan Zhang
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, United States of America
| | - Andrew M Kwiat
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, United States of America
| | - Duyen Nguyen
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, United States of America
| | - Nicole Kogut
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, United States of America
| | - Jichao Ma
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, United States of America
| | - Jin Chen
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, United States of America
| | - Zixi Jack Cheng
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, United States of America.
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11
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Yuan PQ, Wu SV, Wang L, Taché Y. The ghrelin agonist, HM01 activates central vagal and enteric cholinergic neurons and reverses gastric inflammatory and ileus responses in rats. Neurogastroenterol Motil 2023; 35:e14561. [PMID: 36942655 DOI: 10.1111/nmo.14561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Electrical vagal stimulation alleviates abdominal surgery (AS)-induced intestinal inflammation. Ghrelin receptors (GHS-Rs) are expressed in the brain and peripheral tissues. We investigated the influence of HM01, an orally active ghrelin agonist crossing the blood-brain barrier, on AS-induced gastric inflammation and emptying (GE) in rats. METHODS HM01 (6 mg/kg) or saline pretreatment was administered per orally (po) or intraperitoneally (ip). We assessed GE, gastric cytokine mRNA, and Fos positive cells in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMN) and gastric corpus myenteric plexus (MP) in sham (anesthesia alone) and AS groups. The transcripts of GHS-R1 variants were determined in the medulla oblongata and gastric corpus of naïve rats. KEY RESULTS In vehicle pretreated rats, HM01 (ip) significantly increased the number of Fos immunoreactive cells in the MP and DMN in 55% and 52% of cholinergic neurons respectively. Hexamethonium did not modify HM01-induced Fos expression in the DMN while reducing it in the MP by 2-fold with values still significantly higher than that in control groups. AS upregulated gastric IL-1β and TNFα expression and inhibited GE by 66.6%. HM01 (po) abolished AS-induced gastric ileus and increased cytokine expression and elevated IL-10 by 4.0-fold versus vehicle/sham. GHS-R1a mRNA level was 5.4-fold higher than the truncated GHS-R1b isoform in the brain medulla and 40-fold higher in the gastric submucosa/muscle layers than in the mucosa. CONCLUSIONS AND INFERENCE Peripheral HM0 activates central vagal and myenteric cholinergic pathways that may influence both central and peripheral targets to prevent AS-induced gastric inflammatory and ileus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pu-Qing Yuan
- VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, CURE: Digestive Diseases Research Center (DDRC), Center for Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience (CNSR), University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - S Vincent Wu
- VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Lixin Wang
- VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, CURE: Digestive Diseases Research Center (DDRC), Center for Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience (CNSR), University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Yvette Taché
- VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, CURE: Digestive Diseases Research Center (DDRC), Center for Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience (CNSR), University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
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12
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Athavale ON, Avci R, Cheng LK, Du P. Computational models of autonomic regulation in gastric motility: Progress, challenges, and future directions. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1146097. [PMID: 37008202 PMCID: PMC10050371 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1146097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The stomach is extensively innervated by the vagus nerve and the enteric nervous system. The mechanisms through which this innervation affects gastric motility are being unraveled, motivating the first concerted steps towards the incorporation autonomic regulation into computational models of gastric motility. Computational modeling has been valuable in advancing clinical treatment of other organs, such as the heart. However, to date, computational models of gastric motility have made simplifying assumptions about the link between gastric electrophysiology and motility. Advances in experimental neuroscience mean that these assumptions can be reviewed, and detailed models of autonomic regulation can be incorporated into computational models. This review covers these advances, as well as a vision for the utility of computational models of gastric motility. Diseases of the nervous system, such as Parkinson’s disease, can originate from the brain-gut axis and result in pathological gastric motility. Computational models are a valuable tool for understanding the mechanisms of disease and how treatment may affect gastric motility. This review also covers recent advances in experimental neuroscience that are fundamental to the development of physiology-driven computational models. A vision for the future of computational modeling of gastric motility is proposed and modeling approaches employed for existing mathematical models of autonomic regulation of other gastrointestinal organs and other organ systems are discussed.
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13
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Jaffey DM, McAdams JL, Baronowsky EA, Black D, Powley TL. Vagal preganglionic axons arborize in the myenteric plexus into two types: nitrergic and non-nitrergic postganglionic motor pools? Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2023; 324:R305-R316. [PMID: 36622086 PMCID: PMC9942884 DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00260.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Vagal preganglionic neurons innervate myenteric ganglia. These autonomic efferents are distributed so densely within the ganglia that it has been impractical to track individual vagal axons through the myenteric plexus with tracer labeling. To evaluate whether vagal efferent axons evidence selectivity, particularly for nitrergic or non-nitrergic myenteric neurons within the plexus, we limited the numbers and volumes of brainstem dextran biotin tracer injections per animal. Reduced labeling and the use of immunohistochemistry generated cases in which some individual axons could be distinguished and traced in three dimensions (Neurolucida) within and among successive (up to 46) myenteric ganglia. In the myenteric plexus of all stomach regions, the majority (∼86%) of vagal efferents were organized into two distinct subtypes. One subtype (∼24% of dextran-labeled efferents, designated "primarily nitrergic") selectively contacted and linked-both within and between ganglia-nitric oxide synthase positive (nNOS+) neurons into presumptive motor modules. A second subtype (∼62% of efferents, designated "primarily non-nitrergic") appeared to selectively contact and link-both within and between ganglia-non-nitrergic enteric neurons into a second type of effector ensemble. A third candidate type (∼14% of labeled preganglionics), appeared to lack "nitrergic selectivity" and to contact both nNOS+ and nNOS- enteric neurons. In addition to the quantitative assessment of the efferent axons in stomach, qualitative observations of the proximal duodenum indicated similar selective vagal efferent projections, in proportions comparable with those evaluated in the stomach. Limited injections of tracer, three-dimensional (3-D) tracing of individual axons, and histochemistry of myenteric neurons might distinguish additional efferent phenotypes.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The present study highlights the following: 1) one type of vagal efferent axon selectively innervates nitrergic upper gastrointestinal myenteric neurons; 2) a second type of vagal efferent selectively innervates non-nitrergic gastrointestinal myenteric neurons; and 3) the two types of vagal efferents might modulate peristalsis reciprocally and cooperatively.
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Affiliation(s)
- D M Jaffey
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
| | - J L McAdams
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
| | - E A Baronowsky
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
| | - D Black
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
| | - T L Powley
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
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14
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McMahan ZH, Kulkarni S, Chen J, Chen JZ, Xavier RJ, Pasricha PJ, Khanna D. Systemic sclerosis gastrointestinal dysmotility: risk factors, pathophysiology, diagnosis and management. Nat Rev Rheumatol 2023; 19:166-181. [PMID: 36747090 DOI: 10.1038/s41584-022-00900-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Nearly all patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) are negatively affected by dysfunction in the gastrointestinal tract, and the severity of gastrointestinal disease in SSc correlates with high mortality. The clinical complications of this dysfunction are heterogeneous and include gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, gastroparesis, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, intestinal pseudo-obstruction, malabsorption and the requirement for total parenteral nutrition. The abnormal gastrointestinal physiology that promotes the clinical manifestations of SSc gastrointestinal disease throughout the gastrointestinal tract are diverse and present a range of therapeutic targets. Furthermore, the armamentarium of medications and non-pharmacological interventions that can benefit affected patients has substantially expanded in the past 10 years, and research is increasingly focused in this area. Here, we review the details of the gastrointestinal complications in SSc, tie physiological abnormalities to clinical manifestations, detail the roles of standard and novel therapies and lay a foundation for future investigative work.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Subhash Kulkarni
- Division of Gastroenterology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joan Chen
- Division of Gastroenterology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Jiande Z Chen
- Division of Gastroenterology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Ramnik J Xavier
- Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Center for Microbiome Informatics and Therapeutics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - P Jay Pasricha
- Division of Gastroenterology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
| | - Dinesh Khanna
- Division of Rheumatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. .,University of Michigan Scleroderma Program, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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15
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Ma J, Mistareehi A, Madas J, Kwiat AM, Bendowski K, Nguyen D, Chen J, Li DP, Furness JB, Powley TL, Cheng Z(J. Topographical organization and morphology of substance P (SP)-immunoreactive axons in the whole stomach of mice. J Comp Neurol 2023; 531:188-216. [PMID: 36385363 PMCID: PMC10499116 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Nociceptive afferents innervate the stomach and send signals centrally to the brain and locally to stomach tissues. Nociceptive afferents can be detected with a variety of different markers. In particular, substance P (SP) is a neuropeptide and is one of the most commonly used markers for nociceptive nerves in the somatic and visceral organs. However, the topographical distribution and morphological structure of SP-immunoreactive (SP-IR) axons and terminals in the whole stomach have not yet been fully determined. In this study, we labeled SP-IR axons and terminals in flat mounts of the ventral and dorsal halves of the stomach of mice. Flat-mount stomachs, including the longitudinal and circular muscular layers and the myenteric ganglionic plexus, were processed with SP primary antibody followed by fluorescent secondary antibody and then scanned using confocal microscopy. We found that (1) SP-IR axons and terminals formed an extensive network of fibers in the muscular layers and within the ganglia of the myenteric plexus of the whole stomach. (2) Many axons that ran in parallel with the long axes of the longitudinal and circular muscles were also immunoreactive for the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT). (3) SP-IR axons formed very dense terminal varicosities encircling individual neurons in the myenteric plexus; many of these were VAChT immunoreactive. (4) The regional density of SP-IR axons and terminals in the muscle and myenteric plexus varied in the following order from high to low: antrum-pylorus, corpus, fundus, and cardia. (5) In only the longitudinal and circular muscles, the regional density of SP-IR axon innervation from high to low were: antrum-pylorus, corpus, cardia, and fundus. (6) The innervation patterns of SP-IR axons and terminals in the ventral and dorsal stomach were comparable. Collectively, our data provide for the first time a map of the distribution and morphology of SP-IR axons and terminals in the whole stomach with single-cell/axon/synapse resolution. This work will establish an anatomical foundation for functional mapping of the SP-IR axon innervation of the stomach and its pathological remodeling in gastrointestinal diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jichao Ma
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816
| | - Anas Mistareehi
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816
| | - Jazune Madas
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816
| | - Andrew M. Kwiat
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816
| | - Kohlton Bendowski
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816
| | - Duyen Nguyen
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816
| | - Jin Chen
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816
| | - De-Pei Li
- Center for Precision Medicine, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Missouri
| | - John B Furness
- Department of Anatomy & Physiology, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Terry L Powley
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47906
| | - Zixi (Jack) Cheng
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816
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16
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Bassi JK, Connelly AA, Butler AG, Liu Y, Ghanbari A, Farmer DGS, Jenkins MW, Melo MR, McDougall SJ, Allen AM. Analysis of the distribution of vagal afferent projections from different peripheral organs to the nucleus of the solitary tract in rats. J Comp Neurol 2022; 530:3072-3103. [PMID: 35988033 PMCID: PMC9804483 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Anatomical tracing studies examining the vagal system can conflate details of sensory afferent and motor efferent neurons. Here, we used a serotype of adeno-associated virus that transports retrogradely and exhibits selective tropism for vagal afferents, to map their soma location and central termination sites within the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS). We examined the vagal sensory afferents innervating the trachea, duodenum, stomach, or heart, and in some animals, from two organs concurrently. We observed no obvious somatotopy in the somata distribution within the nodose ganglion. The central termination patterns of afferents from different organs within the NTS overlap substantially. Convergence of vagal afferent inputs from different organs onto single NTS neurons is observed. Abdominal and thoracic afferents terminate throughout the NTS, including in the rostral NTS, where the 7th cranial nerve inputs are known to synapse. To address whether the axonal labeling produced by viral transduction is so widespread because it fills axons traveling to their targets, and not just terminal fields, we labeled pre and postsynaptic elements of vagal afferents in the NTS . Vagal afferents form multiple putative synapses as they course through the NTS, with each vagal afferent neuron distributing sensory signals to multiple second-order NTS neurons. We observe little selectivity between vagal afferents from different visceral targets and NTS neurons with common neurochemical phenotypes, with afferents from different organs making close appositions with the same NTS neuron. We conclude that specific viscerosensory information is distributed widely within the NTS and that the coding of this input is probably determined by the intrinsic properties and projections of the second-order neuron.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaspreet K. Bassi
- Department of Anatomy and PhysiologyThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Angela A. Connelly
- Department of Anatomy and PhysiologyThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Andrew G. Butler
- Department of Anatomy and PhysiologyThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Yehe Liu
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOhioUSA
| | - Anahita Ghanbari
- Department of Anatomy and PhysiologyThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia,Department of Queensland Brain InstituteThe University of QueenslandSt LuciaQueenslandAustralia
| | - David G. S. Farmer
- Department of Anatomy and PhysiologyThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Michael W. Jenkins
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOhioUSA
| | - Mariana R. Melo
- Department of Anatomy and PhysiologyThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Stuart J. McDougall
- Department of Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental HealthThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Andrew M. Allen
- Department of Anatomy and PhysiologyThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia,Department of Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental HealthThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
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17
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Cao J, Wang X, Chen J, Zhang N, Liu Z. The vagus nerve mediates the stomach-brain coherence in rats. Neuroimage 2022; 263:119628. [PMID: 36113737 PMCID: PMC10008817 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119628] [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: 06/19/2022] [Revised: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Interactions between the brain and the stomach shape both cognitive and digestive functions. Recent human studies report spontaneous synchronization between brain activity and gastric slow waves in the resting state. However, this finding has not been replicated in any animal models. The neural pathways underlying this apparent stomach-brain synchrony is also unclear. Here, we performed functional magnetic resonance imaging while simultaneously recording body-surface gastric slow waves from anesthetized rats in the fasted vs. postprandial conditions and performed a bilateral cervical vagotomy to assess the role of the vagus nerve. The coherence between brain fMRI signals and gastric slow waves was found in a distributed "gastric network", including subcortical and cortical regions in the sensory, motor, and limbic systems. The stomach-brain coherence was largely reduced by the bilateral vagotomy and was different between the fasted and fed states. These findings suggest that the vagus nerve mediates the spontaneous coherence between brain activity and gastric slow waves, which is likely a signature of real-time stomach-brain interactions. However, its functional significance remains to be established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayue Cao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA
| | - Xiaokai Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA
| | - Jiande Chen
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA
| | - Nanyin Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Huck Institutes of the life sciences, Pennsylvania State University, USA
| | - Zhongming Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA; Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA.
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18
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Han Y, Wang B, Gao H, He C, Hua R, Liang C, Zhang S, Wang Y, Xin S, Xu J. Vagus Nerve and Underlying Impact on the Gut Microbiota-Brain Axis in Behavior and Neurodegenerative Diseases. J Inflamm Res 2022; 15:6213-6230. [PMID: 36386584 PMCID: PMC9656367 DOI: 10.2147/jir.s384949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiota is the most abundant and diverse microbiota in the human body and the vagus nerve is the most widely distributed and complex nerve in the body, both of them are essential in maintaining homeostasis. The most important phenomenon is how they coordinate to regulate functions, which has attracted the great attention of scientists. The academic literature on the correlation with a host of intestinal diseases and even systemic diseases has revealed the bidirectional communication between the gut microbiota and the brain, which can be carried out via multiple patterns. In the review, firstly, we have a general overview of the gut microbiota and the gut microbiota-brain axis. Secondly, according to the distribution characteristics of the vagus nerve, we analyzed and summarized its function in the intestinal tract. At the same time, we have summarized the underlying mechanism of some behavior changes such as depressive and anxiety-like behaviors and related neurodegenerative diseases caused by the vagus nerve and intestinal microecological environment disorders, and then we also analyzed inconsistency of the experimental evidence in order to propose novel strategies for the clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yimin Han
- Department of Oral Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, People’s Republic of China
| | - Boya Wang
- Undergraduate Student of 2018 Eight Program of Clinical Medicine, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, 100083, People’s Republic of China
| | - Han Gao
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, People’s Republic of China
| | - Chengwei He
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, People’s Republic of China
| | - Rongxuan Hua
- Department of Clinical Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, People’s Republic of China
| | - Chen Liang
- Department of Clinical Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, People’s Republic of China
| | - Sitian Zhang
- Department of Clinical Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ying Wang
- Department of Dermatology, Beijing Tong Ren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shuzi Xin
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jingdong Xu
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, People’s Republic of China
- Correspondence: Jingdong Xu, Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, No. 10, Xitoutiao, Youanmenwai, Fengtai District, Beijing, 100069, People’s Republic of China, Tel/Fax +86 10-8391-1469, Email
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19
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Fornaro R, Actis GC, Caviglia GP, Pitoni D, Ribaldone DG. Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Role of Vagus Nerve Stimulation. J Clin Med 2022; 11:jcm11195690. [PMID: 36233558 PMCID: PMC9572047 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11195690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is an accepted therapy for the treatment of refractory forms of epilepsy and depression. The brain–gut axis is increasingly being studied as a possible etiological factor of chronic inflammatory diseases, including inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). A significant percentage of IBD patients lose response to treatments or experience side effects. In this perspective, VNS has shown the first efficacy data. The aim of this narrative review is to underline the biological plausibility of the use of VNS in patients affected by IBD, collect all clinical data in the literature, and hypothesize a target IBD population on which to focus the next clinical study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Fornaro
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital “Maggiore Della Carità”, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | | | - Gian Paolo Caviglia
- Department of Medical Sciences, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Torino, 10126 Torino, Italy
| | - Demis Pitoni
- Department of Medical Sciences, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Torino, 10126 Torino, Italy
| | - Davide Giuseppe Ribaldone
- Department of Medical Sciences, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Torino, 10126 Torino, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-011-6333710
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20
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Wang L, Yuan PQ, Challis C, Ravindra Kumar S, Taché Y. Transduction of Systemically Administered Adeno-Associated Virus in the Colonic Enteric Nervous System and c-Kit Cells of Adult Mice. Front Neuroanat 2022; 16:884280. [PMID: 35734536 PMCID: PMC9207206 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2022.884280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Systemic delivery of adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors transduces the enteric nervous system. However, less is known on the mapping and morphological and neurochemical characterization in the adult mouse colon. We used AAV9-CAG-GFP (AAV9) and AAV-PHP.S-hSyn1-tdTomato farnesylated (PHP.S-tdTf) to investigate the segmental distribution, morphologies and neurochemical coding of the transduction. The vectors were retro-orbitally injected in male and female adult mice, and 3 weeks later, the colon was prepared for microcopy with or without immunohistochemistry for neuronal and non-neuronal markers. In contrast to the distributions in neonatal and juvenile rodents, the AAV transduction in neurons and/or nerve fibers was the highest in the proximal colon, decreased gradually in the transverse, and was sparse in the distal colon without difference between sexes. In the proximal colon, the AAV9-transduced myenteric neurons were unevenly distributed. The majority of enteric neurons did not have AAV9 expression in their processes, except those with big soma with or without variously shaped dendrites, and a long axon. Immunolabeling demonstrated that about 31% neurons were transduced by AAV9, and the transduction was in 50, 28, and 31% of cholinergic, nitrergic, and calbindin-positive myenteric neurons, respectively. The nerve fiber markers, calcitonin gene-related peptide alpha, tyrosine hydroxylase or vasoactive intestinal polypeptide co-localized with AAV9 or PHP.S-tdTf in the mucosa, and rarely in the myenteric plexus. Unexpectedly, AAV9 expression appeared also in a few c-Kit immunoreactive cells among the heavily populated interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC). In the distal colon, the AAV transduction appeared in a few nerve fibers mostly the interganglionic strands. Other types of AAV9 and AAV-PHP vectors induced a similar colonic segmental difference which is not colon specific since neurons were transduced in the small intestine and gastric antrum, while little in the gastric corpus and none in the lower esophagus. Conclusion These findings demonstrate that in adult mice colon that there is a rostro-caudal decrease in the transduction of systemic delivery of AAV9 and its variants independent of sex. The characterization of AAV transduction in the proximal colon in cholinergic and nitrergic myenteric neurons along with a few ICC suggests implications in circuitries regulating motility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lixin Wang
- Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, Department of Medicine, CURE/Digestive Diseases Research Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Pu-Qing Yuan
- Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, Department of Medicine, CURE/Digestive Diseases Research Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Collin Challis
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States
| | - Sripriya Ravindra Kumar
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States
| | - Yvette Taché
- Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, Department of Medicine, CURE/Digestive Diseases Research Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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21
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Di Natale MR, Patten L, Molero JC, Stebbing MJ, Hunne B, Wang X, Liu Z, Furness JB. Organisation of the musculature of the rat stomach. J Anat 2022; 240:711-723. [PMID: 34747011 PMCID: PMC8930815 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The strengths, directions and coupling of the movements of the stomach depend on the organisation of its musculature. Although the rat has been used as a model species to study gastric function, there is no detailed, quantitative study of the arrangement of the gastric muscles in rat. Here we provide a descriptive and quantitative account, and compare it with human gastric anatomy. The rat stomach has three components of the muscularis externa, a longitudinal coat, a circular coat and an internal oblique (sling) muscle in the region of the gastro-oesophageal junction. These layers are similar to human. Unlike human, the rat stomach is also equipped with paired muscular oesophago-pyloric ligaments that lie external to the longitudinal muscle. There is a prominent muscularis mucosae throughout the stomach and strands of smooth muscle occur in the mucosa, between the glands of the corpus and antrum. The striated muscle of the oesophageal wall reaches to the stomach, unlike the human, in which the wall of the distal oesophagus is smooth muscle. Thus, the continuity of gastric and oesophageal smooth muscle bundles, that occurs in human, does not occur in rat. Circular muscle bundles extend around the circumference of the stomach, in the fundus forming a cap of parallel muscle bundles. This arrangement favours co-ordinated circumferential contractions. Small bands of muscle make connections between the circular muscle bundles. This is consistent with a slower conduction of excitation orthogonal to the circular muscle bundles, across the corpus towards the distal antrum. The oblique muscle merged and became continuous with the circular muscle close to the gastro-oesophageal junction at the base of the fundus, and in the corpus, lateral to the lesser curvature. Quantitation of muscle thickness revealed gradients of thickness of both the longitudinal and circular muscle. This anatomical study provides essential data for interpreting gastric movements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeleine R. Di Natale
- Department of Anatomy & PhysiologyUniversity of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental HealthParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Lauren Patten
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental HealthParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Juan C. Molero
- Department of Anatomy & PhysiologyUniversity of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental HealthParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Martin J. Stebbing
- Department of Anatomy & PhysiologyUniversity of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental HealthParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Billie Hunne
- Department of Anatomy & PhysiologyUniversity of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Xiaokai Wang
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMichiganUSA
| | - Zhongming Liu
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMichiganUSA
| | - John B. Furness
- Department of Anatomy & PhysiologyUniversity of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental HealthParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
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22
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Watts AG, Kanoski SE, Sanchez-Watts G, Langhans W. The physiological control of eating: signals, neurons, and networks. Physiol Rev 2022; 102:689-813. [PMID: 34486393 PMCID: PMC8759974 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00028.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
During the past 30 yr, investigating the physiology of eating behaviors has generated a truly vast literature. This is fueled in part by a dramatic increase in obesity and its comorbidities that has coincided with an ever increasing sophistication of genetically based manipulations. These techniques have produced results with a remarkable degree of cell specificity, particularly at the cell signaling level, and have played a lead role in advancing the field. However, putting these findings into a brain-wide context that connects physiological signals and neurons to behavior and somatic physiology requires a thorough consideration of neuronal connections: a field that has also seen an extraordinary technological revolution. Our goal is to present a comprehensive and balanced assessment of how physiological signals associated with energy homeostasis interact at many brain levels to control eating behaviors. A major theme is that these signals engage sets of interacting neural networks throughout the brain that are defined by specific neural connections. We begin by discussing some fundamental concepts, including ones that still engender vigorous debate, that provide the necessary frameworks for understanding how the brain controls meal initiation and termination. These include key word definitions, ATP availability as the pivotal regulated variable in energy homeostasis, neuropeptide signaling, homeostatic and hedonic eating, and meal structure. Within this context, we discuss network models of how key regions in the endbrain (or telencephalon), hypothalamus, hindbrain, medulla, vagus nerve, and spinal cord work together with the gastrointestinal tract to enable the complex motor events that permit animals to eat in diverse situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan G Watts
- The Department of Biological Sciences, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Scott E Kanoski
- The Department of Biological Sciences, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Graciela Sanchez-Watts
- The Department of Biological Sciences, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Wolfgang Langhans
- Physiology and Behavior Laboratory, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule-Zürich, Schwerzenbach, Switzerland
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23
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Zhao Q, Yu CD, Wang R, Xu QJ, Dai Pra R, Zhang L, Chang RB. A multidimensional coding architecture of the vagal interoceptive system. Nature 2022; 603:878-884. [PMID: 35296859 PMCID: PMC8967724 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04515-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Interoception, the ability to timely and precisely sense changes inside the body, is critical for survival1-4. Vagal sensory neurons (VSNs) form an important body-to-brain connection, navigating visceral organs along the rostral-caudal axis of the body and crossing the surface-lumen axis of organs into appropriate tissue layers5,6. The brain can discriminate numerous body signals through VSNs, but the underlying coding strategy remains poorly understood. Here we show that VSNs code visceral organ, tissue layer and stimulus modality-three key features of an interoceptive signal-in different dimensions. Large-scale single-cell profiling of VSNs from seven major organs in mice using multiplexed projection barcodes reveals a 'visceral organ' dimension composed of differentially expressed gene modules that code organs along the body's rostral-caudal axis. We discover another 'tissue layer' dimension with gene modules that code the locations of VSN endings along the surface-lumen axis of organs. Using calcium-imaging-guided spatial transcriptomics, we show that VSNs are organized into functional units to sense similar stimuli across organs and tissue layers; this constitutes a third 'stimulus modality' dimension. The three independent feature-coding dimensions together specify many parallel VSN pathways in a combinatorial manner and facilitate the complex projection of VSNs in the brainstem. Our study highlights a multidimensional coding architecture of the mammalian vagal interoceptive system for effective signal communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiancheng Zhao
- grid.47100.320000000419368710Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA ,grid.47100.320000000419368710Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA
| | - Chuyue D. Yu
- grid.47100.320000000419368710Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA ,grid.47100.320000000419368710Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA ,grid.47100.320000000419368710Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA
| | - Rui Wang
- grid.47100.320000000419368710Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA ,grid.47100.320000000419368710Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA
| | - Qian J. Xu
- grid.47100.320000000419368710Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA ,grid.47100.320000000419368710Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA ,grid.47100.320000000419368710Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA
| | - Rafael Dai Pra
- grid.47100.320000000419368710Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA
| | - Le Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Rui B. Chang
- grid.47100.320000000419368710Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA ,grid.47100.320000000419368710Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA
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24
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Powley TL. Brain-gut communication: vagovagal reflexes interconnect the two "brains". Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 2021; 321:G576-G587. [PMID: 34643086 PMCID: PMC8616589 DOI: 10.1152/ajpgi.00214.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
The gastrointestinal tract has its own "brain," the enteric nervous system or ENS, that executes routine housekeeping functions of digestion. The dorsal vagal complex in the central nervous system (CNS) brainstem, however, organizes vagovagal reflexes and establishes interconnections between the entire neuroaxis of the CNS and the gut. Thus, the dorsal vagal complex links the "CNS brain" to the "ENS brain." This brain-gut connectome provides reflex adjustments that optimize digestion and assimilation of nutrients and fluid. Vagovagal circuitry also generates the plasticity and adaptability needed to maintain homeostasis to coordinate among organs and to react to environmental situations. Arguably, this dynamic flexibility provided by the vagal circuitry may, in some circumstances, lead to or complicate maladaptive disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terry L Powley
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
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25
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Cao J, Wang X, Powley TL, Liu Z. Gastric neurons in the nucleus tractus solitarius are selective to the orientation of gastric electrical stimulation. J Neural Eng 2021; 18:10.1088/1741-2552/ac2ec6. [PMID: 34634781 PMCID: PMC8625070 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/ac2ec6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Objective.Gastric electrical stimulation (GES) is a bioelectric intervention for gastroparesis, obesity, and other functional gastrointestinal disorders. In a potential mechanism of action, GES activates the nerve endings of vagal afferent neurons and induces the vago-vagal reflex through the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) in the brainstem. However, it is unclear where and how to stimulate in order to optimize the vagal afferent responses.Approach.To address this question with electrophysiology in rats, we applied mild electrical currents to two serosal targets on the distal forestomach with dense distributions of vagal intramuscular arrays (IMAs) that innervated the circular and longitudinal smooth muscle layers. During stimulation, we recorded single and multi-unit responses from gastric neurons in NTS and evaluated how the recorded responses depended on the stimulus orientation and amplitude.Main results.We found that NTS responses were highly selective to the stimulus orientation for a range of stimulus amplitudes. The strongest responses were observed when the applied current flowed in the same direction as the IMAs in parallel with the underlying smooth muscle fibers. Our results suggest that gastric neurons in NTS may encode the orientation-specific activity of gastric smooth muscles relayed by vagal afferent neurons.Significance.This finding suggests that the orientation of GES is critical to effective engagement of vagal afferents and should be considered in light of the structural phenotypes of vagal terminals in the stomach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayue Cao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan Ann Arbor
| | - Xiaokai Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan Ann Arbor
| | - Terry L. Powley
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University West Lafayette
| | - Zhongming Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan Ann Arbor
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan Ann Arbor
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26
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Günther C, Rothhammer V, Karow M, Neurath M, Winner B. The Gut-Brain Axis in Inflammatory Bowel Disease-Current and Future Perspectives. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22168870. [PMID: 34445575 PMCID: PMC8396333 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The gut–brain axis is a bidirectional communication system driven by neural, hormonal, metabolic, immunological, and microbial signals. Signaling events from the gut can modulate brain function and recent evidence suggests that the gut–brain axis may play a pivotal role in linking gastrointestinal and neurological diseases. Accordingly, accumulating evidence has suggested a link between inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) and neurodegenerative, as well as neuroinflammatory diseases. In this context, clinical, epidemiological and experimental data have demonstrated that IBD predisposes a person to pathologies of the central nervous system (CNS). Likewise, a number of neurological disorders are associated with changes in the intestinal environment, which are indicative for disease-mediated gut–brain inter-organ communication. Although this axis was identified more than 20 years ago, the sequence of events and underlying molecular mechanisms are poorly defined. The emergence of precision medicine has uncovered the need to take into account non-intestinal symptoms in the context of IBD that could offer the opportunity to tailor therapies to individual patients. The aim of this review is to highlight recent findings supporting the clinical and biological link between the gut and brain, as well as its clinical significance for IBD as well as neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation. Finally, we focus on novel human-specific preclinical models that will help uncover disease mechanisms to better understand and modulate the function of this complex system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Günther
- Department of Medicine 1, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany;
- Correspondence: (C.G.); (B.W.); Tel.: +49-(0)9131-85-45240 (C.G.); +49-(0)9131-85-39301 (B.W.)
| | - Veit Rothhammer
- Department of Neurology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany;
| | - Marisa Karow
- Institute of Biochemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany;
| | - Markus Neurath
- Department of Medicine 1, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany;
| | - Beate Winner
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Correspondence: (C.G.); (B.W.); Tel.: +49-(0)9131-85-45240 (C.G.); +49-(0)9131-85-39301 (B.W.)
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27
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Tao J, Campbell JN, Tsai LT, Wu C, Liberles SD, Lowell BB. Highly selective brain-to-gut communication via genetically defined vagus neurons. Neuron 2021; 109:2106-2115.e4. [PMID: 34077742 PMCID: PMC8273126 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The vagus nerve innervates many organs, and most, if not all, of its motor fibers are cholinergic. However, no one knows its organizing principles-whether or not there are dedicated neurons with restricted targets that act as "labeled lines" to perform certain functions, including two opposing ones (gastric contraction versus relaxation). By performing unbiased transcriptional profiling of DMV cholinergic neurons, we discovered seven molecularly distinct subtypes of motor neurons. Then, by using subtype-specific Cre driver mice, we show that two of these subtypes exclusively innervate the glandular domain of the stomach where, remarkably, they contact different enteric neurons releasing functionally opposing neurotransmitters (acetylcholine versus nitric oxide). Thus, the vagus motor nerve communicates via genetically defined labeled lines to control functionally unique enteric neurons within discrete subregions of the gastrointestinal tract. This discovery reveals that the parasympathetic nervous system utilizes a striking division of labor to control autonomic function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenkang Tao
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - John N Campbell
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA.
| | - Linus T Tsai
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Chen Wu
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Stephen D Liberles
- Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Bradford B Lowell
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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28
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Cheng LK, Nagahawatte ND, Avci R, Du P, Liu Z, Paskaranandavadivel N. Strategies to Refine Gastric Stimulation and Pacing Protocols: Experimental and Modeling Approaches. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:645472. [PMID: 33967679 PMCID: PMC8100207 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.645472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Gastric pacing and stimulation strategies were first proposed in the 1960s to treat motility disorders. However, there has been relatively limited clinical translation of these techniques. Experimental investigations have been critical in advancing our understanding of the control mechanisms that innervate gut function. In this review, we will discuss the use of pacing to modulate the rhythmic slow wave conduction patterns generated by interstitial cells of Cajal in the gastric musculature. In addition, the use of gastric high-frequency stimulation methods that target nerves in the stomach to either inhibit or enhance stomach function will be discussed. Pacing and stimulation protocols to modulate gastric activity, effective parameters and limitations in the existing studies are summarized. Mathematical models are useful to understand complex and dynamic systems. A review of existing mathematical models and techniques that aim to help refine pacing and stimulation protocols are provided. Finally, some future directions and challenges that should be investigated are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leo K Cheng
- Auckland Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.,Department of General Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States.,Riddet Institute, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Nipuni D Nagahawatte
- Auckland Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Recep Avci
- Auckland Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Peng Du
- Auckland Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Zhongming Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.,Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
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29
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Ortega VA, Mercer EM, Giesbrecht GF, Arrieta MC. Evolutionary Significance of the Neuroendocrine Stress Axis on Vertebrate Immunity and the Influence of the Microbiome on Early-Life Stress Regulation and Health Outcomes. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:634539. [PMID: 33897639 PMCID: PMC8058197 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.634539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress is broadly defined as the non-specific biological response to changes in homeostatic demands and is mediated by the evolutionarily conserved neuroendocrine networks of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathetic nervous system. Activation of these networks results in transient release of glucocorticoids (cortisol) and catecholamines (epinephrine) into circulation, as well as activation of sympathetic fibers innervating end organs. These interventions thus regulate numerous physiological processes, including energy metabolism, cardiovascular physiology, and immunity, thereby adapting to cope with the perceived stressors. The developmental trajectory of the stress-axis is influenced by a number of factors, including the gut microbiome, which is the community of microbes that colonizes the gastrointestinal tract immediately following birth. The gut microbiome communicates with the brain through the production of metabolites and microbially derived signals, which are essential to human stress response network development. Ecological perturbations to the gut microbiome during early life may result in the alteration of signals implicated in developmental programming during this critical window, predisposing individuals to numerous diseases later in life. The vulnerability of stress response networks to maladaptive development has been exemplified through animal models determining a causal role for gut microbial ecosystems in HPA axis activity, stress reactivity, and brain development. In this review, we explore the evolutionary significance of the stress-axis system for health maintenance and review recent findings that connect early-life microbiome disturbances to alterations in the development of stress response networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Van A Ortega
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,International Microbiome Centre, Cumming School of Medicine, Health Sciences Centre, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Emily M Mercer
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,International Microbiome Centre, Cumming School of Medicine, Health Sciences Centre, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Gerald F Giesbrecht
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Owerko Centre, The Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Marie-Claire Arrieta
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,International Microbiome Centre, Cumming School of Medicine, Health Sciences Centre, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
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30
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Gastric Sensory and Motor Functions and Energy Intake in Health and Obesity-Therapeutic Implications. Nutrients 2021; 13:nu13041158. [PMID: 33915747 PMCID: PMC8065811 DOI: 10.3390/nu13041158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Sensory and motor functions of the stomach, including gastric emptying and accommodation, have significant effects on energy consumption and appetite. Obesity is characterized by energy imbalance; altered gastric functions, such as rapid gastric emptying and large fasting gastric volume in obesity, may result in increased food intake prior to reaching usual fullness and increased appetite. Thus, many different interventions for obesity, including different diets, anti-obesity medications, bariatric endoscopy, and surgery, alter gastric functions and gastrointestinal motility. In this review, we focus on the role of the gastric and intestinal functions in food intake, pathophysiology of obesity, and obesity management.
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31
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Bonaz B, Sinniger V, Pellissier S. Therapeutic Potential of Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:650971. [PMID: 33828455 PMCID: PMC8019822 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.650971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The vagus nerve is a mixed nerve, comprising 80% afferent fibers and 20% efferent fibers. It allows a bidirectional communication between the central nervous system and the digestive tract. It has a dual anti-inflammatory properties via activation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis, by its afferents, but also through a vago-vagal inflammatory reflex involving an afferent (vagal) and an efferent (vagal) arm, called the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway. Indeed, the release of acetylcholine at the end of its efferent fibers is able to inhibit the release of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha by macrophages via an interneuron of the enteric nervous system synapsing between the efferent vagal endings and the macrophages and releasing acetylcholine. The vagus nerve also synapses with the splenic sympathetic nerve to inhibit the release of TNF-alpha by splenic macrophages. It can also activate the spinal sympathetic system after central integration of its afferents. This anti-TNF-alpha effect of the vagus nerve can be used in the treatment of chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, represented by Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis where this cytokine plays a key role. Bioelectronic medicine, via vagus nerve stimulation, may have an interest in this non-drug therapeutic approach as an alternative to conventional anti-TNF-alpha drugs, which are not devoid of side effects feared by patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Bonaz
- Division of Hepato-Gastroenterology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France.,Grenoble Institute of Neurosciences, Inserm U1216, University Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Valérie Sinniger
- Division of Hepato-Gastroenterology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France.,Grenoble Institute of Neurosciences, Inserm U1216, University Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Sonia Pellissier
- Laboratoire Inter-Universitaire de Psychologie Personnalité, Cognition, Changement Social, University Grenoble Alpes, University Savoie Mont Blanc, Grenoble, France
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Browning KN, Carson KE. Central Neurocircuits Regulating Food Intake in Response to Gut Inputs-Preclinical Evidence. Nutrients 2021; 13:nu13030908. [PMID: 33799575 PMCID: PMC7998662 DOI: 10.3390/nu13030908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The regulation of energy balance requires the complex integration of homeostatic and hedonic pathways, but sensory inputs from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract are increasingly recognized as playing critical roles. The stomach and small intestine relay sensory information to the central nervous system (CNS) via the sensory afferent vagus nerve. This vast volume of complex sensory information is received by neurons of the nucleus of the tractus solitarius (NTS) and is integrated with responses to circulating factors as well as descending inputs from the brainstem, midbrain, and forebrain nuclei involved in autonomic regulation. The integrated signal is relayed to the adjacent dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV), which supplies the motor output response via the efferent vagus nerve to regulate and modulate gastric motility, tone, secretion, and emptying, as well as intestinal motility and transit; the precise coordination of these responses is essential for the control of meal size, meal termination, and nutrient absorption. The interconnectivity of the NTS implies that many other CNS areas are capable of modulating vagal efferent output, emphasized by the many CNS disorders associated with dysregulated GI functions including feeding. This review will summarize the role of major CNS centers to gut-related inputs in the regulation of gastric function with specific reference to the regulation of food intake.
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Rangon CM, Krantic S, Moyse E, Fougère B. The Vagal Autonomic Pathway of COVID-19 at the Crossroad of Alzheimer's Disease and Aging: A Review of Knowledge. J Alzheimers Dis Rep 2020; 4:537-551. [PMID: 33532701 PMCID: PMC7835993 DOI: 10.3233/adr-200273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic-triggered mortality is significantly higher in older than in younger populations worldwide. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is related to aging and was recently reported to be among the major risk factors for COVID-19 mortality in older people. The symptomatology of COVID-19 indicates that lethal outcomes of infection rely on neurogenic mechanisms. The present review compiles the available knowledge pointing to the convergence of COVID-19 complications with the mechanisms of autonomic dysfunctions in AD and aging. The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is prone to neuroinvasion from the lung along the vagus nerve up to the brainstem autonomic nervous centers involved in the coupling of cardiovascular and respiratory rhythms. The brainstem autonomic network allows SARS-CoV-2 to trigger a neurogenic switch to hypertension and hypoventilation, which may act in synergy with aging- and AD-induced dysautonomias, along with an inflammatory "storm". The lethal outcomes of COVID-19, like in AD and unhealthy aging, likely rely on a critical hypoactivity of the efferent vagus nerve cholinergic pathway, which is involved in lowering cardiovascular pressure and systemic inflammation tone. We further discuss the emerging evidence supporting the use of 1) the non-invasive stimulation of vagus nerve as an additional therapeutic approach for severe COVID-19, and 2) the demonstrated vagal tone index, i.e., heart rate variability, via smartphone-based applications as a non-serological low-cost diagnostic of COVID-19. These two well-known medical approaches are already available and now deserve large-scale testing on human cohorts in the context of both AD and COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire-Marie Rangon
- Pain and Neuromodulation Unit, Division of Neurosurgery, Hôpital Fondation Ophtalmologique A. De Rothschild, Paris, France
| | - Slavica Krantic
- Sorbonne Université, St. Antoine Research Center (CRSA), Inserm UMRS-938, Hopital St-Antoine, Paris, France
| | - Emmanuel Moyse
- INRAE Centre Val-de-Loire, Physiology of Reproduction and Behavior Unit (PRC, UMR-85), Team ER2, Nouzilly, France
| | - Bertrand Fougère
- Division of Geriatric Medicine, Tours University Hospital, Tours, France
- Education, Ethics, Health (EA 7505), Tours University, Tours, France
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Ofner M, Walach H. The Vegetative Receptor-Vascular Reflex (VRVR) - A New Key to Regeneration. Front Physiol 2020; 11:547526. [PMID: 33071809 PMCID: PMC7538835 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.547526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We describe a potentially new physiological reflex path that has so far been neglected but which could be used for a novel therapeutic approach: The vegetative receptor-vascular reflex. This is a physiological response that starts from the connective tissue and influences the whole organism. We cross-fertilized various research areas with each other. KEY FINDINGS The matrix or the connective tissue forms a passive reservoir of substrate for the growth and development of cells, and functions as the primordial communication system of all living systems. It contains a continuous network of cells, such as fibroblasts, along with protein bundles made up of collagen that support electrical exchange through piezoelectric effects. This archaic vegetative system surrounds all cells, including neurons, and can thus be viewed as the primordial coordinating system in every organism. It is very likely the basis for a reflex which we describe here for the first time: the vegetative receptor vascular reflex. We also indicate some potential practical applications and test procedures. CONCLUSION The vegetative receptor vascular reflex describes the pathway from stimuli that originate in the connective tissue or the extracellular matrix toward organ systems. They might be chemical in nature or electrical via piezo-electric effects stimulating nerve endings, and thus can influence higher order processes such as regeneration or healing of tissue. Thus, this reflex lends itself to a novel therapeutic approach via certain types of manipulation of the connective tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Ofner
- Institute of Pathophysiology and Immunology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Harald Walach
- Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland
- Department of Psychology, Witten/Herdecke University, Witten, Germany
- Change Health Science Institute, Berlin, Germany
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Zhang L, Vaudry D, Brown CH, Eiden LE. Editorial: Regulatory Peptides in Neuroscience and Endocrinology: A New Era Begins. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2019; 10:793. [PMID: 31866939 PMCID: PMC6904302 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2019.00793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Limei Zhang
- Department of Physiology, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - David Vaudry
- Normandie Univ, UNIROUEN, Inserm, Laboratory of Neuronal and Neuroendocrine Communication and Differentiation, Neuropeptides, Neuronal Death and Cell Plasticity Team, Rouen, France
| | - Colin H. Brown
- Department of Physiology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Lee E. Eiden
- National Institute of Mental Health, Intramural Research Program, NIH, Bethesda, MD, United States
- *Correspondence: Lee E. Eiden
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