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Navarro D, Gasparyan A, Navarrete F, Manzanares J. Fetal Cannabinoid Syndrome: Behavioral and Brain Alterations of the Offspring Exposed to Dronabinol during Gestation and Lactation. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:7453. [PMID: 39000559 PMCID: PMC11242182 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25137453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2024] [Revised: 07/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
This study establishes a fetal cannabinoid syndrome model to evaluate the effects of high doses of dronabinol (synthetic THC) during pregnancy and lactation on behavioral and brain changes in male and female progeny and their susceptibility to alcohol consumption. Female C57BL/6J mice received dronabinol (10 mg/kg/12 h, p.o.) from gestational day 5 to postnatal day 21. On the weaning day, the offspring were separated by sex, and on postnatal day 60, behavioral and neurobiological changes were analyzed. Mice exposed to dronabinol exhibited increased anxiogenic and depressive-like behaviors and cognitive impairment. These behaviors were associated with neurodevelopment-related gene and protein expression changes, establishing, for the first time, an association among behavioral changes, cognitive impairment, and neurobiological alterations. Exposure to dronabinol during pregnancy and lactation disrupted the reward system, leading to increased motivation to consume alcohol in the offspring. All these modifications exhibited sex-dependent patterns. These findings reveal the pronounced adverse effects on fetal neurodevelopment resulting from cannabis use during pregnancy and lactation and strongly suggest the need to prevent mothers who use cannabis in this period from the severe and permanent side effects on behavior and brain development that may occur in their children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Navarro
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernández-CSIC, Avda. de Ramón y Cajal s/n, San Juan de Alicante, 03550 Alicante, Spain
- Redes de Investigación Cooperativa Orientada a Resultados en Salud (RICORS), Red de Investigación en Atención Primaria de Adicciones (RIAPAd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, MICINN and FEDER, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de Alicante (ISABIAL), 03010 Alicante, Spain
| | - Ani Gasparyan
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernández-CSIC, Avda. de Ramón y Cajal s/n, San Juan de Alicante, 03550 Alicante, Spain
- Redes de Investigación Cooperativa Orientada a Resultados en Salud (RICORS), Red de Investigación en Atención Primaria de Adicciones (RIAPAd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, MICINN and FEDER, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de Alicante (ISABIAL), 03010 Alicante, Spain
| | - Francisco Navarrete
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernández-CSIC, Avda. de Ramón y Cajal s/n, San Juan de Alicante, 03550 Alicante, Spain
- Redes de Investigación Cooperativa Orientada a Resultados en Salud (RICORS), Red de Investigación en Atención Primaria de Adicciones (RIAPAd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, MICINN and FEDER, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de Alicante (ISABIAL), 03010 Alicante, Spain
| | - Jorge Manzanares
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernández-CSIC, Avda. de Ramón y Cajal s/n, San Juan de Alicante, 03550 Alicante, Spain
- Redes de Investigación Cooperativa Orientada a Resultados en Salud (RICORS), Red de Investigación en Atención Primaria de Adicciones (RIAPAd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, MICINN and FEDER, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de Alicante (ISABIAL), 03010 Alicante, Spain
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2
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Xu C, Wu N, Song T, Dai Y. Rapid ejaculator rats are more susceptible to anxiety compared with normal ejaculator rats. Int J Impot Res 2024:10.1038/s41443-024-00888-5. [PMID: 38622269 DOI: 10.1038/s41443-024-00888-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
By observation of Sprague-Dawley male rats with different ejaculatory behaviors, we have identified distinct behavioral characteristics in rapid ejaculator rats. To validate these differential behaviors, we conducted multifaceted behavioral experiments on rapid ejaculator rats and normal rats. Through mating experiments, 42 male rats were categorized into 5 rapid ejaculator rats, 29 normal ejaculator rats, and 8 sluggish ejaculator rats according to their ejaculation frequency. We selected 5 rats exhibiting rapid ejaculation and 5 rats with normal ejaculation for participation in the Morris water maze, open-field test, and balance beam experiments. The open-field tests revealed that rapid ejaculator rats spent shorter time in the center region (1.23 ± 1.21 vs. 6.56 ± 2.40 s, P = 0.0041), less entered the center region (0.80 ± 0.75 vs. 3.40 ± 1.50, time, P = 0.0145), traveled shorter distances (17,003.77 ± 3339.42 vs. 25,037.90 ± 5499.94 mm, P = 0.0371), and had a lower average speed compared with normal rats (66.09 ± 62.36 vs. 195.56 ± 83.41 mm/s, P = 0.0377). However, no significant differences were observed in the Morris water maze and balance beam experiments (0.25 ± 0.05 vs. 0.26 ± 0.07, P = 0.7506;16.40 ± 3.77 vs. 16.25 ± 2.05, P = 0.9515). These behavioral results indicated that the rapid ejaculator rats were more prone to anxiety. To further substantiate this claim, we examined Brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression levels in the hippocampus of rat brains using immunohistochemistry and western blotting. The results demonstrate lower Brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression in the hippocampus of rapid ejaculator rats compared with that in normal rats (P = 0.0093). Thus, our experiments indicate that rapid ejaculator rats exhibit a higher propensity for anxiety, potentially linked to their abnormal neurophysiologic state. It is concluded that rapid ejaculator rats may be more susceptible to anxiety on a pathophysiological basis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunlu Xu
- Department of Andrology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210000, China
| | - Ning Wu
- Department of Urology, People's Hospital of Jiaozuo City, No. 263 Jiefang Middle Road, Jiaozuo City, Henan Province, 454002, China
- Department of Drum Tower Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, No 321 Zhongshan Road, Gulou District, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Tao Song
- Department of Andrology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210000, China.
| | - Yutian Dai
- Department of Andrology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210000, China.
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3
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Ye Y, Yan X, Wang L, Xu J, Li T. Transcranial direct current stimulation attenuates chronic pain in knee osteoarthritis by modulating BDNF/TrkB signaling in the descending pain modulation system. Neurosci Lett 2023; 810:137320. [PMID: 37295640 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2023.137320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is the most common cause of chronic pain, but its pain mechanisms are complex and may be closely related to the descending pain modulation system. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is used for relieving pain, but its analgesic mechanisms are still being explored. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of BDNF/TrkB signaling in chronic pain in KOA and to investigate whether this signaling is related to the analgesic effect of tDCS. Rats were injected with monosodium iodoacetate (MIA) into the left knee joint to establish a chronic pain model and then received 20 min of tDCS for 8 days. Rats were respectively administered the TrkB inhibitor ANA-12 after MIA modeling and exogenous BDNF after tDCS treatment. Behaviors testing was assessed by hot plate and von Frey hairs using the up-down method. In addition, the expression levels of BDNF and TrkB on the periaqueductal gray (PAG)-the rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM)-the spinal dorsal horn (SDH) axis were detected by Western blot and Immunohistochemistry staining. Behavioral results show that tDCS treatment and ANA-12 injection reversed MIA-induced allodynia while reducing BDNF and TrkB expression levels. Furthermore, injection of exogenous BDNF reversed the therapeutic effect of tDCS on pain. These results indicate that upregulation of the BDNF/TrkB signaling in the descending pain modulation system may play an important role in KOA-induced chronic pain in rats, and tDCS may reduce KOA-induced chronic pain by inhibiting the BDNF/TrkB signaling in the descending pain modulation system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinshuang Ye
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China
| | - Xiao Yan
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China
| | - Lin Wang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China
| | - Jiawei Xu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China
| | - Tieshan Li
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China.
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4
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Nguyen E, Grajales-Reyes JG, Gereau RW, Ross SE. Cell type-specific dissection of sensory pathways involved in descending modulation. Trends Neurosci 2023; 46:539-550. [PMID: 37164868 PMCID: PMC10836406 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2023.04.002] [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] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Decades of research have suggested that stimulation of supraspinal structures, such as the periaqueductal gray (PAG) and rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM), inhibits nocifensive responses to noxious stimulation through a process known as descending modulation. Electrical stimulation and pharmacologic manipulations of the PAG and RVM identified transmitters and neuronal firing patterns that represented distinct cell types. Advances in mouse genetics, in vivo imaging, and circuit tracing methods, in addition to chemogenetic and optogenetic approaches, allowed the characterization of the cells and circuits involved in descending modulation in further detail. Recent work has revealed the importance of PAG and RVM neuronal cell types in the descending modulation of pruriceptive as well as nociceptive behaviors, underscoring their roles in coordinating complex behavioral responses to sensory input. This review summarizes how new technical advances that enable cell type-specific manipulation and recording of neuronal activity have supported, as well as expanded, long-standing views on descending modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eileen Nguyen
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Jose G Grajales-Reyes
- Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Robert W Gereau
- Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Sarah E Ross
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
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5
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Gasparyan A, Navarro D, Navarrete F, Austrich-Olivares A, Scoma ER, Hambardikar VD, Acosta GB, Solesio ME, Manzanares J. Cannabidiol repairs behavioral and brain disturbances in a model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Pharmacol Res 2023; 188:106655. [PMID: 36642113 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.106655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) includes neuropsychiatric disturbances related to gestational and lactational ethanol exposure. Available treatments are minimal and do not modulate ethanol-induced damage. Developing animal models simulating FASD is essential for understanding the underlying brain alterations and searching for efficient therapeutic approaches. The main goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of early and chronic cannabidiol (CBD) administration on offspring exposed to an animal model of FASD. Ethanol gavage (3 g/kg/12 h, p.o.) was administered to C57BL/6 J female mice, with a previous history of alcohol consumption, between gestational day 7 and postnatal day 21. On the weaning day, pups were separated by sex, and CBD administration began (30 mg/kg/day, i.p.). After 4-6 weeks of treatment, behavioral and neurobiological changes were analyzed. Mice exposed to the animal model of FASD showed higher anxiogenic and depressive-like behaviors and cognitive impairment that were evaluated through several experimental tests. These behaviors were accompanied by alterations in the gene, cellular and metabolomic targets. CBD administration normalized FASD model-induced emotional and cognitive disturbances, gene expression, and cellular changes with sex-dependent differences. CBD modulates the metabolomic changes detected in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Interestingly, no changes were found in mitochondria or the oxidative status of the cells. These results suggest that the early and repeated administration of CBD modulated the long-lasting behavioral, gene and protein alterations induced by the FASD model, encouraging the possibility of performing clinical trials to evaluate the effects of CBD in children affected with FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ani Gasparyan
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernandez-CSIC, San Juan de Alicante, Alicante, Spain; Redes de Investigación Cooperativa Orientadas a Resultados en Salud (RICORS), Red de Investigación en Atención Primaria de Adicciones (RIAPAd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, MICINN and FEDER, Madrid, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de Alicante (ISABIAL), Alicante, Spain
| | - Daniela Navarro
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernandez-CSIC, San Juan de Alicante, Alicante, Spain; Redes de Investigación Cooperativa Orientadas a Resultados en Salud (RICORS), Red de Investigación en Atención Primaria de Adicciones (RIAPAd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, MICINN and FEDER, Madrid, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de Alicante (ISABIAL), Alicante, Spain
| | - Francisco Navarrete
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernandez-CSIC, San Juan de Alicante, Alicante, Spain; Redes de Investigación Cooperativa Orientadas a Resultados en Salud (RICORS), Red de Investigación en Atención Primaria de Adicciones (RIAPAd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, MICINN and FEDER, Madrid, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de Alicante (ISABIAL), Alicante, Spain
| | - Amaya Austrich-Olivares
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernandez-CSIC, San Juan de Alicante, Alicante, Spain
| | - Ernest R Scoma
- Rutgers University, Department of Biology and CCIB, Camden, NJ, USA
| | | | - Gabriela B Acosta
- Instituto de Neurociencias Cognitiva y Traslacional (INCYT), CONICET, INECO, Universidad Favaloro, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1079ABE, Argentina
| | - María E Solesio
- Rutgers University, Department of Biology and CCIB, Camden, NJ, USA
| | - Jorge Manzanares
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernandez-CSIC, San Juan de Alicante, Alicante, Spain; Redes de Investigación Cooperativa Orientadas a Resultados en Salud (RICORS), Red de Investigación en Atención Primaria de Adicciones (RIAPAd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, MICINN and FEDER, Madrid, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de Alicante (ISABIAL), Alicante, Spain.
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6
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Yin JB, Lu YC, Li F, Zhang T, Ding T, Hu HQ, Chen YB, Guo HW, Kou ZZ, Zhang MM, Yuan J, Chen T, Li H, Cao BZ, Dong YL, Li YQ. Morphological investigations of endomorphin-2 and spinoparabrachial projection neurons in the spinal dorsal horn of the rat. Front Neuroanat 2022; 16:1072704. [PMID: 36506871 PMCID: PMC9726772 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2022.1072704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
It has been proved that endomorphin-2 (EM2) produced obvious analgesic effects in the spinal dorsal horn (SDH), which existed in our human bodies with remarkable affinity and selectivity for the μ-opioid receptor (MOR). Our previous study has demonstrated that EM2 made synapses with the spinoparabrachial projection neurons (PNs) in the SDH and inhibited their activities by reducing presynaptic glutamate release. However, the morphological features of EM2 and the spinoparabrachial PNs in the SDH have not been completely investigated. Here, we examined the morphological features of EM2 and the spinoparabrachial PNs by using triple fluorescence and electron microscopic immunohistochemistry. EM2-immunoreactive (-ir) afferents directly contacted with the spinoparabrachial PNs in lamina I of the SDH. Immunoelectron microscopy (IEM) were used to confirm that these contacts were synaptic connections. It was also observed that EM2-ir axon terminals contacting with spinoparabrachial PNs in lamina I contained MOR, substance P (SP) and vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (VGLUT2). In lamina II, MOR-ir neurons were observed to receive direct contacts from EM2-ir varicosities. The synaptic connections among EM2, MOR, SP, VGLUT2, and the spinoparabrachial PNs were also confirmed by IEM. In sum, our results supply morphological evidences for the analgesic effects of EM2 on the spinoparabrachial PNs in the SDH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Bin Yin
- Department of Human Anatomy, K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China,Department of Neurology, The 960th Hospital of Joint Logistics Support, PLA, Jinan, China,State Key Laboratory of Military Medical Psychology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Ya-Cheng Lu
- Department of Human Anatomy, K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Fei Li
- Department of Human Anatomy, K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Ting Zhang
- Department of Human Anatomy, K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Tan Ding
- Institute of Orthopedics, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Huai-Qiang Hu
- Department of Neurology, The 960th Hospital of Joint Logistics Support, PLA, Jinan, China,State Key Laboratory of Military Medical Psychology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Ying-Biao Chen
- Department of Human Anatomy, Fujian Health College, Fuzhou, China
| | - Hong-Wei Guo
- Department of Neurology, The 960th Hospital of Joint Logistics Support, PLA, Jinan, China
| | - Zhen-Zhen Kou
- Department of Human Anatomy, K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Ming-Ming Zhang
- Department of Human Anatomy, K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Jun Yuan
- Department of Neurology, The 960th Hospital of Joint Logistics Support, PLA, Jinan, China
| | - Tao Chen
- Department of Human Anatomy, K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Human Anatomy, K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Bing-Zhen Cao
- Department of Neurology, The 960th Hospital of Joint Logistics Support, PLA, Jinan, China
| | - Yu-Lin Dong
- Department of Human Anatomy, K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China,Yu-Lin Dong,
| | - Yun-Qing Li
- Department of Human Anatomy, K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China,*Correspondence: Yun-Qing Li,
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Yin JB, Liu HX, Shi W, Ding T, Hu HQ, Guo HW, Jin S, Wang XL, Zhang T, Lu YC, Cao BZ. Various BDNF administrations attenuate SPS-induced anxiety-like behaviors. Neurosci Lett 2022; 788:136851. [PMID: 36007708 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2022.136851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has become epidemic following severely stressful incidents. Previous studies have shown that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has anxiolytic effects on various anxiety or depression disorders including PTSD. However, the detailed mechanisms of BDNF for treating PTSD were rarely investigated. In the current study, single-prolonged stress (SPS) was used as an animal model recapitulating specific aspects for a PTSD-like phenotype. The effects of BDNF on SPS-induced anxiety-like behaviors were investigated. We showed that the levels of BDNF in the cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF) were significantly reduced after the rats experienced SPS. The SPS-induced reductions of percentages of time spent in the central area to total time in the open field test, were dose-dependently mitigated after BDNF intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injections. BDNF i.c.v. administration also dose-dependently increased the preference of the light box in the light-dark box test. Both expressions of tyrosine kinase receptor B (TrkB) protein and mRNA in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and amygdala were significantly increased after SPS challenges. BDNF i.c.v. administration attenuated these compensatory increases of TrkB. At last, the anxiolytic effects of BDNF on SPS model were also observed by using other two injection methods. These results inspired us to study that different administrations of BDNF were used in patients with PTSD in the future, in-depthly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Bin Yin
- Department of Neurology, The 960(th) Hospital of Joint Logistics Support, PLA, Jinan 250031, PR China; Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, PR China
| | - Hai-Xia Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Jinan 250021, PR China
| | - Wei Shi
- Department of Neurosurgery, The 960th Hospital of Joint Logistics Force, PLA, Jinan 250031, PR China
| | - Tan Ding
- Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, PR China; Institute of Orthopedics, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, PR China
| | - Huai-Qiang Hu
- Department of Neurology, The 960(th) Hospital of Joint Logistics Support, PLA, Jinan 250031, PR China
| | - Hong-Wei Guo
- Department of Neurology, The 960(th) Hospital of Joint Logistics Support, PLA, Jinan 250031, PR China
| | - Shan Jin
- Department of Neurology, The 960(th) Hospital of Joint Logistics Support, PLA, Jinan 250031, PR China
| | - Xiao-Ling Wang
- Department of Neurology, The 960(th) Hospital of Joint Logistics Support, PLA, Jinan 250031, PR China
| | - Ting Zhang
- Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, PR China
| | - Ya-Cheng Lu
- Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, PR China
| | - Bing-Zhen Cao
- Department of Neurology, The 960(th) Hospital of Joint Logistics Support, PLA, Jinan 250031, PR China.
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8
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Follansbee T, Domocos D, Nguyen E, Nguyen A, Bountouvas A, Velasquez L, Iodi Carstens M, Takanami K, Ross SE, Carstens E. Inhibition of itch by neurokinin 1 receptor (Tacr1) -expressing ON cells in the rostral ventromedial medulla in mice. eLife 2022; 11:69626. [PMID: 35972457 PMCID: PMC9381038 DOI: 10.7554/elife.69626] [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: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) is important in descending modulation of spinal nociceptive transmission, but it is unclear if the RVM also modulates spinal pruriceptive transmission. RVM ON cells are activated by noxious algesic and pruritic stimuli and are pronociceptive. Many RVM-spinal projection neurons express the neurokinin-1 receptor (Tacr1), and ON-cells are excited by local administration of substance P (SP). We hypothesized that Tacr1-expressing RVM ON cells exert an inhibitory effect on itch opposite to their pronociceptive action. Intramedullary microinjection of SP significantly potentiated RVM ON cells and reduced pruritogen-evoked scratching while producing mild mechanical sensitization. Chemogenetic activation of RVM Tacr1-expressing RVM neurons also reduced acute pruritogen-evoked scratching. Optotagging experiments confirmed RVM Tacr1-expressing neurons to be ON cells. We conclude that Tacr1-expressing ON cells in RVM play a significant role in the modulation of pruriceptive transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor Follansbee
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States.,Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States
| | - Dan Domocos
- Department of Anatomy, Animal Physiology and Biophysics, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Eileen Nguyen
- Pittsburgh Center for Pain Research and Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Amanda Nguyen
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States
| | - Aristea Bountouvas
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States
| | - Lauren Velasquez
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States
| | - Mirela Iodi Carstens
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States
| | - Keiko Takanami
- Department of Environmental Life Science, National Nara Women University, Nara, Japan
| | - Sarah E Ross
- Pittsburgh Center for Pain Research and Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Earl Carstens
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States
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9
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La-Vu MQ, Sethi E, Maesta-Pereira S, Schuette PJ, Tobias BC, Reis FMCV, Wang W, Torossian A, Bishop A, Leonard SJ, Lin L, Cahill CM, Adhikari A. Sparse genetically defined neurons refine the canonical role of periaqueductal gray columnar organization. eLife 2022; 11:77115. [PMID: 35674316 PMCID: PMC9224993 DOI: 10.7554/elife.77115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
During threat exposure, survival depends on defensive reactions. Prior works linked large glutamatergic populations in the midbrain periaqueductal gray (PAG) to defensive freezing and flight, and established that the overarching functional organization axis of the PAG is along anatomically-defined columns. Accordingly, broad activation of the dorsolateral column induces flight, while activation of the lateral or ventrolateral (l and vl) columns induces freezing. However, the PAG contains diverse cell types that vary in neurochemistry. How these cell types contribute to defense remains unknown, indicating that targeting sparse, genetically-defined populations may reveal how the PAG generates diverse behaviors. Though prior works showed that broad excitation of the lPAG or vlPAG causes freezing, we found in mice that activation of lateral and ventrolateral PAG (l/vlPAG) cholecystokinin-expressing (CCK) cells selectively caused flight to safer regions within an environment. Furthermore, inhibition of l/vlPAG-CCK cells reduced predator avoidance without altering other defensive behaviors like freezing. Lastly, l/vlPAG-CCK activity decreased when approaching threat and increased during movement to safer locations. These results suggest CCK cells drive threat avoidance states, which are epochs during which mice increase distance from threat and perform evasive escape. Conversely, l/vlPAG pan-neuronal activation promoted freezing, and these cells were activated near threat. Thus, CCK l/vlPAG cells have opposing function and neural activation motifs compared to the broader local ensemble defined solely by columnar boundaries. In addition to the anatomical columnar architecture of the PAG, the molecular identity of PAG cells may confer an additional axis of functional organization, revealing unexplored functional heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mimi Q La-Vu
- Neuroscience Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, United States.,Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Ekayana Sethi
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Sandra Maesta-Pereira
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Peter J Schuette
- Neuroscience Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, United States.,Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Brooke C Tobias
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Fernando M C V Reis
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Weisheng Wang
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Anita Torossian
- Neuroscience Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, United States.,Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Amy Bishop
- Hatos Center for Neuropharmacology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Saskia J Leonard
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Lilly Lin
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Catherine M Cahill
- Hatos Center for Neuropharmacology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, United States.,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Los Angeles, United States.,Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Avishek Adhikari
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, United States
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10
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Wang L, Fu LL, Deng ZR, Zhang J, Zu MD, Wu JC, Wang Y. Overexpression of BDNF in the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray regulates the behavior of epilepsy-migraine comorbid rats. Brain Behav 2022; 12:e2594. [PMID: 35557046 PMCID: PMC9226826 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) overexpression in the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG) on behavioral changes in epilepsy-migraine comorbid rats. METHOD We used an adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated vector to supplement BDNF in the vlPAG area prior to the establishment of a pilocarpine-nitroglycerin (Pilo-NTG) combination-induced comorbid model of epilepsy and migraine. Seizure- and migraine-related behaviors were analyzed. Cell loss and apoptosis in vlPAG were detected through hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and TUNEL staining. Immunofluorescence staining analyses were employed to detect expressions of BDNF and its receptor, tyrosine kinase B (TrkB), in vlPAG. Immunohistochemical staining was conducted to detect expressions of c-Fos and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in the trigeminal nucleus caudalis (TNC) and trigeminal ganglion (TG). RESULTS Comparing to control group, AAV-BDNF injected comorbid group showed lower pain sensitivity, scratching head, and spontaneous seizures accompanied by the downregulation of c-Fos labeling neurons and CGRP immunoreactivity in the TNC and TG. However, these changes were still significantly higher in the comorbid group than those in both epilepsy and migraine groups under the same intervention. CONCLUSION These data demonstrated that supplying BDNF to vlPAG may protect structural and functional abnormalities in vlPAG and provide an antiepileptic and analgesic therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long Wang
- Department of Neurology, The Second People's Hospital of Hefei, Hefei, China.,Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Lu-Lan Fu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Zi-Ru Deng
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Juan Zhang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Mei-Dan Zu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Jun-Cang Wu
- Department of Neurology, The Second People's Hospital of Hefei, Hefei, China
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
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11
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Peritore AF, Crupi R, Scuto M, Gugliandolo E, Siracusa R, Impellizzeri D, Cordaro M, D'amico R, Fusco R, Di Paola R, Cuzzocrea S. The Role of Annexin A1 and Formyl Peptide Receptor 2/3 Signaling in Chronic Corticosterone-Induced Depression-Like behaviors and Impairment in Hippocampal-Dependent Memory. CNS & NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS-DRUG TARGETS 2021; 19:27-43. [PMID: 31914916 DOI: 10.2174/1871527319666200107094732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2019] [Revised: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 12/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The activity of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis is commonly dysregulated in stress-related psychiatric disorders. Annexin A1 (ANXA1), an endogenous ligand of Formyl Peptide Receptor (FPR) 2/3, is a member of the family of phospholipid- and calcium-binding proteins with a well-defined role in the delayed early inhibitory feedback of Glucocorticoids (GC) in the pituitary gland and implicated in the occurrence of behavioural disorders such as anxiety. OBJECTIVE The present study aimed to evaluate the potential role of ANXA1 and its main receptor, as a cellular mediator of behavioural disorders, in a model of Corticosterone (CORT)-induced depression and subsequently, the possible correlation between the depressive state and impairment of hippocampal memory. METHODS To induce the depression model, Wild-Type (WT), ANXA1 Knockout (KO), and FPR2/3 KO mice were exposed to oral administration of CORT for 28 days dissolved in drinking water. Following this, histological, biochemical and behavioural analyses were performed. RESULTS FPR2/3 KO and ANXA1 KO mice showed improvement in anxiety and depression-like behaviour compared with WT mice after CORT administration. In addition, FPR2/3 KO and ANXA1 KO mice showed a reduction in histological alterations and neuronal death in hippocampal sections. Moreover, CORT+ FPR2/3 KO and ANXA1 KO, exhibited a higher expression of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), phospho-ERK, cAMP response element-binding protein (pCREB) and a decrease in Serotonin Transporter Expression (SERT) compared to WT(CORT+) mice. CONCLUSION In conclusion, the absence of the ANXA1 protein, even more than the absence of its main receptor (FPR 2/3), was fundamental to the inhibitory action of GC on the HPA axis; it also maintained the hippocampal homeostasis by preventing neuronal damage associated with depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Filippo Peritore
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Science, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Rosalia Crupi
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Science, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Maria Scuto
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Enrico Gugliandolo
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Science, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Rosalba Siracusa
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Science, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Daniela Impellizzeri
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Science, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Marika Cordaro
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Science, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Ramona D'amico
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Science, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Roberta Fusco
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Science, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Rosanna Di Paola
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Science, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Salvatore Cuzzocrea
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Science, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.,Department of Pharmacological and Physiological Science, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, United Stated
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12
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Netzer F, Sévoz-Couche C. Rostral cuneiform nucleus and the defence reaction: Direct and indirect midbrain-medullary 5-HT mechanisms in baroreflex inhibition. Br J Pharmacol 2021; 178:1819-1835. [PMID: 33543768 DOI: 10.1111/bph.15406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Activation of the defence reaction inhibits the baroreflex response via the intermediate rostro-ventromedial medulla (B3 raphé) and nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS). Our aim was to determine whether and how baroreflex inhibition, induced by the disinhibition of the rostral cuneiform nucleus (part of the defence pathway), involves 5-HT neurons in B3 and 5-HT3 receptors in the NTS. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH We performed immunohistochemistry and anatomical experiments to determine whether raphé 5-HT cells expressing Fos were directly targeted by the rostral cuneiform nucleus. The effect of blocking raphé 5-HT neurotransmission and NTS 5-HT3 receptors on cuneiform-induced inhibition of the baroreflex cardiac response were also analysed. KEY RESULTS Bicuculline, microinjected into the rostral cuneiform nucleus, induced an increase of double-labelled Fos-5-HT-IR cells in both the lateral paragigantocellular nucleus (LPGi) and raphé magnus. The anterograde tracer Phaseolus vulgaris leucoaggutinin injected into the rostral cuneiform nucleus revealed a dense projection to the LPGi but not raphé magnus. Cuneiform-induced baroreflex inhibition was prevented by B3 injection of 8-OH-DPAT, a selective 5-HT1A receptor agonist. Cuneiform disinhibition also failed to inhibit the baroreflex bradycardia after NTS microinjection of the 5-HT3 receptor antagonist granisetron and in 5-HT3 receptor knockout mice. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS The rostral cuneiform nucleus participates in the defence inhibition of the baroreflex bradycardia via direct activation of the LPGi and via a projection to the raphé magnus to activate NTS 5-HT3 receptors and inhibit second-order baroreflex neurons. These data bring new insights in primary and secondary mechanisms involved in vital baroreflex prevention during stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florence Netzer
- INSERM U894, Centre of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Paris, France
| | - Caroline Sévoz-Couche
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, UMRS1158, Neurophysiologie Respiratoire, Expérimentale et Clinique, Paris, France
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13
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Yin JB, Liang SH, Li F, Zhao WJ, Bai Y, Sun Y, Wu ZY, Ding T, Sun Y, Liu HX, Lu YC, Zhang T, Huang J, Chen T, Li H, Chen ZF, Cao J, Ren R, Peng YN, Yang J, Zang WD, Li X, Dong YL, Li YQ. dmPFC-vlPAG projection neurons contribute to pain threshold maintenance and antianxiety behaviors. J Clin Invest 2021; 130:6555-6570. [PMID: 32841213 DOI: 10.1172/jci127607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) has been recognized as a key cortical area for nociceptive modulation. However, the underlying neural pathway and the function of specific cell types remain largely unclear. Here, we show that lesions in the dmPFC induced an algesic and anxious state. Using multiple tracing methods including a rabies-based transsynaptic tracing method, we outlined an excitatory descending neural pathway from the dmPFC to the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG). Specific activation of the dmPFC/vlPAG neural pathway by optogenetic manipulation produced analgesic and antianxiety effects in a mouse model of chronic pain. Inhibitory neurons in the dmPFC were specifically activated using a chemogenetic approach, which logically produced an algesic and anxious state under both normal and chronic pain conditions. Antagonists of the GABAA receptor (GABAAR) or mGluR1 were applied to the dmPFC, which produced analgesic and antianxiety effects. In summary, the results of our study suggest that the dmPFC/vlPAG neural pathway might participate in the maintenance of pain thresholds and antianxiety behaviors under normal conditions, while silencing or suppressing the dmPFC/vlPAG pathway might be involved in the initial stages and maintenance of chronic pain and the emergence of anxiety-like behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Bin Yin
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.,Department of Neurology, the 960th Hospital of PLA, Jinan, China.,Center for the Study of Itch, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.,Key Laboratory of Brain Science Research and Transformation in the Tropical Environment of Hainan Province, Haikou, China
| | - Shao-Hua Liang
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.,Department of Human Anatomy, Binzhou Medical College, Yantai, China
| | - Fei Li
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.,Cadet Brigade, and
| | - Wen-Jun Zhao
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.,Cadet Brigade, and
| | - Yang Bai
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.,Center for the Study of Itch, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Yi Sun
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.,Center for the Study of Itch, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.,Department of Human Anatomy, Binzhou Medical College, Yantai, China
| | - Zhen-Yu Wu
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.,Center for the Study of Itch, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Tan Ding
- Department of Orthopedics, Xijing Hospital, the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | | | - Hai-Xia Liu
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Ya-Cheng Lu
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Ting Zhang
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jing Huang
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Tao Chen
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.,Center for the Study of Itch, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Zhou-Feng Chen
- Center for the Study of Itch, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Jing Cao
- Department of Anatomy, Basic Medical College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Rui Ren
- Key Laboratory of Brain Science Research and Transformation in the Tropical Environment of Hainan Province, Haikou, China
| | - Ya-Nan Peng
- Key Laboratory of Brain Science Research and Transformation in the Tropical Environment of Hainan Province, Haikou, China
| | - Juan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Brain Science Research and Transformation in the Tropical Environment of Hainan Province, Haikou, China
| | - Wei-Dong Zang
- Department of Anatomy, Basic Medical College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xiang Li
- Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yu-Lin Dong
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yun-Qing Li
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.,Key Laboratory of Brain Science Research and Transformation in the Tropical Environment of Hainan Province, Haikou, China.,Department of Anatomy, Basic Medical College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
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14
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WeiWei Y, WenDi F, Mengru C, Tuo Y, Chen G. The cellular mechanism by which the rostral ventromedial medulla acts on the spinal cord during chronic pain. Rev Neurosci 2021; 32:545-558. [PMID: 33565739 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2020-0121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Clinical therapies for chronic pain are limited. While targeted drugs are promising therapies for chronic pain, they exhibit insufficient efficacy and poor targeting. The occurrence of chronic pain partly results from central changes caused by alterations in neurons in the rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) in the brainstem regulatory pathway. The RVM, which plays a key role in the descending pain control pathway, greatly contributes to the development and maintenance of pain. However, the exact roles of the RVM in chronic pain remain unclear, making it difficult to develop new drugs targeting the RVM and related pathways. Here, we first discuss the roles of the RVM and related circuits in chronic pain. Then, we analyze synaptic transmission between RVM neurons and spinal cord neurons, specifically focusing on the release of neurotransmitters, to explore the cellular mechanisms by which the RVM regulates chronic pain. Finally, we propose some ideas for the development of drugs targeting the RVM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu WeiWei
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and the Ministry of Education, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong226001, China
| | - Fei WenDi
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and the Ministry of Education, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong226001, China
| | - Cui Mengru
- Department of Anesthesiology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong226001, China
| | - Yang Tuo
- Department of Hand Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun130033, China
| | - Gang Chen
- Department of Anesthesiology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong226001, China.,Department of Tissue and Embryology, Medical School of Nantong University, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong226001, China
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15
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Timothy M, Forlano PM. Serotonin distribution in the brain of the plainfin midshipman: Substrates for vocal-acoustic modulation and a reevaluation of the serotonergic system in teleost fishes. J Comp Neurol 2020; 528:3451-3478. [PMID: 32361985 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2018] [Revised: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Serotonin (5-HT) is a modulator of neural circuitry underlying motor patterning, homeostatic control, and social behavior. While previous studies have described 5-HT distribution in various teleosts, serotonergic raphe subgroups in fish are not well defined and therefore remain problematic for cross-species comparisons. Here we used the plainfin midshipman fish, Porichthys notatus, a well-studied model for investigating the neural and hormonal mechanisms of vertebrate vocal-acoustic communication, to redefine raphe subgroups based on both stringent neuroanatomical landmarks as well as quantitative cell measurements. In addition, we comprehensively characterized 5-HT-immunoreactive (-ir) innervation throughout the brain, including well-delineated vocal and auditory nuclei. We report neuroanatomical heterogeneity in populations of the serotonergic raphe nuclei of the brainstem reticular formation, with three discrete subregions in the superior raphe, an intermediate 5-HT-ir cell cluster, and an extensive inferior raphe population. 5-HT-ir neurons were also observed within the vocal motor nucleus (VMN), forming putative contacts on those cells. In addition, three major 5-HT-ir cell groups were identified in the hypothalamus and one group in the pretectum. Significant 5-HT-ir innervation was found in components of the vocal pattern generator and cranial motor nuclei. All vocal midbrain nuclei showed considerable 5-HT-ir innervation, as did thalamic and hindbrain auditory and lateral line areas and vocal-acoustic integration sites in the preoptic area and ventral telencephalon. This comprehensive atlas offers new insights into the organization of 5-HT nuclei in teleosts and provides neuroanatomical evidence for serotonin as a modulator of vocal-acoustic circuitry and behavior in midshipman fish, consistent with findings in vocal tetrapods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miky Timothy
- Department of Biology, Brooklyn College, City University of New York, 2900 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, New York, 11210, USA
| | - Paul M Forlano
- Department of Biology, Brooklyn College, City University of New York, 2900 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, New York, 11210, USA.,Biology Subprogram in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, 365 5th Avenue, New York, New York, 10016, USA.,Biology Subprogram in Neuroscience, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, 365 5th Avenue, New York, New York, 10016, USA.,Psychology Subprogram in Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, 365 5th Avenue, New York, New York, 10016, USA.,Aquatic Research and Environmental Assessment Center, Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, New York, USA
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16
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Belaya I, Ivanova M, Sorvari A, Ilicic M, Loppi S, Koivisto H, Varricchio A, Tikkanen H, Walker FR, Atalay M, Malm T, Grubman A, Tanila H, Kanninen KM. Astrocyte remodeling in the beneficial effects of long-term voluntary exercise in Alzheimer's disease. J Neuroinflammation 2020; 17:271. [PMID: 32933545 PMCID: PMC7493971 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-020-01935-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Increased physical exercise improves cognitive function and reduces pathology associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of exercise in AD on the level of specific brain cell types remain poorly investigated. The involvement of astrocytes in AD pathology is widely described, but their exact role in exercise-mediated neuroprotection warrant further investigation. Here, we investigated the effect of long-term voluntary physical exercise on the modulation of the astrocyte state. METHODS Male 5xFAD mice and their wild-type littermates had free access to a running wheel from 1.5 to 7 months of age. A battery of behavioral tests was used to assess the effects of voluntary exercise on cognition and learning. Neuronal loss, impairment in neurogenesis, beta-amyloid (Aβ) deposition, and inflammation were evaluated using a variety of histological and biochemical measurements. Sophisticated morphological analyses were performed to delineate the specific involvement of astrocytes in exercise-induced neuroprotection in the 5xFAD mice. RESULTS Long-term voluntary physical exercise reversed cognitive impairment in 7-month-old 5xFAD mice without affecting neurogenesis, neuronal loss, Aβ plaque deposition, or microglia activation. Exercise increased glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP) immunoreactivity and the number of GFAP-positive astrocytes in 5xFAD hippocampi. GFAP-positive astrocytes in hippocampi of the exercised 5xFAD mice displayed increases in the numbers of primary branches and in the soma area. In general, astrocytes distant from Aβ plaques were smaller in size and possessed simplified processes in comparison to plaque-associated GFAP-positive astrocytes. Morphological alterations of GFAP-positive astrocytes occurred concomitantly with increased astrocytic brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and restoration of postsynaptic protein PSD-95. CONCLUSIONS Voluntary physical exercise modulates the reactive astrocyte state, which could be linked via astrocytic BDNF and PSD-95 to improved cognition in 5xFAD hippocampi. The molecular pathways involved in this modulation could potentially be targeted for benefit against AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Belaya
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, FI-70211, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Mariia Ivanova
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, FI-70211, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Annika Sorvari
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, FI-70211, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Marina Ilicic
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy and the Priority Research Centre for Stroke and Brain Injury, The University of Newcastle, University Dr, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
| | - Sanna Loppi
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, FI-70211, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Hennariikka Koivisto
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, FI-70211, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Alessandra Varricchio
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, FI-70211, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Heikki Tikkanen
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, FI-70211, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Frederick R Walker
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy and the Priority Research Centre for Stroke and Brain Injury, The University of Newcastle, University Dr, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
| | - Mustafa Atalay
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, FI-70211, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Tarja Malm
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, FI-70211, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Alexandra Grubman
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Heikki Tanila
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, FI-70211, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Katja M Kanninen
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, FI-70211, Kuopio, Finland.
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17
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Agostinelli LJ, Mix MR, Hefti MM, Scammell TE, Bassuk AG. Input-output connections of LJA5 prodynorphin neurons. J Comp Neurol 2020; 529:635-654. [PMID: 32602558 PMCID: PMC7769903 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Sensory information is transmitted from peripheral nerves, through the spinal cord, and up to the brain. Sensory information may be modulated by projections from the brain to the spinal cord, but the neural substrates for top‐down sensory control are incompletely understood. We identified a novel population of inhibitory neurons in the mouse brainstem, distinguished by their expression of prodynorphin, which we named LJA5. Here, we identify a similar group of Pdyn+ neurons in the human brainstem, and we define the efferent and afferent projection patterns of LJA5 neurons in mouse. Using specific genetic tools, we selectively traced the projections of the Pdyn‐expressing LJA5 neurons through the brain and spinal cord. Terminal fields were densest in the lateral and ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (PAG), lateral parabrachial nucleus (LPB), caudal pressor area, and lamina I of the spinal trigeminal nucleus and all levels of the spinal cord. We then labeled cell types in the PAG, LPB, medulla, and spinal cord to better define the specific targets of LJA5 boutons. LJA5 neurons send the only known inhibitory descending projection specifically to lamina I of the spinal cord, which transmits afferent pain, temperature, and itch information up to the brain. Using retrograde tracing, we found LJA5 neurons receive inputs from sensory and stress areas such as somatosensory/insular cortex, preoptic area, paraventricular nucleus, dorsomedial nucleus and lateral hypothalamus, PAG, and LPB. This pattern of inputs and outputs suggest LJA5 neurons are uniquely positioned to be activated by sensation and stress, and in turn, inhibit pain and itch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay J Agostinelli
- Department of Neurology, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.,Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Madison R Mix
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Marco M Hefti
- Department of Pathology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Thomas E Scammell
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Alexander G Bassuk
- Department of Neurology, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
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18
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Bai Y, Li MY, Ma JB, Li JN, Teng XY, Chen YB, Yin JB, Huang J, Chen J, Zhang T, Qiu XT, Chen T, Li H, Wu SX, Peng YN, Li X, Kou ZZ, Li YQ. Enkephalinergic Circuit Involved in Nociceptive Modulation in the Spinal Dorsal Horn. Neuroscience 2020; 429:78-91. [PMID: 31917345 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2019.12.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2019] [Revised: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 12/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Enkephalin (ENK) has been implicated in pain modulation within the spinal dorsal horn (SDH). Revealing the mechanisms underlying ENK analgesia entails the anatomical and functional knowledge of spinal ENK-ergic circuits. Herein, we combined morphological and electrophysiological studies to unravel local ENK-ergic circuitry within the SDH. First, the distribution pattern of spinal ENK-ergic neurons was observed in adult preproenkephalin (PPE)-GFP knock-in mice. Next, the retrograde tracer tetramethylrhodamine (TMR) or horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was injected into the parabrachial nucleus (PBN) in PPE-GFP mice. Immunofluorescent staining showed I-isolectin B4 (IB4) labeled non-peptidergic afferents were in close apposition to TMR-labeled PBN-projecting neurons within lamina I as well as PPE-immunoreactivity (-ir) neurons within lamina II. Some TMR-labeled neurons were simultaneously in close association with both IB4 and PPE-ir terminals. Synaptic connections of these components were further confirmed by electron microscopy. Finally, TMR was injected into the PBN in adult C57BL/6 mice. Whole-cell patch recordings showed that δ-opioid receptor (DOR) agonist, [D-Pen2,5]-enkephalin (DPDPE, 1 µM), significantly reduced the frequency of miniature excitatory postsynaptic current (mEPSC) and decreased the activity of TMR-labeled neurons. In conclusion, spinal ENKergic neurons receive direct excitatory inputs from primary afferents, which might be directly recruited to release ENK under the condition of noxious stimuli; ENK could inhibit the glutamatergic transmission towards projecting neurons via presynaptic and postsynaptic DORs. These morphological and functional evidence may explain the mechanisms underlying the analgesic effects exerted by ENK within the SDH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Bai
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology & K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Meng-Ying Li
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jiang-Bo Ma
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Jia-Ni Li
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology & K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiao-Yu Teng
- Department of Anatomy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Ying-Biao Chen
- Department of Anatomy, Fujian Health College, Fuzhou, China
| | - Jun-Bin Yin
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology & K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jing Huang
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology & K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jing Chen
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology & K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Ting Zhang
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology & K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xin-Tong Qiu
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology & K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Tao Chen
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology & K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology & K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Sheng-Xi Wu
- Department of Neurobiology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Ya-Nan Peng
- Joint Laboratory of Neuroscience at Hainan Medical University and The Fourth Military Medical University, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Xiang Li
- Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Zhen-Zhen Kou
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology & K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
| | - Yun-Qing Li
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology & K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China; Joint Laboratory of Neuroscience at Hainan Medical University and The Fourth Military Medical University, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China.
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19
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Gao ZR, Chen WZ, Liu MZ, Chen XJ, Wan L, Zhang XY, Yuan L, Lin JK, Wang M, Zhou L, Xu XH, Sun YG. Tac1-Expressing Neurons in the Periaqueductal Gray Facilitate the Itch-Scratching Cycle via Descending Regulation. Neuron 2019; 101:45-59.e9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2018] [Revised: 09/07/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
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20
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Low I, Wei SY, Lee PS, Li WC, Lee LC, Hsieh JC, Chen LF. Neuroimaging Studies of Primary Dysmenorrhea. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2018; 1099:179-199. [DOI: 10.1007/978-981-13-1756-9_16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Khasabov SG, Malecha P, Noack J, Tabakov J, Giesler GJ, Simone DA. Hyperalgesia and sensitization of dorsal horn neurons following activation of NK-1 receptors in the rostral ventromedial medulla. J Neurophysiol 2017; 118:2727-2744. [PMID: 28794197 PMCID: PMC5675905 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00478.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2017] [Revised: 08/04/2017] [Accepted: 08/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurons in the rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) project to the spinal cord and are involved in descending modulation of pain. Several studies have shown that activation of neurokinin-1 (NK-1) receptors in the RVM produces hyperalgesia, although the underlying mechanisms are not clear. In parallel studies, we compared behavioral measures of hyperalgesia to electrophysiological responses of nociceptive dorsal horn neurons produced by activation of NK-1 receptors in the RVM. Injection of the selective NK-1 receptor agonist Sar9,Met(O2)11-substance P (SSP) into the RVM produced dose-dependent mechanical and heat hyperalgesia that was blocked by coadministration of the selective NK-1 receptor antagonist L-733,060. In electrophysiological studies, responses evoked by mechanical and heat stimuli were obtained from identified high-threshold (HT) and wide dynamic range (WDR) neurons. Injection of SSP into the RVM enhanced responses of WDR neurons, including identified neurons that project to the parabrachial area, to mechanical and heat stimuli. Since intraplantar injection of capsaicin produces robust hyperalgesia and sensitization of nociceptive spinal neurons, we examined whether this sensitization was dependent on NK-1 receptors in the RVM. Pretreatment with L-733,060 into the RVM blocked the sensitization of dorsal horn neurons produced by capsaicin. c-Fos labeling was used to determine the spatial distribution of dorsal horn neurons that were sensitized by NK-1 receptor activation in the RVM. Consistent with our electrophysiological results, administration of SSP into the RVM increased pinch-evoked c-Fos expression in the dorsal horn. It is suggested that targeting this descending pathway may be effective in reducing persistent pain.NEW & NOTEWORTHY It is known that activation of neurokinin-1 (NK-1) receptors in the rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM), a main output area for descending modulation of pain, produces hyperalgesia. Here we show that activation of NK-1 receptors produces hyperalgesia by sensitizing nociceptive dorsal horn neurons. Targeting this pathway at its origin or in the spinal cord may be an effective approach for pain management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergey G Khasabov
- Department of Diagnostic and Biological Sciences, University of Minnesota, School of Dentistry, Minneapolis, Minnesota; and
| | - Patrick Malecha
- Department of Diagnostic and Biological Sciences, University of Minnesota, School of Dentistry, Minneapolis, Minnesota; and
| | - Joseph Noack
- Department of Diagnostic and Biological Sciences, University of Minnesota, School of Dentistry, Minneapolis, Minnesota; and
| | - Janneta Tabakov
- Department of Diagnostic and Biological Sciences, University of Minnesota, School of Dentistry, Minneapolis, Minnesota; and
| | - Glenn J Giesler
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, School of Medicine, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Donald A Simone
- Department of Diagnostic and Biological Sciences, University of Minnesota, School of Dentistry, Minneapolis, Minnesota; and
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Postnatal maturation of the spinal-bulbo-spinal loop: brainstem control of spinal nociception is independent of sensory input in neonatal rats. Pain 2016; 157:677-686. [PMID: 26574823 PMCID: PMC4751743 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000000420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The rostroventral medial medulla (RVM) is part of a rapidly acting spino-bulbo-spinal loop that is activated by ascending nociceptive inputs and drives descending feedback modulation of spinal nociception. In the adult rat, the RVM can facilitate or inhibit dorsal horn neuron inputs but in young animals descending facilitation dominates. It is not known whether this early life facilitation is part of a feedback loop. We hypothesized that the newborn RVM functions independently of sensory input, before the maturation of feedback control. We show here that noxious hind paw pinch evokes no fos activation in the RVM or the periaqueductal gray at postnatal day (P) 4 or P8, indicating a lack of nociceptive input at these ages. Significant fos activation was evident at P12, P21, and in adults. Furthermore, direct excitation of RVM neurons with microinjection of DL-homocysteic acid did not alter the net activity of dorsal horn neurons at P10, suggesting an absence of glutamatergic drive, whereas the same injections caused significant facilitation at P21. In contrast, silencing RVM neurons at P8 with microinjection of lidocaine inhibited dorsal horn neuron activity, indicating a tonic descending spinal facilitation from the RVM at this age. The results support the hypothesis that early life descending facilitation of spinal nociception is independent of sensory input. Since it is not altered by RVM glutamatergic receptor activation, it is likely generated by spontaneous brainstem activity. Only later in postnatal life can this descending activity be modulated by ascending nociceptive inputs in a functional spinal-bulbo-spinal loop.
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23
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Lagatta DC, Ferreira-Junior NC, Deolindo M, Corrêa FMA, Resstel LBM. Ventrolateral periaqueductal grey matter neurotransmission modulates cardiac baroreflex activity. Eur J Neurosci 2016; 44:2877-2884. [PMID: 27646556 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2016] [Revised: 09/13/2016] [Accepted: 09/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Baroreflex activity is a neural mechanism responsible for short-term adjustments in blood pressure (BP). Several supramedullary areas, which send projections to the medulla, are able to control this reflex. In this context, the ventrolateral part of the periaqueductal grey matter (vlPAG), which is a mesencephalic structure, has been suggested to regulate the cardiovascular system. However, its involvement in baroreflex control has never been addressed. Therefore, our hypothesis is that the vlPAG neurotransmission is involved in baroreflex cardiac activity. Male Wistar rats had stainless steel guide cannulae unilaterally or bilaterally implanted in the vlPAG. Afterward, a catheter was inserted into the femoral artery for BP and HR recording. A second catheter was implanted into the femoral vein for baroreflex activation. When the nonselective synaptic blocker cobalt chloride (CoCl2 ) was unilaterally injected into the vlPAG, in either the left or the right hemisphere, it increased the tachycardic response to baroreflex activation. However, when CoCl2 was bilaterally microinjected into the vlPAG it decreased the tachycardic response to baroreflex stimulation. This work shows that vlPAG neurotransmission is involved in modulation of the tachycardic response of the baroreflex. Moreover, we suggest that the interconnections between the vlPAG of both hemispheres are activated during baroreflex stimulation. In this way, our work helps to improve the understanding about brain-heart circuitry control, emphasizing the role of the autonomic nervous system in such modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davi C Lagatta
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Bandeirantes Avenue 3900, Ribeirão Preto, SP, 14090-900, Brazil
| | - Nilson C Ferreira-Junior
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Bandeirantes Avenue 3900, Ribeirão Preto, SP, 14090-900, Brazil
| | - Milena Deolindo
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Bandeirantes Avenue 3900, Ribeirão Preto, SP, 14090-900, Brazil
| | - Fernando M A Corrêa
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Bandeirantes Avenue 3900, Ribeirão Preto, SP, 14090-900, Brazil
| | - Leonardo B M Resstel
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Bandeirantes Avenue 3900, Ribeirão Preto, SP, 14090-900, Brazil
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The BDNF Val66Met polymorphism is associated with the functional connectivity dynamics of pain modulatory systems in primary dysmenorrhea. Sci Rep 2016; 6:23639. [PMID: 27010666 PMCID: PMC4806293 DOI: 10.1038/srep23639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2015] [Accepted: 03/10/2016] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary dysmenorrhea (PDM), menstrual pain without an organic cause, is a prevailing problem in women of reproductive age. We previously reported alterations of structure and functional connectivity (FC) in the periaqueductal gray (PAG) of PDM subjects. Given that the brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) acts as a pain modulator within the PAG and the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism contributes towards susceptibility to PDM, the present study of imaging genetics set out to investigate the influence of, firstly, the BDNF Val66Met single nucleotide polymorphism and, secondly, the genotype-pain interplays on the descending pain modulatory systems in the context of PAG-seeded FC patterning. Fifty-six subjects with PDM and 60 controls participated in the current study of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during the menstruation and peri-ovulatory phases; in parallel, blood samples were taken for genotyping. Our findings indicate that the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism is associated with the diverse functional expressions of the descending pain modulatory systems. Furthermore, PAG FC patterns in pain-free controls are altered in women with PDM in a genotype-specific manner. Such resilient brain dynamics may underpin the individual differences and shed light on the vulnerability for chronic pain disorders of PDM subjects.
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Analgesic Effects of Danggui-Shaoyao-San on Various "Phenotypes" of Nociception and Inflammation in a Formalin Pain Model. Mol Neurobiol 2015; 53:6835-6848. [PMID: 26660325 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-015-9606-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2015] [Accepted: 12/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Danggui-Shaoyao-San (DSS) is a traditional Chinese medicine, which has long been used for pain treatment and has been demonstrated to possess anti-oxidative, cognitive enhancement, and anti-depressant effects. In the present study, the effects of aqueous extracts of DSS on spontaneous pain behaviors and long-term hyperalgesia were examined to investigate the anti-nociceptive effects and underlying mechanisms. Single pretreatment of DSS dose-dependently reduced spontaneous flinches/licking time in the second, rather than the first, phase after subcutaneous injection of 5 % formalin into one hindpaw, in doses of 2.4 and 9.6 g/kg. DSS also dose-dependently inhibited FOS and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression in both superficial and deep layers within the spinal dorsal horn. Further, DSS reduced hypoalgesia in the injected paw from 1 to 3 days and produced anti-hyperalgesic actions in both the injected paw after 3 days and non-injected paw. These data suggest involvement of enhancement of descending pain inhibition by suppression of 5-HTT levels in the spinal dorsal horn and reduction of peripheral long-term inflammation, including paw edema and ulcers. These findings suggest that DSS may be a useful therapeutic agent for short- and long-term inflammation induced pain, through both anti-inflammatory and suppression of central sensitization mechanisms.
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