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Nakajima T, Imai A, Ishii C, Tsuruyama K, Yamanaka R, Tomooka Y, Saito S, Adachi N, Kohno S, Sato T. SMAD2/3 signaling regulates initiation of mouse Wolffian ducts and proximal differentiation in Müllerian ducts. FEBS Open Bio 2024; 14:37-50. [PMID: 37953493 PMCID: PMC10761927 DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.13729] [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: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Male and female reproductive tracts develop from anterior intermediate mesoderm with similar differentiation processes. The anterior intermediate mesoderm develops into the mesonephros, and the Wolffian duct initiates by epithelialization in the mesonephros. The Müllerian duct invaginates from the coelomic epithelium of the cranial mesonephros for ductal formation and is then regionalized into proximal to caudal female reproductive tracts. In this study, we focused on the epithelialization of the Wolffian duct, initiation of the Müllerian duct, and the regionalization step of the Müllerian ducts as a continuous process. By using intermediate mesodermal cells from mouse pluripotent stem cells, we identified that inhibition of SMAD2/3 signaling might be involved in the differentiation into mesenchymal cells, after which mesonephric cells might be then epithelialized during differentiation of the Wolffian duct. Aggregation of coelomic epithelial cells might be related to initiation of the Müllerian duct. Transcriptomic analysis predicted that consensus sequences of SMAD3/4 were enriched among highly expressed genes in the proximal Müllerian duct. SMAD2/3 signaling to regulate differentiation of the Wolffian duct was continuously activated in the proximal Müllerian duct and was involved in proximal and oviductal regionalization. Therefore, SMAD2/3 signaling may be finely tuned to regulate differentiation from initiation to regionalization steps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tadaaki Nakajima
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, Faculty of Industrial Science and TechnologyTokyo University of ScienceJapan
- Department of ScienceYokohama City UniversityJapan
- Graduate School of NanobioscienceYokohama City UniversityJapan
| | - Akihiro Imai
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, Faculty of Industrial Science and TechnologyTokyo University of ScienceJapan
| | - Chihiro Ishii
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, Faculty of Industrial Science and TechnologyTokyo University of ScienceJapan
| | - Kota Tsuruyama
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, Faculty of Industrial Science and TechnologyTokyo University of ScienceJapan
| | - Risa Yamanaka
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, Faculty of Industrial Science and TechnologyTokyo University of ScienceJapan
| | - Yasuhiro Tomooka
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, Faculty of Industrial Science and TechnologyTokyo University of ScienceJapan
| | - Shinta Saito
- Department of ScienceYokohama City UniversityJapan
- Graduate School of NanobioscienceYokohama City UniversityJapan
| | - Noritaka Adachi
- Department of ScienceYokohama City UniversityJapan
- Graduate School of NanobioscienceYokohama City UniversityJapan
| | - Satomi Kohno
- Department of Biological SciencesSt. Cloud State UniversityMNUSA
| | - Tomomi Sato
- Department of ScienceYokohama City UniversityJapan
- Graduate School of NanobioscienceYokohama City UniversityJapan
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2
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Williams KB, Marley AR, Tibbitts J, Moertel CL, Johnson KJ, Linden MA, Largaespada DA, Marcotte EL. Perinatal folate levels do not influence tumor latency or multiplicity in a model of NF1 associated plexiform-like neurofibromas. BMC Res Notes 2023; 16:275. [PMID: 37848948 PMCID: PMC10580592 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-023-06515-8] [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: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE In epidemiological and experimental research, high folic acid intake has been demonstrated to accelerate tumor development among populations with genetic and/or molecular susceptibility to cancer. Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a common autosomal dominant disorder predisposing affected individuals to tumorigenesis, including benign plexiform neurofibromas; however, understanding of factors associated with tumor risk in NF1 patients is limited. Therefore, we investigated whether pregestational folic acid intake modified plexiform-like peripheral nerve sheath tumor risk in a transgenic NF1 murine model. RESULTS We observed no significant differences in overall survival according to folate group. Relative to controls (180 days), median survival did not statistically differ in deficient (174 days, P = 0.56) or supplemented (177 days, P = 0.13) folate groups. Dietary folate intake was positively associated with RBC folate levels at weaning, (P = 0.023, 0.0096, and 0.0006 for deficient vs. control, control vs. supplemented, and deficient vs. supplemented groups, respectively). Dorsal root ganglia (DRG), brachial plexi, and sciatic nerves were assessed according to folate group. Mice in the folate deficient group had significantly more enlarged DRG relative to controls (P = 0.044), but no other groups statistically differed. No significant differences for brachial plexi or sciatic nerve enlargement were observed according to folate status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle B Williams
- Department of Pediatrics, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, 515 Delaware St SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Andrew R Marley
- Division of Epidemiology & Clinical Research, Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, 420 Delaware St SE MMC 715, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Justin Tibbitts
- Department of Pediatrics, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, 515 Delaware St SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Christopher L Moertel
- Department of Pediatrics, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, 515 Delaware St SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Kimberly J Johnson
- Brown School, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Michael A Linden
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, 420 Delaware St SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - David A Largaespada
- Department of Pediatrics, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, 515 Delaware St SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Erin L Marcotte
- Department of Pediatrics, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, 515 Delaware St SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
- Division of Epidemiology & Clinical Research, Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, 420 Delaware St SE MMC 715, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
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Lenert ME, Burton MD. Sensory neuron LKB1 mediates ovarian and reproductive function. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.28.534533. [PMID: 37034663 PMCID: PMC10081243 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.28.534533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/20/2023]
Abstract
Treatments for reproductive disorders in women primarily consist of hormone replacement therapy, which can have negative health impacts. Bidirectional communication between sensory neurons and innervated organs is an emerging area of interest in tissue physiology with potential relevance for reproductive disorders. Indeed, the metabolic activity of sensory neurons can have profound effects on reproductive phenotypes. To investigate this phenomenon, we utilized a murine model with conditional deletion in sensory neurons of liver kinase B1 (LKB1), a serine/threonine kinase that regulates cellular metabolism. Female mice with this LKB1 deletion (Nav1.8cre;LKB1fl/fl) had significantly more pups per litter compared to wild-type females. Interestingly, the LKB1 genotype of male breeders had no effect on fertility outcomes, thus indicating a female-specific role of sensory neuron metabolism in fertility. LKB1 deletion in sensory neurons resulted in reduced ovarian innervation from dorsal root ganglia neurons and increased follicular turnover compared to littermate controls. In summary, LKB1 expression in peripheral sensory neurons plays an important role in modulating fertility of female mice via ovarian sensory innervation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa E Lenert
- Neuroimmunology and Behavior Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Center for Advanced Pain Studies (CAPS), The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080
| | - Michael D Burton
- Neuroimmunology and Behavior Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Center for Advanced Pain Studies (CAPS), The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080
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4
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Jana B, Całka J, Sikora M, Palus K. Involvement of the calcitonin gene-related peptide system in the modulation of inflamed uterus contractile function in pigs. Sci Rep 2022; 12:19146. [PMID: 36352250 PMCID: PMC9646719 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-23867-6] [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: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
This study analyzed severe acute endometritis action on myometrial density and distribution of protein gene product (PGP)9.5- and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)-like immunoreactive nerve fibers and calcitonin receptor-like receptor (CLR) expression, and on CGRP receptor (CGRPR) participation in uterine contractility in pigs. E. coli suspension (E. coli group) or saline (SAL group) were injected into the uteri, or only laparotomy was performed (CON group). In the E. coli group myometrium, a lack of significant changes in PGP9.5 and CGRP innervation patterns and increased CLR protein level were revealed. In all groups, compared to the pretreatment period, human αCGRP increased amplitude in the myometrium, while reducing it in endometrium/myometrium. In the E. coli group endometrium/myometrium, human αCGRP lowered amplitude vs other groups. Human αCGRP reduced frequency in CON and SAL groups and enhanced it in the E. coli group endometrium/myometrium. The frequency in E. coli group increased vs other groups. CGRPR antagonist, human αCGRP8-37, reversed (CON, SAL groups) and eliminated (E. coli group) the rise in human αCGRP-induced myometrial amplitude. In endometrium/myometrium, human αCGRP8-37 abolished (CON group) and reversed (SAL group) a decrease in frequency, and reduced the rise in frequency (E. coli group) caused by human αCGRP. Collectively, in the myometrium, endometritis did not change PGP9.5 and CGRP innervation patterns and enhanced CLR protein level. CGRPR also mediated in CGRP action on inflamed uterus contractility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Jana
- grid.433017.20000 0001 1091 0698Division of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Tuwima 10, 10-078 Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Jarosław Całka
- grid.412607.60000 0001 2149 6795Department of Clinical Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury, Oczapowskiego 13, 10-718 Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Sikora
- grid.433017.20000 0001 1091 0698Division of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Tuwima 10, 10-078 Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Palus
- grid.412607.60000 0001 2149 6795Department of Clinical Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury, Oczapowskiego 13, 10-718 Olsztyn, Poland
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5
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Dodds KN, Kyloh MA, Travis L, Cox M, Hibberd TJ, Spencer NJ. Anatomical distribution of CGRP-containing lumbosacral spinal afferent neurons in the mouse uterine horn. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:1012329. [PMID: 36248657 PMCID: PMC9554138 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.1012329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensory stimuli from the uterus are detected by spinal afferent neurons whose cell bodies arise from thoracolumbar and lumbosacral dorsal root ganglia (DRG). Using an in vivo survival surgical technique developed in our laboratory to remove select DRG from live mice, we recently quantified the topographical distribution of thoracolumbar spinal afferents innervating the mouse uterine horn, revealed by loss of immunoreactivity to calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). Here, we used the same technique to investigate the distribution of lumbosacral uterine spinal afferents, in which L5-S1 DRG were unilaterally removed from adult female C57BL/6J mice (N = 6). Following 10–12 days recovery, CGRP immunoreactivity was quantified along the length of uterine horns using fluorescence immunohistochemistry. Relative to myometrial thickness, overall CGRP density in uterine tissues ipsilateral to L5-S1 DRG removal was reduced compared to the DRG-intact, contralateral side (P = 0.0265). Regionally, however, myometrial CGRP density was unchanged in the cranial, mid, and caudal portions. Similarly, CGRP-expressing nerve fiber counts, network lengths, junctions, and the proportion of area occupied by CGRP immunoreactivity were unaffected by DRG removal (P ≥ 0.2438). Retrograde neuronal tracing from the caudal uterine horn revealed fewer spinal afferents here arise from lumbosacral than thoracolumbar DRG (P = 0.0442) (N = 4). These data indicate that, unlike thoracolumbar DRG, lumbosacral spinal afferent nerves supply relatively modest sensory innervation across the mouse uterine horn, with no regional specificity. We conclude most sensory information between the mouse uterine horn and central nervous system is likely relayed via thoracolumbar spinal afferents.
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Kyloh MA, Hibberd TJ, Castro J, Harrington AM, Travis L, Dodds KN, Wiklendt L, Brierley SM, Zagorodnyuk VP, Spencer NJ. Disengaging spinal afferent nerve communication with the brain in live mice. Commun Biol 2022; 5:915. [PMID: 36104503 PMCID: PMC9475039 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03876-x] [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: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Our understanding of how abdominal organs (like the gut) communicate with the brain, via sensory nerves, has been limited by a lack of techniques to selectively activate or inhibit populations of spinal primary afferent neurons within dorsal root ganglia (DRG), of live animals. We report a survival surgery technique in mice, where select DRG are surgically removed (unilaterally or bilaterally), without interfering with other sensory or motor nerves. Using this approach, pain responses evoked by rectal distension were abolished by bilateral lumbosacral L5-S1 DRG removal, but not thoracolumbar T13-L1 DRG removal. However, animals lacking T13-L1 or L5-S1 DRG both showed reduced pain sensitivity to distal colonic distension. Removal of DRG led to selective loss of peripheral CGRP-expressing spinal afferent axons innervating visceral organs, arising from discrete spinal segments. This method thus allows spinal segment-specific determination of sensory pathway functions in conscious, free-to-move animals, without genetic modification. A surgical method in mice can selectively remove dorsal root ganglia (DRG) at specific spinal levels without interfering with other nerves, providing insight on thoracolumbar vs. lumbosacral DRG contributions to pain signalling and behaviour.
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7
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Xie Z, Feng J, Cai T, McCarthy R, Eschbach Ii MD, Wang Y, Zhao Y, Yi Z, Zang K, Yuan Y, Hu X, Li F, Liu Q, Das A, England SK, Hu H. Estrogen metabolites increase nociceptor hyperactivity in a mouse model of uterine pain. JCI Insight 2022; 7:149107. [PMID: 35420999 PMCID: PMC9220826 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.149107] [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: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Pain emanating from the female reproductive tract is notoriously difficult to be treated and the prevalence of transient pelvic pain has been placed as high as 70-80% in women surveyed. Although sex hormones, especially estrogen, are thought to underlie enhanced pain perception in females, the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms are not completely understood. Here we show that the pain-initiating TRPA1 channel is required for pain-related behaviors in a mouse model of estrogen-induced uterine pain in ovariectomized female mice. Surprisingly, 2- and 4-hydroxylated estrogen metabolites (HEMs) in the estrogen hydroxylation pathway, but not estrone, estradiol and 16-HEMs, directly increase nociceptor hyperactivity through TRPA1 and TRPV1 channels, and picomolar concentrations of 2- and 4-hydroxylation estrone (OHE1) can sensitize TRPA1 channel function. Moreover, both TRPA1 and TRPV1 are expressed in uterine-innervating primary nociceptors and their expressions are increased in the estrogen-induced uterine pain model. Importantly, pretreatment of 2- or 4-OHE1 recapitulates estrogen-induced uterine pain-like behaviors and intraplantar injections of 2- and 4-OHE1 directly produce a TRPA1-dependent mechanical hypersensitivity. Our findings demonstrate that TRPA1 is critically involved in estrogen-induced uterine pain-like behaviors, which may provide a potential drug target for treating female reproductive tract pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zili Xie
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States of America
| | - Jing Feng
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States of America
| | - Tao Cai
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Ronald McCarthy
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States of America
| | - Mark D Eschbach Ii
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, United States of America
| | - Yuhui Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yonghui Zhao
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States of America
| | - Zhihua Yi
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States of America
| | - Kaikai Zang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States of America
| | - Yi Yuan
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States of America
| | - Xueming Hu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States of America
| | - Fengxian Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States of America
| | - Qin Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States of America
| | - Aditi Das
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, United States of America
| | - Sarah K England
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States of America
| | - Hongzhen Hu
- Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States of America
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Lee MC, Nahorski MS, Hockley JRF, Lu VB, Ison G, Pattison LA, Callejo G, Stouffer K, Fletcher E, Brown C, Drissi I, Wheeler D, Ernfors P, Menon D, Reimann F, Smith ESJ, Woods CG. Human Labor Pain Is Influenced by the Voltage-Gated Potassium Channel K V6.4 Subunit. Cell Rep 2021; 32:107941. [PMID: 32697988 PMCID: PMC7383234 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.107941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Revised: 03/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
By studying healthy women who do not request analgesia during their first delivery, we investigate genetic effects on labor pain. Such women have normal sensory and psychometric test results, except for significantly higher cuff pressure pain. We find an excess of heterozygotes carrying the rare allele of SNP rs140124801 in KCNG4. The rare variant KV6.4-Met419 has a dominant-negative effect and cannot modulate the voltage dependence of KV2.1 inactivation because it fails to traffic to the plasma membrane. In vivo, Kcng4 (KV6.4) expression occurs in 40% of retrograde-labeled mouse uterine sensory neurons, all of which express KV2.1, and over 90% express the nociceptor genes Trpv1 and Scn10a. In neurons overexpressing KV6.4-Met419, the voltage dependence of inactivation for KV2.1 is more depolarized compared with neurons overexpressing KV6.4. Finally, KV6.4-Met419-overexpressing neurons have a higher action potential threshold. We conclude that KV6.4 can influence human labor pain by modulating the excitability of uterine nociceptors. KCNG4 variant highly prevalent in women requiring no analgesia in childbirth KCNG4 variant encodes KV6.4Met-419; KV6.4 is a silent subunit modifying KV activity KV6.4Met-419 is retained in the cytoplasm and acts in a dominant-negative manner KV6.4Met-419 overexpression results in hypoexcitable sensory neurons
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael C Lee
- University Division of Anaesthesia, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK.
| | - Michael S Nahorski
- Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, Wellcome Trust MRC Building, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - James R F Hockley
- Department of Pharmacology, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1PD, UK
| | - Van B Lu
- Wellcome Trust-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Gillian Ison
- University Division of Anaesthesia, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Luke A Pattison
- Department of Pharmacology, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1PD, UK
| | - Gerard Callejo
- Department of Pharmacology, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1PD, UK
| | - Kaitlin Stouffer
- Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, Wellcome Trust MRC Building, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Emily Fletcher
- Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, Wellcome Trust MRC Building, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Christopher Brown
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Institute of Psychology, Health and Society, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZA, UK
| | - Ichrak Drissi
- University Division of Anaesthesia, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Daniel Wheeler
- University Division of Anaesthesia, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Patrik Ernfors
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - David Menon
- University Division of Anaesthesia, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Frank Reimann
- Wellcome Trust-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK.
| | | | - C Geoffrey Woods
- Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, Wellcome Trust MRC Building, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK.
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Bian Z, Guo T, Jiang S, Chen L, Liu J, Zheng G, Feng B. High-Throughput Functional Characterization of Visceral Afferents by Optical Recordings From Thoracolumbar and Lumbosacral Dorsal Root Ganglia. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:657361. [PMID: 33776645 PMCID: PMC7991386 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.657361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Functional understanding of visceral afferents is important for developing the new treatment to visceral hypersensitivity and pain. The sparse distribution of visceral afferents in dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) has challenged conventional electrophysiological recordings. Alternatively, Ca2+ indicators like GCaMP6f allow functional characterization by optical recordings. Here we report a turnkey microscopy system that enables simultaneous Ca2+ imaging at two parallel focal planes from intact DRG. By using consumer-grade optical components, the microscopy system is cost-effective and can be made broadly available without loss of capacity. It records low-intensity fluorescent signals at a wide field of view (1.9 × 1.3 mm) to cover a whole mouse DRG, with a high pixel resolution of 0.7 micron/pixel, a fast frame rate of 50 frames/sec, and the capability of remote focusing without perturbing the sample. The wide scanning range (100 mm) of the motorized sample stage allows convenient recordings of multiple DRGs in thoracic, lumbar, and sacral vertebrae. As a demonstration, we characterized mechanical neural encoding of visceral afferents innervating distal colon and rectum (colorectum) in GCaMP6f mice driven by VGLUT2 promotor. A post-processing routine is developed for conducting unsupervised detection of visceral afferent responses from GCaMP6f recordings, which also compensates the motion artifacts caused by mechanical stimulation of the colorectum. The reported system offers a cost-effective solution for high-throughput recordings of visceral afferent activities from a large volume of DRG tissues. We anticipate a wide application of this microscopy system to expedite our functional understanding of visceral innervations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zichao Bian
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Mansfield, CT, United States
| | - Tiantian Guo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Mansfield, CT, United States
| | - Shaowei Jiang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Mansfield, CT, United States
| | - Longtu Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Mansfield, CT, United States
| | - Jia Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Mansfield, CT, United States
| | - Guoan Zheng
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Mansfield, CT, United States
| | - Bin Feng
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Mansfield, CT, United States
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10
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Castro J, Maddern J, Erickson A, Caldwell A, Grundy L, Harrington AM, Brierley SM. Pharmacological modulation of voltage-gated sodium (NaV) channels alters nociception arising from the female reproductive tract. Pain 2021; 162:227-242. [PMID: 32826751 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Dyspareunia, also known as vaginal hyperalgesia, is a prevalent and debilitating symptom of gynaecological disorders such as endometriosis and vulvodynia. Despite this, the sensory pathways transmitting nociceptive information from female reproductive organs remain poorly characterised. As such, the development of specific treatments for pain associated with dyspareunia is currently lacking. Here, we examined, for the first time, (1) the mechanosensory properties of pelvic afferent nerves innervating the mouse vagina; (2) the expression profile of voltage-gated sodium (NaV) channels within these afferents; and (3) how pharmacological modulation of these channels alters vaginal nociceptive signalling ex vivo, in vitro, and in vivo. We developed a novel afferent recording preparation and characterised responses of pelvic afferents innervating the mouse vagina to different mechanical stimuli. Single-cell reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction determined mRNA expression of NaV channels within vagina-innervating dorsal root ganglia neurons. Vagina-innervating dorsal root ganglia neuroexcitability was measured using whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology. Nociception evoked by vaginal distension was assessed by dorsal horn neuron activation within the spinal cord and quantification of visceromotor responses. We found that pelvic afferents innervating the vagina are tuned to detect various mechanical stimuli, with NaV channels abundantly expressed within these neurons. Pharmacological modulation of NaV channels (with veratridine or tetrodotoxin) correspondingly alters the excitability and mechanosensitivity of vagina-innervating afferents, as well as dorsal horn neuron activation and visceromotor responses evoked by vaginal distension. This study identifies potential molecular targets that can be used to modulate vaginal nociceptive signalling and aid in the development of approaches to manage endometriosis and vulvodynia-related dyspareunia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel Castro
- Visceral Pain Research Group, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI), Flinders University, Bedford Park, Australia
- Hopwood Centre for Neurobiology, Lifelong Health Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), North Terrace, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Jessica Maddern
- Visceral Pain Research Group, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI), Flinders University, Bedford Park, Australia
- Hopwood Centre for Neurobiology, Lifelong Health Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), North Terrace, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Andelain Erickson
- Visceral Pain Research Group, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI), Flinders University, Bedford Park, Australia
- Hopwood Centre for Neurobiology, Lifelong Health Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), North Terrace, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Ashlee Caldwell
- Visceral Pain Research Group, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI), Flinders University, Bedford Park, Australia
- Hopwood Centre for Neurobiology, Lifelong Health Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), North Terrace, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Luke Grundy
- Visceral Pain Research Group, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI), Flinders University, Bedford Park, Australia
- Hopwood Centre for Neurobiology, Lifelong Health Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), North Terrace, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Andrea M Harrington
- Visceral Pain Research Group, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI), Flinders University, Bedford Park, Australia
- Hopwood Centre for Neurobiology, Lifelong Health Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), North Terrace, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Stuart M Brierley
- Visceral Pain Research Group, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI), Flinders University, Bedford Park, Australia
- Hopwood Centre for Neurobiology, Lifelong Health Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), North Terrace, Adelaide, Australia
- Discipline of Medicine, University of Adelaide, North Terrace, Adelaide, Australia
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11
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Dodds KN, Kyloh MA, Travis L, Beckett EAH, Spencer NJ. Morphological identification of thoracolumbar spinal afferent nerve endings in mouse uterus. J Comp Neurol 2020; 529:2029-2041. [PMID: 33190293 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Major sensory innervation to the uterus is provided by spinal afferent nerves, whose cell bodies lie predominantly in thoracolumbar dorsal root ganglia (DRG). While the origin of the cell bodies of uterine spinal afferents is clear, the identity of their sensory endings has remained unknown. Hence, our major aim was to identify the location, morphology, and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)-immunoreactivity of uterine spinal afferent endings supplied by thoracolumbar DRG. We also sought to determine the degree of uterine afferent innervation provided by the vagus nerve. Using an anterograde tracing technique, nulliparous female C57BL/6 mice were injected unilaterally with biotinylated dextran into thoracolumbar DRG (T13-L3). After 7-9 days, uterine horns were stained to visualize traced nerve axons and endings immunoreactive to CGRP. Whole uteri from a separate cohort of animals were injected with retrograde neuronal tracer (DiI) and dye uptake in nodose ganglia was examined. Anterogradely labeled axons innervated each uterine horn, these projected rostrally or caudally from their site of entry, branching to form varicose endings in the myometrium and/or vascular plexus. Most spinal afferent endings were CGRP-immunoreactive and morphologically classified as "simple-type." Rarely, uterine nerve cell bodies were labeled in nodose ganglia. Here, we provide the first detailed description of spinal afferent nerve endings in the uterus of a vertebrate. Distinct morphological types of spinal afferent nerve endings were identified throughout multiple anatomical layers of the uterine wall. Compared to other visceral organs, uterine spinal afferent endings displayed noticeably less morphological diversity. Few neurons in nodose ganglia innervate the uterus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsi N Dodds
- College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University of South Australia, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia
| | - Melinda A Kyloh
- College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University of South Australia, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia
| | - Lee Travis
- College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University of South Australia, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia
| | - Elizabeth A H Beckett
- Discipline of Physiology, Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Nick J Spencer
- College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University of South Australia, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia
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12
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Liu BX, Qiu M, Zong PY, Chen XG, Zhao K, Li Y, Li P, Sun W, Kong XQ. Distribution, Morphological Characterization, and Resiniferatoxin-Susceptibility of Sensory Neurons That Innervate Rat Perirenal Adipose Tissue. Front Neuroanat 2019; 13:29. [PMID: 30930754 PMCID: PMC6427091 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2019.00029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2018] [Accepted: 02/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Perirenal adipose tissue (PrAT) is a visceral adipose tissue involved in the pathogenesis of obesity and cardiovascular diseases via neural pathways. However, the origins, morphological characterization, and resiniferatoxin (RTX)-susceptibility of sensory neurons that innervate rat PrAT are yet unclear. Using neural tracing, an injection of DiI (1,1′-dioctadecyl-3,3,3′,3′-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate) into PrAT revealed that sensory neurons that innervate PrAT reside in T9-L3 dorsal root ganglia (DRG). Peak labeling occurred in T13 and L1 DRGs. Two distinct peaks were observed in cross-sectional areas of the labeled soma, and the mean cross-sectional area was 717.1 ± 27.7 μm2. Immunofluorescence staining for transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 1 (TRPV1) separated DiI-positive neurons into three subpopulations: small TRPV1-negative, small TRPV1-positive, and large TRPV1-negative. Furthermore, the injection of RTX into PrAT reduced labeled cells by 36.7% where TRPV1-positive cells were the main target of RTX denervation. These novel findings provide a structural basis for future TRPV1-dependent and TRPV1-independent studies on the sensory innervation of PrAT, which may be of interest for future therapeutic obesity treatment and intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo-Xun Liu
- Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ming Qiu
- Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Peng-Yu Zong
- Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xu-Guan Chen
- Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Kun Zhao
- Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yong Li
- Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Peng Li
- Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wei Sun
- Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiang-Qing Kong
- Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
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13
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Liliana R, Slawomir G, Tomasz J, Joanna W, Andrzej P. The effects of Bisphenol A (BPA) on sympathetic nerve fibers in the uterine wall of the domestic pig. Reprod Toxicol 2018; 84:39-48. [PMID: 30562551 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2018.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2018] [Revised: 12/08/2018] [Accepted: 12/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Bisphenol A (BPA), used in the production of plastic, shows multidirectional negative effects on the living organism. BPA may affect the reproductive and nervous systems; however, its influence on the nerves supplying the uterus has not been studied. During the present study, the impact of BPA on the sympathetic nerves in the uterus was investigated using a double immunofluorescence technique. The results have shown that even low doses of BPA may change the neurochemical characterization of uterine sympathetic nerves, and the severity of these changes depends on the part of the uterus and the dose of the toxic substance. Probably the changes observed during the present study resulted from the neurotoxic and/or pro-inflammatory activity of BPA, but the exact mechanism for the observed fluctuation still remains unknown. The fluctuations of the neurochemical characterization of the uterine intramural nerves may be the first subclinical signs of harmful exposure to BPA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rytel Liliana
- Department of Internal Disease with Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury, Poland.
| | - Gonkowski Slawomir
- Department of Clinical Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury, Poland
| | - Janowski Tomasz
- Department of Animal Reproduction with Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury, Poland
| | - Wojtkiewicz Joanna
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury, Poland
| | - Pomianowski Andrzej
- Department of Internal Disease with Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury, Poland
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14
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Chen BN, Olsson C, Sharrad DF, Brookes SJH. Sensory innervation of the guinea pig colon and rectum compared using retrograde tracing and immunohistochemistry. Neurogastroenterol Motil 2016; 28:1306-16. [PMID: 27038370 DOI: 10.1111/nmo.12825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2015] [Accepted: 03/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurons in lumbar and sacral dorsal root ganglia (DRG) comprise extrinsic sensory pathways to the distal colon and rectum, but their relative contributions are unclear. In this study, sensory innervation of the rectum and distal colon in the guinea pig was directly compared using retrograde labeling combined with immunohistochemistry. METHODS The lipophilic tracer, DiI, was injected in either the rectum or distal colon of anesthetized guinea pigs, then DRG (T6 to S5) and nodose ganglia were harvested and labeled using antisera for calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and transient receptor potential vanilloid 1(TRPV1). KEY RESULTS More primary afferent cell bodies were labeled from the rectum than from the distal colon. Vagal sensory neurons, with cell bodies in the nodose ganglia comprised fewer than 0.5% of labeled sensory neurons. Spinal afferents to the distal colon were nearly all located in thoracolumbar DRG, in a skewed unimodal distribution (peak at L2); fewer than 1% were located in sacral ganglia. In contrast, spinal afferents retrogradely labeled from the rectum had a bimodal distribution, with one peak at L3 and another at S2. Fewer than half of all retrogradely labeled spinal afferent neurons were immunoreactive for CGRP or TRPV1 and these included the larger traced neurons, especially in thoracolumbar ganglia. CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES In the guinea pig, both the distal colon and the rectum receive a sensory innervation from thoracolumbar ganglia. Sacral afferents innervate the rectum but not the distal colon. Calcitonin gene-related peptide immunoreactivity was detectable in fewer than half of afferent neurons in both pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- B N Chen
- Discipline of Human Physiology, FMST, School of Medicine, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, Australia
| | - C Olsson
- Department of Biological & Environmental Sciences, University of Göteborg, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - D F Sharrad
- Discipline of Human Physiology, FMST, School of Medicine, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, Australia
| | - S J H Brookes
- Discipline of Human Physiology, FMST, School of Medicine, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, Australia
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15
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Abstract
Tityus serrulatus (Ts) is the main scorpion species of medical importance in Brazil. Ts venom is composed of several compounds such as mucus, inorganic salts, lipids, amines, nucleotides, enzymes, kallikrein inhibitor, natriuretic peptide, proteins with high molecular mass, peptides, free amino acids and neurotoxins. Neurotoxins are considered the most responsible for the envenoming syndrome due to their pharmacological action on ion channels such as voltage-gated sodium (Nav) and potassium (Kv) channels. The major goal of this review is to present important advances in Ts envenoming research, correlating both the crude Ts venom and isolated toxins with alterations observed in all human systems. The most remarkable event lies in the Ts induced massive releasing of neurotransmitters influencing, directly or indirectly, the entire body. Ts venom proved to extremely affect nervous and muscular systems, to modulate the immune system, to induce cardiac disorders, to cause pulmonary edema, to decrease urinary flow and to alter endocrine, exocrine, reproductive, integumentary, skeletal and digestive functions. Therefore, Ts venom possesses toxins affecting all anatomic systems, making it a lethal cocktail. However, its low lethality may be due to the low venom mass injected, to the different venom compositions, the body characteristics and health conditions of the victim and the local of Ts sting. Furthermore, we also described the different treatments employed during envenoming cases. In particular, throughout the review, an effort will be made to provide information from an extensive documented studies concerning Ts venom in vitro, in animals and in humans (a total of 151 references).
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