Keys for microRNA expression profiling of single rat hypothalamic nuclei and multiplex sequencing strategies

Integrative research has taken on the challenge of addressing questions in physiology by using novel knowledge and novel techniques. Recently, small and long non-coding RNAs have emerged as key regulators of gene expression, while next-generation sequencing technologies have revolutionized the characterization of genomes and gene expression. For a decade, it has been known that microRNAs (miRNAs) are RNAs of 18-24 bases that regulate gene expression in mammals. Here, we first describe the nature of miRNAs and the advantages of high-throughput sequencing technologies for establishing miRNA expression profiles. The hypothalamus harbours a dozen specialized areas or nuclei, the sampling of which is required to establish physiologically relevant miRNA expression profiles. MicroRNA expression profiling from single animals is also important for investigating potential genetic or epigenetic differences between individuals. Establishing a large number of miRNA expression profiles of individual hypothalamic nuclei of single rats at a cost compatible with laboratory finance can be achieved by using tagged cDNA libraries constructed from purified small RNAs and a multiplex sequencing strategy. We continue this report by surveying specificities of the different strategies that are used at present for constructing tagged cDNA libraries and provide a comparative analysis of miRNA expression profiles from hypothalamic arcuate nuclei of seven male Wistar rats.

Adiponectin receptors are expressed in hypothalamus and colocalized with proopiomelanocortin and neuropeptide Y in rodent arcuate neurons

Adiponectin is involved in the control of energy homeostasis in peripheral tissues through Adipor1 and Adipor2 receptors. An increasing amount of evidence suggests that this adipocyte-secreted hormone may also act at the hypothalamic level to control energy homeostasis. In the present study, we observed the gene and protein expressions of Adipor1 and Adipor2 in rat hypothalamus using different approaches. By immunohistochemistry, Adipor1 expression was ubiquitous in the rat brain. By contrast, Adipor2 expression was more limited to specific brain areas such as hypothalamus, cortex, and hippocampus. In arcuate and paraventricular hypothalamic nuclei, Adipor1, and Adipor2 were expressed by neurons and astrocytes. Furthermore, using transgenic green fluorescent protein mice, we showed that Adipor1 and Adipor2 were present in pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) and neuropeptide Y (NPY) neurons in the arcuate nucleus. Finally, adiponectin treatment by intracerebroventricular injection induced AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation in the rat hypothalamus. This was confirmed by in vitro studies using hypothalamic membrane fractions. In conclusion, Adipor1 and Adipor2 are both expressed by neurons (including POMC and NPY neurons) and astrocytes in the rat hypothalamic nuclei. Adiponectin is able to increase AMPK phosphorylation in the rat hypothalamus. These data reinforced a potential role of adiponectin and its hypothalamic receptors in the control of energy homeostasis.

A putative physiological role of hypothalamic CNTF in the control of energy homeostasis

Administration of CNTF durably reduces food intake and body weight in obese humans and rodent models. However, the involvement of endogenous CNTF in the central regulation of energy homeostasis needs to be elucidated. Here, we demonstrate that CNTF and its receptor are expressed in the arcuate nucleus, a key hypothalamic region controlling food intake, and that CNTF levels are inversely correlated to body weight in rats fed a high-sucrose diet. Thus endogenous CNTF may act, in some individuals, as a protective factor against weight gain during hypercaloric diet and could account for individual differences in the susceptibility to obesity.

Lack of cross-desensitization between leptin and prolactin signaling pathways despite the induction of suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 and PTP-1B

Hyperprolactinemia and hyperleptinemia occur during gestation and lactation with marked hyperphagia associated with leptin resistance. Prolactin (PRL) induces the expression of orexigenic neuropeptide Y (NPY) through the activation of JAK-2/STAT-3 signaling pathway in hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) leading to hyperphagia. PRL may also act through the inhibition of anorexigenic effect of leptin via induction of suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS-3). This paper aimed to co-localize PRL (PRL-R) and leptin (ObRb) receptors in the hypothalamus of female rats and investigate the possible cross-desensitization between PRL-R and ObRb. We showed that: 1) PRL-R and ObRb are expressed in the PVN and co-localized in the same neurons; 2) in lactating females leptin failed to activate JAK-2/STAT-3 signaling pathway; 3) in Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) stably co-expressing PRL-R and ObRb, overexposure to PRL did not affect leptin signaling but totally abolished PRL-dependent STAT-5 phosphorylation. The overexposure to leptin produces similar results with strong alteration of leptin-dependent STAT-3 phosphorylation, whereas PRL-dependent STAT-5 was not affected; and 4) CHO-ObRb/PRL-R cells overexposure to leptin or PRL induces the expression of negative regulators SOCS-3 and PTP-1B. Thus, we conclude that these negative regulators affect specifically the inducer signaling pathway; for instance, SOCS-3 induced by PRL will affect PRL-R signaling but not ObRb signaling and vice versa. Finally, the lack of cross-desensitization between PURL-R and ObRb suggests that hyperphagia observed during gestation and lactation may be attributed to a direct effect of PRL on NPYexpression, and is most likely exacerbated by the physiological leptin resistance state.

Impaired somatodendritic responses to pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) of supraoptic neurones in PACAP type I -receptor deficient mice

The role of pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) type I receptor (PAC1 receptor) in regulating hypothalamic supraoptic neurones was investigated using PAC1 receptor-deficient male mice (PAC1-/-). The effects of PACAP on [Ca2+]i were investigated in freshly dissociated supraoptic neurones and on the somatodendritic release of vasopressin and oxytocin, examined on intact supraoptic nuclei. In supraoptic neurones from wild-type mice (PAC1+/+), 100 nm PACAP induced an increase in [Ca2+]i and release of vasopressin and oxytocin, whereas in heterozygous (PAC1+/-) and null-mutant mice (PAC1-/-), PACAP was much less effective. PACAP had no effect on these two parameters when applied to isolated neurohypophysial nerve terminals of PAC1+/+ and PAC1-/- mice, and rats. In conclusion, the PAC1 receptor is solely responsible for the PACAP-induced [Ca2+]i signalling and secretion of vasopressin and oxytocin in the somatodendritic region of supraoptic neurones.

Monoaminergic control of vasopressin and VIP expression in the mouse suprachiasmatic nucleus

We studied the effects of serotonin and noradrenaline on the expression of arginine-vasopressin (AVP) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). We used transgenic Tg8 mice knockout for the MAO-A (monoamine oxidase A) gene, which are characterized by increased amounts of serotonin and noradrenaline in brain compared to wild-type mice (C3H). The MAO-A deficiency caused an increase in AVP and VIP expression (determined by immunohistochemistry, enzyme immunoassay, and in situ hybridization) compared to C3H mice. The number of peptidergic neurons was also increased. Inhibiting serotonin or noradrenaline synthesis in Tg8 mice by the administration of parachlorophenylalanine or alpha-methylparatyrosine, respectively, the amounts of AVP, VIP and their mRNAs were decreased, but not the number of peptidergic neurons. This study indicates that serotonin and noradrenaline stimulate AVP and VIP expression, and could participate in the differentiation of the neurochemical phenotype in the mouse SCN.

The effects of nitric oxide on magnocellular neurons could involve multiple indirect cyclic GMP-dependent pathways

Nitric oxide (NO) is known to regulate the release of arginine-vasopressin (AVP) and oxytocin (OT) by the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and the supraoptic nucleus (SON). The aim of the current study was to identify in these nuclei the NO-producing neurons and the NO-receptive cells in mice. The determination of NO-synthesizing neurons was performed by double immunohistochemistry for the neuronal form of NO synthase (NOS), and AVP or OT. Besides, we visualized the NO-receptive cells by detecting cyclic GMP (cGMP), the major second messenger for NO, by immunohistochemistry on hypothalamus slices. Neuronal NOS was exclusively colocalized with OT in the PVN and the SON, suggesting that NO is mainly synthesized by oxytocinergic neurons in mice. By contrast, cGMP was not observed in magnocellular neurons, but in GABA-, tyrosine hydroxylase- and glutamate-positive fibers, as well as in GFAP-stained cells. The cGMP-immunostaining was abolished by incubating brain slices with a NOS inhibitor (L-NAME). Consequently, we provide the first evidence that NO could regulate the release of AVP and OT indirectly by modulating the activity of the main afferents to magnocellular neurons rather than by acting directly on magnocellular neurons. Moreover, both the NADPH-diaphorase activity and the mean intensity of cGMP-immunofluorescence were increased in monoamine oxidase A knock-out mice (Tg8) compared to control mice (C3H) in both nuclei. This suggests that monoamines could enhance the production of NO, contributing by this way to the fine regulation of AVP and OT release and synthesis.