scholarly journals Locomotor suppression by a monosynaptic amygdala to brainstem circuit

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas K. Roseberry ◽  
Arnaud L. Lalive ◽  
Benjamin D. Margolin ◽  
Anatol C. Kreitzer
Keyword(s):  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Conditioned Avoidance ◽  
Neural Circuitry ◽  
Glutamatergic Neurons ◽  
Monosynaptic Connection ◽  
Animal Survival ◽  
Defensive Behaviors ◽  
Defensive Action ◽  
Increased Activity

AbstractThe control of locomotion is fundamental to vertebrate animal survival. Defensive situations require an animal to rapidly decide whether to run away or suppress locomotor activity to avoid detection. While much of the neural circuitry involved in defensive action selection has been elucidated, top-down modulation of brainstem locomotor circuitry remains unclear. Here we provide evidence for the existence and functionality of a monosynaptic connection from the central amygdala (CeA) to the mesencephalic locomotor region (MLR) that inhibits locomotion in unconditioned and conditioned defensive behavior in mice. We show that locomotion stimulated by airpuff coincides with increased activity of MLR glutamatergic neurons. Using retrograde tracing and ex vivo electrophysiology, we find that the CeA makes a monosynaptic connection with the MLR. In the open field, in vivo stimulation of this projection suppressed spontaneous locomotion, whereas inhibition of this projection had no effect. However, inhibiting CeA terminals within the MLR increased both neural activity and locomotor responses to airpuff. Finally, using a conditioned avoidance paradigm known to activate CeA neurons, we find that inhibition of the CeA projection increased successful escape, whereas activating the projection reduced escape. Together these results provide evidence for a new circuit substrate influencing locomotion and defensive behaviors.

scholarly journals A method for single-neuron chronic recording from the retina in awake mice

Science ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 360 (6396) ◽  
pp. 1447-1451 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guosong Hong ◽  
Tian-Ming Fu ◽  
Mu Qiao ◽  
Robert D. Viveros ◽  
Xiao Yang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Retinal Ganglion Cells ◽  
Visual Information ◽  
Single Neuron ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Neural Circuitry ◽  
Retinal Ganglion ◽  
Chronic Recording ◽  
The Brain

The retina, which processes visual information and sends it to the brain, is an excellent model for studying neural circuitry. It has been probed extensively ex vivo but has been refractory to chronic in vivo electrophysiology. We report a nonsurgical method to achieve chronically stable in vivo recordings from single retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in awake mice. We developed a noncoaxial intravitreal injection scheme in which injected mesh electronics unrolls inside the eye and conformally coats the highly curved retina without compromising normal eye functions. The method allows 16-channel recordings from multiple types of RGCs with stable responses to visual stimuli for at least 2 weeks, and reveals circadian rhythms in RGC responses over multiple day/night cycles.

Ex Vivo Brain Preparation to Analyze Vocal Pathways of Xenopus Frogs

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (9) ◽  
pp. pdb.prot106872
Author(s):  
Ayako Yamaguchi
Keyword(s):  
Neural Activity ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Neural Circuitry ◽  
Neural Basis ◽  
Vocal Production ◽  
Basic Principles ◽  
Electrophysiological Recordings ◽  
The Brain

Understanding the neural basis of behavior is a challenging task for technical reasons. Most methods of recording neural activity require animals to be immobilized, but neural activity associated with most behavior cannot be recorded from an anesthetized, immobilized animal. Using amphibians, however, there has been some success in developing in vitro brain preparations that can be used for electrophysiological and anatomical studies. Here, we describe an ex vivo frog brain preparation from which fictive vocalizations (the neural activity that would have produced vocalizations had the brain been attached to the muscle) can be elicited repeatedly. When serotonin is applied to the isolated brains of male and female African clawed frogs, Xenopus laevis, laryngeal nerve activity that is a facsimile of those that underlie sex-specific vocalizations in vivo can be readily recorded. Recently, this preparation was successfully used in other species within the genus including Xenopus tropicalis and Xenopus victorianus. This preparation allows a variety of techniques to be applied including extracellular and intracellular electrophysiological recordings and calcium imaging during vocal production, surgical and pharmacological manipulation of neurons to evaluate their impact on motor output, and tract tracing of the neural circuitry. Thus, the preparation is a powerful tool with which to understand the basic principles that govern the production of coherent and robust motor programs in vertebrates.

Regulation of Na+/Mg2+ Exchange in Sickle Erythrocytes By Endothelin-1

Blood ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 124 (21) ◽  
pp. 4064-4064
Author(s):  
Pablo A. Rivera ◽  
Yaritza Inostroza ◽  
Jose R. Romero ◽  
Alicia Rivera
Keyword(s):  
Sickle Cell Disease ◽  
Sickle Cell ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Red Cells ◽  
Cell Disease ◽  
Magnesium Homeostasis ◽  
Increased Activity ◽  
Exchange Activity

Abstract Excess levels of endothelin-1 (ET-1), erythrocyte sickling and chronic inflammation have been proposed as important contributors to the pathophysiology of sickle cell disease (SCD). We have shown that ET-1 receptor antagonists improve hematological parameters by reducing Gardos channel activity in two transgenic mouse models of SCD while reducing oxidant stress by decreasing circulating levels of protein disulfide isomerase. Magnesium (Mg2+) deficiency, mediated in part via increased erythrocyte Na+/Mg2+ exchanger activity, has been demonstrated to contribute to erythrocyte dehydration, K+ loss and sickling in SCD. However, the relationship between ET-1 and the Na+/Mg2+ exchanger in SCD remains unclear. We measured Na+/Mg2+ exchange activity in ex vivo red cells and observed increased activity following in vitro incubation of human (2.2 ± 0.2 to 3.2 ± 0.1 mmol/1013 cell x h, P<0.03, n=5) and mouse red blood cells with ET-1 (P<0.001, n=5); events that were significantly blocked by pre-incubation of cells with 1 μM BQ788, a selective inhibitor of ET-1 type B receptors. In addition, in vitro deoxygenation of sickle red cells led to increased exchanger activity that was inhibited by impramine, a Na+/Mg2+ exchange inhibitor, and associated with reduced deoxygenation-stimulated sickle cell dehydration. These results suggest an important role for ET-1 and cellular magnesium homeostasis in sickle cell disease. To this end, we studied Na+/Mg2+ exchange activity in ex vivo erythrocytes from three transgenic sickle mouse models and observed increased activity in these cells when compared to red cells from either Hb A transgenic or C57BL/J6 wild-type mice (P<0.03, n=4). We then tested the in vivo effects of ET-1 receptor antagonists on erythrocyte Na+/Mg2+ exchange activity in the BERK mouse, a transgenic model of SCD. We blocked ET-1 receptors type A and B by in vivo treatment with BQ-788 and BQ-123 (360mg/Kg/Day) for 14 days and observed lower erythrocyte exchanger activity when compared to cells from vehicle treated BERK mice (P<0.02, n=6). Thus our results suggest that ET-1 receptor blockade represents an important therapeutic approach to control erythrocyte volume and magnesium homeostasis that may lead to improved inflammatory and vascular complications observed in SCD. Supported by NIH R01HL090632 to AR. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

scholarly journals Monocarboxylate Transport in Drosophila Larval Brain during Low and High Neuronal Activity

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andres Gonzalez-Gutierrez ◽  
Andrés Ibacache ◽  
Andrés Esparza ◽  
L. Felipe Barros ◽  
Jimena Sierralta
Keyword(s):  
Glial Cells ◽  
Motor Neurons ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Larval Brain ◽  
Metabolic Coupling ◽  
Monocarboxylate Transport ◽  
Lactate And Pyruvate ◽  
Increased Activity

ABSTRACTThe transport of lactate and pyruvate between glial cells and neurons plays an important role in the nervous system metabolic coupling. However, the mechanisms and characteristics that underlie the transport of monocarboxylates (MC-T) in vivo are poorly described. Here we use Drosophila expressing genetically-encoded FRET sensors to provide an ex vivo characterization of the MC-T in motor neurons and glial cells from the ventral nerve cord. We show that lactate/pyruvate transport on glial cells is coupled to protons and is more efficient than in neurons. Glial cells maintain higher levels of intracellular lactate generating a positive gradient towards neurons. Moreover, our results show that under increased activity lactate and pyruvate rise on motor neurons and suggest that this depends on the transfer of lactate from glial cells mediated in part by the previously described MC transporter Chaski, giving support to the in vivo glia to neurons lactate shuttling during activity.

scholarly journals Anthrahydroquinone-2-6-disulfonate is a novel, powerful antidote for paraquat poisoning

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jin Qian ◽  
Chun-Yuan Wu ◽  
Dong-Ming Wu ◽  
Li-Hua Li ◽  
Qi Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ex Vivo ◽  
A549 Cells ◽  
Organ Damage ◽  
Self Administration ◽  
Nextgen Sequencing ◽  
Animal Survival ◽  
Detoxification Mechanism ◽  
Stress Damage ◽  
Fast Acting

AbstractParaquat (PQ) is a widely used fast-acting pyridine herbicide. Accidental ingestion or self-administration via various routes can cause severe organ damage. Currently, no effective antidote is available commercially, and the mortality rate of poisoned patients is exceptionally high. Here, the efficacy of anthrahydroquinone-2-6-disulfonate (AH2QDS) was observed in treating PQ poisoning by constructing in vivo and ex vivo models. We then explored the detoxification mechanism of AH2QDS. We demonstrated that, in a rat model, the PQ concentration in the PQ + AH2QDS group significantly decreased compared to the PQ only group. Additionally, AH2QDS protected the mitochondria of rats and A549 cells and decreased oxidative stress damage, thus improving animal survival and cell viability. Finally, the differentially expressed genes were analysed in the PQ + AH2QDS group and the PQ group by NextGen sequencing, and we verified that Nrf2’s expression in the PQ + AH2QDS group was significantly higher than that in the PQ group. Our work identified that AH2QDS can detoxify PQ by reducing PQ uptake and protecting mitochondria while enhancing the body's antioxidant activity.

scholarly journals A striatal circuit balances learned fear in the presence and absence of sensory cues

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Kintscher ◽  
Olexiy Kochubey ◽  
Ralf Schneggenburger
Keyword(s):  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Fear Learning ◽  
Sensory Cues ◽  
Cortical Input ◽  
Defensive Behaviors ◽  
Presence And Absence ◽  
Learned Fear

During fear learning, defensive behaviors need to be finely balanced, to allow animals to return to normal behaviors after the termination of threat-indicating sensory cues. Nevertheless, the circuits underlying such balancing are largely unknown. Here, we investigate the role of direct (D1R+) - and indirect (Adora+) pathway neurons of the amygdala-striatal transition zone (AStria) in fear learning. In-vivo Ca2+ imaging revealed that fear learning increased the responses of D1R+ AStria neurons to an auditory CS, given that the animal moved. In Adora+ neurons, fear learning also induced a differential activity during freezing and movement, albeit with little influence of the CS. In-vivo optogenetic silencing during the training day showed that plasticity in D1R+ AStria neurons contributes to auditory-cued fear memories, whereas Adora+ neurons suppressed learned freezing when no CS was present. Circuit tracing experiments identified cortical input structures to the AStria, and recording of optogenetically-evoked EPSCs at the corresponding projection revealed different forms of long-term plasticity at synapses onto D1R+ and Adora+ AStria neurons. Taken together, direct- and indirect pathways neurons of the AStria show differential signs of in-vivo and ex-vivo plasticity after fear learning, and balance defensive behaviors in the presence and absence of aversively motivated sensory cues.

The paraventricular thalamus is a critical thalamic area for wakefulness

Science ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 362 (6413) ◽  
pp. 429-434 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuancheng Ren ◽  
Yaling Wang ◽  
Faguo Yue ◽  
Xiaofang Cheng ◽  
Ruozhi Dang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nucleus Accumbens ◽  
Neuronal Activity ◽  
Lateral Hypothalamus ◽  
Neural Circuitry ◽  
Glutamatergic Neurons ◽  
Clinical Observations ◽  
Electrophysiological Recordings ◽  
Paraventricular Thalamus ◽  
Effector Pathways

Clinical observations indicate that the paramedian region of the thalamus is a critical node for controlling wakefulness. However, the specific nucleus and neural circuitry for this function remain unknown. Using in vivo fiber photometry or multichannel electrophysiological recordings in mice, we found that glutamatergic neurons of the paraventricular thalamus (PVT) exhibited high activities during wakefulness. Suppression of PVT neuronal activity caused a reduction in wakefulness, whereas activation of PVT neurons induced a transition from sleep to wakefulness and an acceleration of emergence from general anesthesia. Moreover, our findings indicate that the PVT–nucleus accumbens projections and hypocretin neurons in the lateral hypothalamus to PVT glutamatergic neurons’ projections are the effector pathways for wakefulness control. These results demonstrate that the PVT is a key wakefulness-controlling nucleus in the thalamus.

The Role of Polyphenols in the Modulation of Plasma Non-Enzymatic Antioxidant Capacity (NEAC)

2012 ◽  
Vol 82 (3) ◽  
pp. 228-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mauro Serafini ◽  
Giuseppa Morabito
Keyword(s):  
Antioxidant Capacity ◽  
Dietary Intervention ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
The Body ◽  
Dietary Polyphenols ◽  
Enzymatic Antioxidant ◽  
Endogenous Antioxidant

Dietary polyphenols have been shown to scavenge free radicals, modulating cellular redox transcription factors in different in vitro and ex vivo models. Dietary intervention studies have shown that consumption of plant foods modulates plasma Non-Enzymatic Antioxidant Capacity (NEAC), a biomarker of the endogenous antioxidant network, in human subjects. However, the identification of the molecules responsible for this effect are yet to be obtained and evidences of an antioxidant in vivo action of polyphenols are conflicting. There is a clear discrepancy between polyphenols (PP) concentration in body fluids and the extent of increase of plasma NEAC. The low degree of absorption and the extensive metabolism of PP within the body have raised questions about their contribution to the endogenous antioxidant network. This work will discuss the role of polyphenols from galenic preparation, food extracts, and selected dietary sources as modulators of plasma NEAC in humans.

Antithrombotic Effects and Bleeding Time Prolongation with Synthetic Platelet GPIIb/llla Inhibitors in Animal Models of Platelet-Mediated Thrombosis

1994 ◽  
Vol 71 (01) ◽  
pp. 095-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Désiré Collen ◽  
Hua Rong Lu ◽  
Jean-Marie Stassen ◽  
Ingrid Vreys ◽  
Tsunehiro Yasuda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Platelet Aggregation ◽  
Bleeding Time ◽  
Bolus Injection ◽  
Cell Injury ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Thrombus Formation ◽  
Femoral Vein ◽  
Thrombotic Occlusion ◽  
Antithrombotic Effects

SummaryCyclic Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) containing synthetic peptides such as L-cysteine, N-(mercaptoacetyl)-D-tyrosyl-L-arginylglycyl-L-a-aspartyl-cyclic (1→5)-sulfide, 5-oxide (G4120) and acetyl-L-cysteinyl-L-asparaginyl-L-prolyl-L-arginyl-glycyl-L-α-aspartyl-[0-methyltyrosyl]-L-arginyl-L-cysteinamide, cyclic 1→9-sulfide (TP9201) bind with high affinity to the platelet GPIIb/IIIa receptor.The relationship between antithrombotic effect, ex vivo platelet aggregation and bleeding time prolongation with both agents was studied in hamsters with a standardized femoral vein endothelial cell injury predisposing to platelet-rich mural thrombosis, and in dogs with a carotid arterial eversion graft inserted in the femoral artery. Intravenous administration of G4120 in hamsters inhibited in vivo thrombus formation with a 50% inhibitory bolus dose (ID50) of approximately 20 μg/kg, ex vivo ADP-induccd platelet aggregation with ID50 of 10 μg/kg, and bolus injection of 1 mg/kg prolonged the bleeding time from 38 ± 9 to 1,100 ± 330 s. Administration of TP9201 in hamsters inhibited in vivo thrombus formation with ID50 of 30 μg/kg, ex vivo platelet aggregation with an ID50 of 50 μg/kg and bolus injection of 1 mg/kg did not prolong the template bleeding time. In the dog eversion graft model, infusion of 100 μg/kg of G4120 over 60 min did not fully inhibit platelet-mediated thrombotic occlusion but was associated with inhibition of ADP-induccd ex vivo platelet aggregation and with prolongation of the template bleeding time from 1.3 ± 0.4 to 12 ± 2 min. Infusion of 300 μg/kg of TP9201 over 60 min completely prevented thrombotic occlusion, inhibited ex vivo platelet aggregation, but was not associated with prolongation of the template bleeding time.TP9201, unlike G4120, inhibits in vivo platelet-mediated thrombus formation without associated prolongation of the template bleeding time.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document