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Wang Y, Duan C, Du X, Zhu Y, Wang L, Hu J, Sun Y. Vagus Nerve and Gut-Brain Communication. Neuroscientist 2025; 31:262-278. [PMID: 39041416 DOI: 10.1177/10738584241259702] [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] [Indexed: 07/24/2024]
Abstract
The vagus nerve, as an important component of the gut-brain axis, plays a crucial role in the communication between the gut and brain. It influences food intake, fat metabolism, and emotion by regulating the gut-brain axis, which is closely associated with the development of gastrointestinal, psychiatric, and metabolism-related disorders. In recent years, significant progress has been made in understanding the vagus-mediated regulatory pathway, highlighting its profound implications in the development of many diseases. Here, we summarize the latest advancements in vagus-mediated gut-brain pathways and the novel interventions targeting the vagus nerve. This will provide valuable insights for future research on treatment of obesity and gastrointestinal and depressive disorders based on vagus nerve stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiyang Wang
- Division of Physical Biology, CAS Key Laboratory of Interfacial Physics Technology, Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chenxi Duan
- Division of Physical Biology, CAS Key Laboratory of Interfacial Physics Technology, Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xinyi Du
- Institute of Materiobiology, College of Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ying Zhu
- Division of Physical Biology, CAS Key Laboratory of Interfacial Physics Technology, Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Materiobiology, College of Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lihua Wang
- Division of Physical Biology, CAS Key Laboratory of Interfacial Physics Technology, Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Materiobiology, College of Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jun Hu
- Institute of Materiobiology, College of Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
- The Interdisciplinary Research Center, Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanhong Sun
- Institute of Materiobiology, College of Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
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2
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Liu S, Ge J, Liu W, Zhuang Z, Liu S. Involvement of the somatosensory-autonomic reflex and muscarinic receptors in exacerbation of allergic pulmonary inflammation by electroacupuncture. Br J Pharmacol 2025; 182:2374-2391. [PMID: 39923815 DOI: 10.1111/bph.17415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2024] [Revised: 10/14/2024] [Accepted: 10/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/11/2025] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Emerging evidence suggests that electroacupuncture (EA) could cause autonomic reflexes to modulate visceral functions. However, the efficacy and underlying mechanisms for somatic stimulation on allergic pulmonary inflammation (API) remain elusive. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Mice were administered intranasal Papain to induce API. Distinct current (0,0.1, 0.2 and 0.5 mA) of EA at the back BL13, hindlimb ST36 and forelimb LU5 acupoint were then carried out. The control group underwent the same procedure but without current stimulation. Changes in API was assessed using immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry and haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. Pharmacological approaches were used to investigate the underlying mechanisms of EA effects on API. KEY RESULTS EA at the back region but not limb regions, in a current intensity-dependent manner, exacerbated API, primarily causing a decrease in the survival rate and intensified inflammation in the lung, including the infiltration of lung type 2 innate lymphoid cells and eosinophils, and lung pathology scores. Blocking local thoracic sensory nerves with lidocaine or lung-innervated autonomic nerves with hexamethonium eliminates the EA-produced detrimental effects. Chemical pulmonary sympathectomy with 6-OHDA further enhanced lung pathology scores, but inhibiting the activity of pulmonary muscarinic receptors was sufficient to prevent the exacerbation of API induced by EA. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS Our findings suggest that BL13 EA induces a somatic-autonomic reflex involving the pulmonary muscarinic receptors, thereby exacerbating API. The selective and intensity-dependency activation of body thoracic regions in driving pulmonary autonomic pathways could help optimise stimulation parameters, enhancing both efficacy and safety in modulating API.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuyan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiayi Ge
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Weili Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhidi Zhuang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shenbin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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3
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Yamada S, Natsubori A, Harada K, Tsuboi T, Monai H. Immediate glucose signaling transmitted via the vagus nerve in gut-brain neural communication. iScience 2025; 28:112439. [PMID: 40491956 PMCID: PMC12146620 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.112439] [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: 06/07/2024] [Revised: 11/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2025] [Indexed: 06/11/2025] Open
Abstract
Sucrose consumption is influenced by certain gut-brain signaling mechanisms. One possible pathway could be the interaction between the vagus nerve and the central nervous system, mediated by neuropod cells forming synaptic connections with vagus nerves, which immediately activate the central dopaminergic pathways. In this study, we demonstrated that intestinal glucose administration activates the frontal cortex via the vagus nerve and central dopamine signaling. The immediate activation of both the vagus nerve and the frontal cortex was mediated by the sodium-glucose cotransporter 1 (SGLT1). Furthermore, Ca2+ signal activation in both astrocytes and neurons in the frontal cortex was mediated by D2 and D1 receptors, respectively. Finally, we showed that psychological stress, which causes a sucrose preference reduction, significantly diminished the activation levels of both the vagus nerve and the frontal cortex. These findings highlight the role of a comprehensive gut-brain network via vagus nerves in modulating sucrose preference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serika Yamada
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ochanomizu University, 2-1-1 Ohtsuka, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 112-8610, Japan
| | - Akiyo Natsubori
- Sleep Disorders Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, 2-1-6 Kamikitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan
| | - Kazuki Harada
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
| | - Takashi Tsuboi
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
| | - Hiromu Monai
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ochanomizu University, 2-1-1 Ohtsuka, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 112-8610, Japan
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4
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Belelli D, Lambert JJ, Wan MLY, Monteiro AR, Nutt DJ, Swinny JD. From bugs to brain: unravelling the GABA signalling networks in the brain-gut-microbiome axis. Brain 2025; 148:1479-1506. [PMID: 39716883 PMCID: PMC12074267 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awae413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2024] [Revised: 11/21/2024] [Accepted: 12/01/2024] [Indexed: 12/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Convergent data across species paint a compelling picture of the critical role of the gut and its resident microbiota in several brain functions and disorders. The chemicals mediating communication along these sophisticated highways of the brain-gut-microbiome (BGM) axis include both microbiota metabolites and classical neurotransmitters. Amongst the latter, GABA is fundamental to brain function, mediating most neuronal inhibition. Until recently, GABA's role and specific molecular targets in the periphery within the BGM axis had received limited attention. Yet, GABA is produced by neuronal and non-neuronal elements of the BGM, and recently, GABA-modulating bacteria have been identified as key players in GABAergic gut systems, indicating that GABA-mediated signalling is likely to transcend physiological boundaries and species. We review the available evidence to better understand how GABA facilitates the integration of molecularly and functionally disparate systems to bring about overall homeostasis and how GABA perturbations within the BGM axis can give rise to multi-system medical disorders, thereby magnifying the disease burden and the challenges for patient care. Analysis of transcriptomic databases revealed significant overlaps between GABAAR subunits expressed in the human brain and gut. However, in the gut, there are notable expression profiles for a select number of subunits that have received limited attention to date but could be functionally relevant for BGM axis homeostasis. GABAergic signalling, via different receptor subtypes, directly regulates BGM homeostasis by modulating the excitability of neurons within brain centres responsible for gastrointestinal (GI) function in a sex-dependent manner, potentially revealing mechanisms underlying the greater prevalence of GI disturbances in females. Apart from such top-down regulation of the BGM axis, a diverse group of cell types, including enteric neurons, glia, enteroendocrine cells, immune cells and bacteria, integrate peripheral GABA signals to influence brain functions and potentially contribute to brain disorders. We propose several priorities for this field, including the exploitation of available technologies to functionally dissect components of these GABA pathways within the BGM, with a focus on GI and brain-behaviour-disease. Furthermore, in silico ligand-receptor docking analyses using relevant bacterial metabolomic datasets, coupled with advances in knowledge of GABAAR 3D structures, could uncover new ligands with novel therapeutic potential. Finally, targeted design of dietary interventions is imperative to advancing their therapeutic potential to support GABA homeostasis across the BGM axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delia Belelli
- GABA Labs (Research) Ltd., Hemel Hempstead HP2 5HD, UK
- Division of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences Institute, Dundee University, Dundee DD1 5HL, UK
- School of Medicine, Pharmacy & Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO1 2DT, UK
| | - Jeremy J Lambert
- Division of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences Institute, Dundee University, Dundee DD1 5HL, UK
| | - Murphy Lam Yim Wan
- School of Medicine, Pharmacy & Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO1 2DT, UK
| | - Ana Rita Monteiro
- School of Medicine, Pharmacy & Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO1 2DT, UK
| | - David J Nutt
- GABA Labs (Research) Ltd., Hemel Hempstead HP2 5HD, UK
- Division of Psychiatry, Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Jerome D Swinny
- School of Medicine, Pharmacy & Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO1 2DT, UK
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5
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Hafez OA, Chang RB. Regulation of Cardiac Function by the Autonomic Nervous System. Physiology (Bethesda) 2025; 40:0. [PMID: 39585760 DOI: 10.1152/physiol.00018.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2024] [Revised: 11/12/2024] [Accepted: 11/14/2024] [Indexed: 11/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The autonomic nervous system is critical for regulating cardiovascular physiology. The neurocardiac axis encompasses multiple levels of control, including the motor circuits of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, sensory neurons that contribute to cardiac reflexes, and the intrinsic cardiac nervous system that provides localized sensing and regulation of the heart. Disruption of these systems can lead to significant clinical conditions. Recent advances have enhanced our understanding of the autonomic control of the heart, detailing the specific neuronal populations involved and their physiologic roles. In this review, we discuss this research at each level of the neurocardiac axis. We conclude by discussing the clinical field of neurocardiology and attempts to translate this new understanding of neurocardiac physiology to the clinic. We highlight the contributions of autonomic dysfunction in prevalent cardiovascular diseases and assess the current status of novel neuroscience-based treatment approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omar A Hafez
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States
- M.D.-Ph.D. Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States
| | - Rui B Chang
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States
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6
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Wang YB, Dow KE, Boychuk CR. GABA AR-δ-subunit mediates increased GABAergic inhibition in cardiac DMV neurons after high-fat diet. iScience 2025; 28:112268. [PMID: 40264791 PMCID: PMC12013407 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.112268] [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: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 12/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2025] [Indexed: 04/24/2025] Open
Abstract
Activity of cardiac-projecting neurons in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (CVNDMV) is vital in cardiac reflexes contributing to maintaining cardiovascular health. However, how this population adapts to metabolic challenges, such as high-fat diet (HFD), is unclear. This study aimed to identify neuroplasticity changes induced by HFD in CVNDMV. Using whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology, we found that 15-day HFD feeding increased tonic, but not phasic, gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) inhibitory neurotransmission, exclusive to CVNDMV. Single-cell quantitative reverse-transcription PCR (scRT-qPCR) analysis revealed a higher number of CVNDMV expressing GABAA receptor δ-subunit (GABAA(δ)R) in HFD compared to normal fat diet (NFD). Deletion of GABAA(δ)R in ChAT-positive motor neurons abolished HFD-induced increased tonic GABAA neurotransmission in CVNDMV. Altogether, this evidence suggests that CVNDMV exhibits early onset HFD-induced increased GABAergic neurotransmission, likely mediated by GABAA(δ)R. This increased inhibitory tone could explain previously reported reduced cardiac vagal motor output, thus contributing to poor cardiometabolic health after HFD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoko Brigitte Wang
- Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Kaylie E. Dow
- Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Carie R. Boychuk
- Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
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7
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Mendez-Hernandez R, Braga I, Bali A, Yang M, de Lartigue G. Vagal Sensory Gut-Brain Pathways That Control Eating-Satiety and Beyond. Compr Physiol 2025; 15:e70010. [PMID: 40229922 DOI: 10.1002/cph4.70010] [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: 02/03/2025] [Revised: 03/20/2025] [Accepted: 03/31/2025] [Indexed: 04/16/2025]
Abstract
The vagus nerve is the body's primary sensory conduit from gut to brain, traditionally viewed as a passive relay for satiety signals. However, emerging evidence reveals a far more complex system-one that actively encodes diverse aspects of meal-related information, from mechanical stretch to nutrient content, metabolic state, and even microbial metabolites. This review challenges the view of vagal afferent neurons (VANs) as simple meal-termination sensors and highlights their specialized subpopulations, diverse sensory modalities, and downstream brain circuits, which shape feeding behavior, metabolism, and cognition. We integrate recent advances from single-cell transcriptomics, neural circuit mapping, and functional imaging to examine how VANs contribute to gut-brain communication beyond satiety, including their roles in food reward and memory formation. By synthesizing the latest research and highlighting emerging directions for the field, this review provides a comprehensive update on vagal sensory pathways and their role as integrators of meal information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebeca Mendez-Hernandez
- Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Isadora Braga
- Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Avnika Bali
- Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Mingxin Yang
- Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Guillaume de Lartigue
- Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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8
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Cramer SR, Han X, Chan DCY, Neuberger T, Zhang N. Neuroimaging Model of Visceral Manipulation in an Awake Rat. J Neurosci 2025; 45:e1317242024. [PMID: 39809541 PMCID: PMC11866998 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1317-24.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2024] [Revised: 10/30/2024] [Accepted: 12/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/16/2025] Open
Abstract
Reciprocal neuronal connections exist between the internal organs of the body and the nervous system. These projections to and from the viscera play an essential role in maintaining and fine-tuning organ responses in order to sustain homeostasis and allostasis. Functional maps of brain regions participating in this bidirectional communication have been previously studied in awake humans and anesthetized rodents. To further refine the mechanistic understanding of visceral influence on brain states, however, new paradigms that allow for more invasive, and ultimately more informative, measurements and perturbations must be explored. Furthermore, such paradigms should prioritize human translatability. In the current paper, we address these issues by demonstrating the feasibility of nonanesthetized animal imaging during visceral manipulation. More specifically, we used a barostat interfaced with an implanted gastric balloon to cyclically induce distension of a nonanesthetized male rat's stomach during simultaneous blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging. General linear modeling and spatial independent component analysis revealed several regions with BOLD activation temporally coincident with the gastric distension stimulus. The ON-OFF (20-0 mmHg) barostat balloon pressure cycle resulted in widespread BOLD activation of the inferior colliculus, cerebellum, ventral midbrain, and a variety of hippocampal structures. These results suggest that neuroimaging models of gastric manipulation in the nonanesthetized rat are achievable and provide an avenue for more comprehensive studies involving the integration of other neuroscience techniques like electrophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel R Cramer
- The Neuroscience Graduate Program, The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802
| | - Xu Han
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802
| | - Dennis C Y Chan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802
| | - Thomas Neuberger
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802
| | - Nanyin Zhang
- The Neuroscience Graduate Program, The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802
- Center for Neural Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802
- Center for Neurotechnology in Mental Health Research, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802
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Jameson KG, Kazmi SA, Ohara TE, Son C, Yu KB, Mazdeyasnan D, Leshan E, Vuong HE, Paramo J, Lopez-Romero A, Yang L, Schweizer FE, Hsiao EY. Select microbial metabolites in the small intestinal lumen regulate vagal activity via receptor-mediated signaling. iScience 2025; 28:111699. [PMID: 39877906 PMCID: PMC11772968 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.111699] [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: 07/12/2024] [Revised: 09/22/2024] [Accepted: 12/24/2024] [Indexed: 01/31/2025] Open
Abstract
The vagus nerve is proposed to enable communication between the gut microbiome and the brain, but activity-based evidence is lacking. We find that mice reared germ-free exhibit decreased vagal tone relative to colonized controls, which is reversed via microbiota restoration. Perfusing antibiotics into the small intestines of conventional mice, but not germ-free mice, acutely decreases vagal activity which is restored upon re-perfusion with intestinal filtrates from conventional, but not germ-free, mice. Microbiome-dependent short-chain fatty acids, bile acids, and 3-indoxyl sulfate indirectly stimulate vagal activity in a receptor-dependent manner. Serial perfusion of each metabolite class activates both shared and distinct neuronal subsets with varied response kinetics. Metabolite-induced and receptor-dependent increases in vagal activity correspond with the activation of brainstem neurons. Results from this study reveal that the gut microbiome regulates select metabolites in the intestinal lumen that differentially activate vagal afferent neurons, thereby enabling the microbial modulation of chemosensory signals for gut-brain communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly G. Jameson
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Sabeen A. Kazmi
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Takahiro E. Ohara
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Celine Son
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Kristie B. Yu
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Donya Mazdeyasnan
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Emma Leshan
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Helen E. Vuong
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Jorge Paramo
- UCLA Goodman-Luskin Microbiome Center, Department of Medicine, Division of Digestive Diseases, David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Arlene Lopez-Romero
- UCLA Goodman-Luskin Microbiome Center, Department of Medicine, Division of Digestive Diseases, David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Long Yang
- Department of Neurobiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Felix E. Schweizer
- Department of Neurobiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Elaine Y. Hsiao
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- UCLA Goodman-Luskin Microbiome Center, Department of Medicine, Division of Digestive Diseases, David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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10
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Miki K, Miyaura W, Ikegame S, Yoshimoto M. Method for measuring cervical vagal nerve activity in conscious rats. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2025; 328:E230-E241. [PMID: 39787315 DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.00184.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2024] [Revised: 07/02/2024] [Accepted: 12/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2025]
Abstract
The current study aimed to propose a method to directly measure right cervical vagal nerve activity (cVNA) alongside renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) in conscious rats. The right cervical vagus nerve was surgically exposed and fitted with a bipolar electrode to record cVNA. A microcatheter was used to administer levobupivacaine to selectively block afferent cVNA. Upon levobupivacaine administration, cVNA was reduced by 84%, enabling the exclusive assessment of efferent cVNA. Intravenous and intraperitoneal administration of cholecystokinin-8 (CCK-8) demonstrated that peripherally acting CCK-8 influences the central nervous system through afferent cVNA without affecting the RSNA or efferent cVNA. This technique can be highly applicable for quantifying the dynamic changes in the interaction between vagal and sympathetic nerve activities, thereby shedding light on their roles in maintaining homeostasis and developing autonomic dysfunction, as in obesity and diabetes.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study proposed a method for directly measuring cervical vagal nerve activity and reversibly blocking afferent cVNA in conscious rats. It demonstrated that CCK-8, when administered intraperitoneally, distinctly influences peripheral afferent vagal nerve activity without affecting renal sympathetic nerve activity, arterial pressure, or heart rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenju Miki
- Autonomic Physiology Laboratory, Faculty of Life Science and Human Technology, Nara Women's University, Nara, Japan
| | - Wakana Miyaura
- Autonomic Physiology Laboratory, Faculty of Life Science and Human Technology, Nara Women's University, Nara, Japan
| | - Shizuka Ikegame
- Autonomic Physiology Laboratory, Faculty of Life Science and Human Technology, Nara Women's University, Nara, Japan
| | - Misa Yoshimoto
- Autonomic Physiology Laboratory, Faculty of Life Science and Human Technology, Nara Women's University, Nara, Japan
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11
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Ma L, Wang HB, Hashimoto K. The vagus nerve: An old but new player in brain-body communication. Brain Behav Immun 2025; 124:28-39. [PMID: 39566667 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.11.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2024] [Revised: 11/02/2024] [Accepted: 11/17/2024] [Indexed: 11/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The vagus nerve is a crucial component of the parasympathetic nervous system, facilitating communication between the brain and various organs, including the ears, heart, lungs, pancreas, spleen, and gastrointestinal tract. The caudal nucleus of the solitary tract in the brainstem is the initial site regulated by the vagus nerve in brain-body communication, including the interactions with immune system. Increasing evidence suggests that the gut-brain axis, via the vagus nerve, may play a role in the development and progression of psychiatric, neurologic, and inflammation-related disorders. Population-based cohort studies indicate that truncal vagotomy may reduce the risk of neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease, underscoring the vagus nerve's significance in these conditions. Given its role in the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway, α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors present a potential therapeutic target. Additionally, noninvasive transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) shows promise as a therapeutic tool for these disorders. This article provides a historical review of the vagus nerve and explores its role in brain-body communication. Finally, we discuss future directions, including the potential of noninvasive taVNS as a therapeutic approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Ma
- Department of Anesthesiology, The First People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, Guangdong Province, PR China
| | - Han-Bing Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, The First People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, Guangdong Province, PR China.
| | - Kenji Hashimoto
- Chiba University Center for Forensic Mental Health, Chiba, Japan.
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Tahiri A, Youssef A, Inoue R, Moon S, Alsarkhi L, Berroug L, Nguyen XTA, Wang L, Kwon H, Pang ZP, Zhao JY, Shirakawa J, Ulloa L, El Ouaamari A. Vagal sensory neuron-derived FGF3 controls insulin secretion. Dev Cell 2025; 60:51-61.e4. [PMID: 39413782 PMCID: PMC11706709 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2024.09.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2024] [Indexed: 10/18/2024]
Abstract
Vagal nerve stimulation has emerged as a promising modality for treating a wide range of chronic conditions, including metabolic disorders. However, the cellular and molecular pathways driving these clinical benefits remain largely obscure. Here, we demonstrate that fibroblast growth factor 3 (Fgf3) mRNA is upregulated in the mouse vagal ganglia under acute metabolic stress. Systemic and vagal sensory overexpression of Fgf3 enhanced glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS), improved glucose excursion, and increased energy expenditure and physical activity. Fgf3-elicited insulinotropic and glucose-lowering responses were recapitulated when overexpression of Fgf3 was restricted to the pancreas-projecting vagal sensory neurons. Genetic ablation of Fgf3 in pancreatic vagal afferents exacerbated high-fat diet-induced glucose intolerance and blunted GSIS. Finally, electrostimulation of the vagal afferents enhanced GSIS and glucose clearance independently of efferent outputs. Collectively, we demonstrate a direct role for the vagal afferent signaling in GSIS and identify Fgf3 as a vagal sensory-derived metabolic factor that controls pancreatic β-cell activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azeddine Tahiri
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 01595, USA
| | - Ayman Youssef
- Center for Perioperative Organ Protection, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Ryota Inoue
- Laboratory of Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation (IMCR), Gunma University, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Sohyun Moon
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, NY 11568, USA
| | - Lamyaa Alsarkhi
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 01595, USA
| | - Laila Berroug
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 01595, USA
| | - Xuan Thi Anh Nguyen
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Le Wang
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Hyokjoon Kwon
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Zhiping P Pang
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Jerry Yingtao Zhao
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, NY 11568, USA
| | - Jun Shirakawa
- Laboratory of Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation (IMCR), Gunma University, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Luis Ulloa
- Center for Perioperative Organ Protection, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Abdelfattah El Ouaamari
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 01595, USA; Department of Pharmacology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA.
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13
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Gruber T, Lechner F, Krieger JP, García-Cáceres C. Neuroendocrine gut-brain signaling in obesity. Trends Endocrinol Metab 2025; 36:42-54. [PMID: 38821753 DOI: 10.1016/j.tem.2024.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2024] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
The past decades have witnessed the rise and fall of several, largely unsuccessful, therapeutic attempts to bring the escalating obesity pandemic to a halt. Looking back to look ahead, the field has now put its highest hopes in translating insights from how the gastrointestinal (GI) tract communicates with the brain to calibrate behavior, physiology, and metabolism. A major focus of this review is to summarize the latest advances in comprehending the neuroendocrine aspects of this so-called 'gut-brain axis' and to explore novel concepts, cutting-edge technologies, and recent paradigm-shifting experiments. These exciting insights continue to refine our understanding of gut-brain crosstalk and are poised to promote the development of additional therapeutic avenues at the dawn of a new era of antiobesity therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Gruber
- Department of Metabolism and Nutritional Programming, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49506, USA; Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49506, USA; German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), 85764 Neuherberg, Germany.
| | - Franziska Lechner
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; Institute for Diabetes and Obesity, Helmholtz Diabetes Center, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Jean-Philippe Krieger
- Institute of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich-Vetsuisse, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland; Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Cristina García-Cáceres
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; Institute for Diabetes and Obesity, Helmholtz Diabetes Center, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik IV, Klinikum der Universität, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 80336 Munich, Germany.
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14
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Wang T, Teng B, Yao DR, Gao W, Oka Y. Organ-specific sympathetic innervation defines visceral functions. Nature 2025; 637:895-902. [PMID: 39604732 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-08269-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 10/22/2024] [Indexed: 11/29/2024]
Abstract
The autonomic nervous system orchestrates the functions of the brain and body through the sympathetic and parasympathetic pathways1. However, our understanding of the autonomic system, especially the sympathetic system, at the cellular and molecular levels is severely limited. Here we show topological representations of individual visceral organs in the major abdominal sympathetic ganglion complex. Using multi-modal transcriptomic analyses, we identified molecularly distinct sympathetic populations in the coeliac-superior mesenteric ganglia (CG-SMG). Of note, individual CG-SMG populations exhibit selective and mutually exclusive axonal projections to visceral organs, targeting either the gastrointestinal tract or secretory areas including the pancreas and bile tract. This combinatorial innervation pattern suggests functional segregation between different CG-SMG populations. Indeed, our neural perturbation experiments demonstrated that one class of neurons regulates gastrointestinal transit, and another class of neurons controls digestion and glucagon secretion independent of gut motility. These results reveal the molecularly diverse sympathetic system and suggest modular regulation of visceral organ functions by sympathetic populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tongtong Wang
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Bochuan Teng
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Dickson R Yao
- Andrew and Peggy Cherng Department of Medical Engineering, Division of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Wei Gao
- Andrew and Peggy Cherng Department of Medical Engineering, Division of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Yuki Oka
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.
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15
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Gasparini S, Almeida‐Pereira G, Munuzuri ASP, Resch JM, Geerling JC. Molecular Ontology of the Nucleus of Solitary Tract. J Comp Neurol 2024; 532:e70004. [PMID: 39629676 PMCID: PMC11615840 DOI: 10.1002/cne.70004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2024] [Revised: 11/03/2024] [Accepted: 11/15/2024] [Indexed: 12/08/2024]
Abstract
The nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) receives visceral information and regulates appetitive, digestive, and cardiorespiratory systems. Within the NTS, diverse processes operate in parallel to sustain life, but our understanding of their cellular composition is incomplete. Here, we integrate histologic and transcriptomic analysis to identify and compare molecular features that distinguish neurons in this brain region. Most glutamatergic neurons in the NTS and area postrema co-express the transcription factors Lmx1b and Phox2b, except for a ventral band of neurons in the far-caudal NTS, which include the Gcg-expressing neurons that produce glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1). GABAergic interneurons intermingle through the Lmx1b+Phox2b macropopulation, and dense clusters of GABAergic neurons surround the NTS. The Lmx1b+Phox2b macropopulation includes subpopulations with distinct distributions expressing Grp, Hsd11b2, Npff, Pdyn, Pou3f1, Sctr, Th, and other markers. These findings highlight Lmx1b-Phox2b co-expression as a common feature of glutamatergic neurons in the NTS and improve our understanding of the organization and distribution of neurons in this critical brain region.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jon M. Resch
- Department of Neuroscience and PharmacologyUniversity of IowaIowa CityIowaUSA
- Iowa Neuroscience InstituteUniversity of IowaIowa CityIowaUSA
| | - Joel C. Geerling
- Department of NeurologyUniversity of IowaIowa CityIowaUSA
- Iowa Neuroscience InstituteUniversity of IowaIowa CityIowaUSA
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16
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Alhadeff AL, Yapici N. Interoception and gut-brain communication. Curr Biol 2024; 34:R1125-R1130. [PMID: 39561702 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.10.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2024]
Abstract
Interoception - the internal sensing of bodily states and their communication to the brain - has recently become a 'buzzword'. However, the scientific study of how the brain and the body communicate has a much longer and well-established history. In the 16th century, the French philosopher and scientist René Descartes (1596-1650) proposed that the mind and body are two fundamentally distinct entities, yet they interact with each other to regulate animal and human behaviors. Descartes argued that the body, which operates like a machine and follows the laws of physics, is controlled by the mind (or the brain), the source of our cognitive functions. Today, it is widely recognized that the interactions between the body and brain are critical for our survival and overall well-being (Figure 1). At the same time, we are just beginning to learn about the mechanistic bases of these interactions. In this primer, we will discuss the origins of interoception research and how body-brain interactions govern some of our most critical homeostatic functions, such as energy balance. Given their key roles in health and disease, we will focus on the neural and hormonal pathways involved in gut-brain communication and their impact on feeding behavior and metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amber L Alhadeff
- Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Nilay Yapici
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
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17
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Mahishi D, Agrawal N, Jiang W, Yapici N. From Mammals to Insects: Exploring the Genetic and Neural Basis of Eating Behavior. Annu Rev Genet 2024; 58:455-485. [PMID: 39585905 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genet-111523-102202] [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] [Indexed: 11/27/2024]
Abstract
Obesity and anorexia are life-threatening diseases that are still poorly understood at the genetic and neuronal levels. Patients suffering from these conditions experience disrupted regulation of food consumption, leading to extreme weight gain or loss and, in severe situations, death from metabolic dysfunction. Despite the development of various behavioral and pharmacological interventions, current treatments often yield limited and short-lived success. To address this, a deeper understanding of the genetic and neural mechanisms underlying food perception and appetite regulation is essential for identifying new drug targets and developing more effective treatment methods. This review summarizes the progress of past research in understanding the genetic and neural mechanisms controlling food consumption and appetite regulation, focusing on two key model organisms: the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster and the mouse Mus musculus. These studies investigate how the brain senses energy and nutrient deficiency, how sensory signals trigger appetitive behaviors, and how food intake is regulated through interconnected neural circuits in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepthi Mahishi
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA;
| | - Naman Agrawal
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA;
| | - Wenshuai Jiang
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA;
| | - Nilay Yapici
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA;
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18
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Sammons M, Popescu MC, Chi J, Liberles SD, Gogolla N, Rolls A. Brain-body physiology: Local, reflex, and central communication. Cell 2024; 187:5877-5890. [PMID: 39423806 PMCID: PMC11624509 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.08.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Revised: 07/25/2024] [Accepted: 08/26/2024] [Indexed: 10/21/2024]
Abstract
Behavior is tightly synchronized with bodily physiology. Internal needs from the body drive behavior selection, while optimal behavior performance requires a coordinated physiological response. Internal state is dynamically represented by the nervous system to influence mood and emotion, and body-brain signals also direct responses to external sensory cues, enabling the organism to adapt and pursue its goals within an ever-changing environment. In this review, we examine the anatomy and function of the brain-body connection, manifested across local, reflex, and central regulation levels. We explore these hierarchical loops in the context of the immune system, specifically through the lens of immunoception, and discuss the impact of its dysregulation on human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Sammons
- Rappaport School of Medicine, Technion, Haifa, Israel
| | - Miranda C Popescu
- Emotion Research Department, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany; International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry (IMPRS-TP), Munich, Germany
| | - Jingyi Chi
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Stephen D Liberles
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nadine Gogolla
- Emotion Research Department, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Asya Rolls
- Rappaport School of Medicine, Technion, Haifa, Israel.
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19
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Lyu Q, Xue W, Liu R, Ma Q, Kasaragod VB, Sun S, Li Q, Chen Y, Yuan M, Yang Y, Zhang B, Nie A, Jia S, Shen C, Gao P, Rong W, Yu C, Bi Y, Zhang C, Nan F, Ning G, Rao Z, Yang X, Wang J, Wang W. A brain-to-gut signal controls intestinal fat absorption. Nature 2024; 634:936-943. [PMID: 39261733 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07929-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2024] [Indexed: 09/13/2024]
Abstract
Although fat is a crucial source of energy in diets, excessive intake leads to obesity. Fat absorption in the gut is prevailingly thought to occur organ-autonomously by diffusion1-3. Whether the process is controlled by the brain-to-gut axis, however, remains largely unknown. Here we demonstrate that the dorsal motor nucleus of vagus (DMV) plays a key part in this process. Inactivation of DMV neurons reduces intestinal fat absorption and consequently causes weight loss, whereas activation of the DMV increases fat absorption and weight gain. Notably, the inactivation of a subpopulation of DMV neurons that project to the jejunum shortens the length of microvilli, thereby reducing fat absorption. Moreover, we identify a natural compound, puerarin, that mimics the suppression of the DMV-vagus pathway, which in turn leads to reduced fat absorption. Photoaffinity chemical methods and cryogenic electron microscopy of the structure of a GABAA receptor-puerarin complex reveal that puerarin binds to an allosteric modulatory site. Notably, conditional Gabra1 knockout in the DMV largely abolishes puerarin-induced intestinal fat loss. In summary, we discover that suppression of the DMV-vagus-jejunum axis controls intestinal fat absorption by shortening the length of microvilli and illustrate the therapeutic potential of puerarin binding to GABRA1 in fat loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianqian Lyu
- Department of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine (SJTUSM), Shanghai, China
- Shanghai National Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, Key Laboratory for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases of the National Health Commission of the PR China, Shanghai National Center for Translational Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, SJTUSM, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenzhi Xue
- Department of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine (SJTUSM), Shanghai, China
- Clinical Neuroscience Center, Ruijin Hospital Luwan Branch, SJTUSM, Shanghai, China
| | - Ruixin Liu
- Department of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine (SJTUSM), Shanghai, China
- Shanghai National Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, Key Laboratory for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases of the National Health Commission of the PR China, Shanghai National Center for Translational Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, SJTUSM, Shanghai, China
| | - Qinyun Ma
- Department of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine (SJTUSM), Shanghai, China
- Shanghai National Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, Key Laboratory for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases of the National Health Commission of the PR China, Shanghai National Center for Translational Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, SJTUSM, Shanghai, China
| | | | - Shan Sun
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qian Li
- Department of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine (SJTUSM), Shanghai, China
| | - Yanru Chen
- Department of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine (SJTUSM), Shanghai, China
| | - Mingyang Yuan
- Department of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine (SJTUSM), Shanghai, China
| | - Yuying Yang
- Department of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine (SJTUSM), Shanghai, China
| | - Bing Zhang
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Aifang Nie
- Department of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine (SJTUSM), Shanghai, China
- Shanghai National Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, Key Laboratory for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases of the National Health Commission of the PR China, Shanghai National Center for Translational Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, SJTUSM, Shanghai, China
| | - Sheng Jia
- Department of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine (SJTUSM), Shanghai, China
| | - Chongrong Shen
- Department of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine (SJTUSM), Shanghai, China
| | - Po Gao
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, SJTUSM, Shanghai, China
| | - Weifang Rong
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, SJTUSM, Shanghai, China
| | - Chenxi Yu
- The Chinese National Center for Drug Screening, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yufang Bi
- Department of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine (SJTUSM), Shanghai, China
- Shanghai National Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, Key Laboratory for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases of the National Health Commission of the PR China, Shanghai National Center for Translational Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, SJTUSM, Shanghai, China
| | - Chunlei Zhang
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Neural Circuits for Spatial Navigation and Memory, Paris, France
| | - Fajun Nan
- The Chinese National Center for Drug Screening, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Guang Ning
- Department of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine (SJTUSM), Shanghai, China
- Shanghai National Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, Key Laboratory for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases of the National Health Commission of the PR China, Shanghai National Center for Translational Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, SJTUSM, Shanghai, China
| | - Zihe Rao
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiuna Yang
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiqiu Wang
- Department of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine (SJTUSM), Shanghai, China.
- Shanghai National Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, Key Laboratory for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases of the National Health Commission of the PR China, Shanghai National Center for Translational Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, SJTUSM, Shanghai, China.
| | - Weiqing Wang
- Department of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine (SJTUSM), Shanghai, China.
- Shanghai National Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, Key Laboratory for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases of the National Health Commission of the PR China, Shanghai National Center for Translational Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, SJTUSM, Shanghai, China.
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20
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Hwang J, Okada J, Liu L, Pessin JE, Schwartz GJ, Jo YH. The development of hepatic steatosis depends on the presence of liver-innervating parasympathetic cholinergic neurons in mice fed a high-fat diet. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.11.03.565494. [PMID: 38260695 PMCID: PMC10802435 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.03.565494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Hepatic lipid metabolism is regulated by the autonomic nervous system of the liver, with the sympathetic innervation being extensively studied, while the parasympathetic efferent innervation is less understood despite its potential importance. In this study, we investigate the consequences of disrupted brain-liver communication on hepatic lipid metabolism in mice exposed to obesogenic conditions. We found that a subset of hepatocytes and cholangiocytes are innervated by parasympathetic nerve terminals originating from the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus. The elimination of the brain-liver axis by deleting parasympathetic cholinergic neurons innervating the liver prevents hepatic steatosis and promotes browning of inguinal white adipose tissue (ingWAT). The loss of liver-innervating cholinergic neurons increases hepatic Cyp7b1 expression and fasting serum bile acid levels. Furthermore, knockdown of the G protein-coupled bile acid receptor 1 gene in ingWAT reverses the beneficial effects of the loss of liver-innervating cholinergic neurons, leading to the reappearance of hepatic steatosis. Deleting liver-innervating cholinergic neurons has a small but significant effect on body weight, which is accompanied by an increase in energy expenditure. Taken together, these data suggest that targeting the parasympathetic cholinergic innervation of the liver is a potential therapeutic approach for enhancing hepatic lipid metabolism in obesity and diabetes.
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21
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Wang T, Teng B, Yao DR, Gao W, Oka Y. Organ-specific Sympathetic Innervation Defines Visceral Functions. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.09.19.613934. [PMID: 39345605 PMCID: PMC11430017 DOI: 10.1101/2024.09.19.613934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/01/2024]
Abstract
The autonomic nervous system orchestrates the brain and body functions through the sympathetic and parasympathetic pathways. However, our understanding of the autonomic system, especially the sympathetic system, at the cellular and molecular levels is severely limited. Here, we show unique topological representations of individual visceral organs in the major abdominal sympathetic ganglion complex. Using multi-modal transcriptomic analyses, we identified distinct sympathetic populations that are both molecularly and spatially separable in the celiac-superior mesenteric ganglia (CG-SMG). Notably, individual CG-SMG populations exhibit selective and mutually exclusive axonal projections to visceral organs, targeting either the gastrointestinal (GI) tract or secretory areas including the pancreas and bile tract. This combinatorial innervation pattern suggests functional segregation between different CG-SMG populations. Indeed, our neural perturbation experiments demonstrated that one class of neurons selectively regulates GI food transit. Another class of neurons controls digestion and glucagon secretion independent of gut motility. These results reveal the molecularly diverse sympathetic system and suggest modular regulations of visceral organ functions through distinct sympathetic populations.
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22
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Cramer SR, Han X, Chan DCY, Neuberger T, Zhang N. Neuroimaging model of visceral manipulation in awake rat. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.09.17.613477. [PMID: 39345508 PMCID: PMC11429785 DOI: 10.1101/2024.09.17.613477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/01/2024]
Abstract
Reciprocal neuronal connections exist between the internal organs of the body and the nervous system. These projections to and from the viscera play an essential role in maintaining and finetuning organ responses in order to sustain homeostasis and allostasis. Functional maps of brain regions participating in this bidirectional communication have been previously studied in awake humans and anesthetized rodents. To further refine the mechanistic understanding of visceral influence on brain states, however, new paradigms that allow for more invasive, and ultimately more informative, measurements and perturbations must be explored. Further, such paradigms should prioritize human translatability. In the current paper, we address these issues by demonstrating the feasibility of non-anesthetized animal imaging during visceral manipulation. More specifically, we used a barostat interfaced with an implanted gastric balloon to cyclically induce distension of a non-anesthetized rat's stomach during simultaneous BOLD fMRI. General linear modeling and spatial independent component analysis revealed several regions with BOLD activation temporally coincident with the gastric distension stimulus. The ON-OFF (20 mmHg - 0 mmHg) barostat-balloon pressure cycle resulted in widespread BOLD activation of the inferior colliculus, cerebellum, ventral midbrain, and a variety of hippocampal structures. These results suggest that neuroimaging models of gastric manipulation in the non-anesthetized rat are achievable and provide an avenue for more comprehensive studies involving the integration of other neuroscience techniques like electrophysiology. Significance Statement It is unclear to what extent measurements of brain activity are affected by background, and experimentally unrelated, interoceptive processes. To advance our understanding of ongoing visceral activity's influence on brain states, here we provide a proof of concept, anesthesia-free animal model of visceral manipulation during simultaneous BOLD fMRI. We successfully demonstrated BOLD activation during gastric distension of the unanesthetized rat in both classically reported (cerebellum, hippocampus) and novel (inferior colliculus) regions. This paradigm establishes an important foundation for further interrogation of viscera-brain interactions.
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23
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Cui X, Meiselman MR, Thornton SN, Yapici N. A gut-brain-gut interoceptive circuit loop gates sugar ingestion in Drosophila. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.09.02.610892. [PMID: 39282336 PMCID: PMC11398398 DOI: 10.1101/2024.09.02.610892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2024]
Abstract
The communication between the brain and digestive tract is critical for optimising nutrient preference and food intake, yet the underlying neural mechanisms remain poorly understood1-7. Here, we show that a gut-brain-gut circuit loop gates sugar ingestion in flies. We discovered that brain neurons regulating food ingestion, IN18, receive excitatory input from enteric sensory neurons, which innervate the oesophagus and express the sugar receptor Gr43a. These enteric sensory neurons monitor the sugar content of food within the oesophagus during ingestion and send positive feedback signals to IN1s, stimulating the consumption of high-sugar foods. Connectome analyses reveal that IN1s form a core ingestion circuit. This interoceptive circuit receives synaptic input from enteric afferents and provides synaptic output to enteric motor neurons, which modulate the activity of muscles at the entry segments of the crop, a stomach-like food storage organ. While IN1s are persistently activated upon ingestion of sugar-rich foods, enteric motor neurons are continuously inhibited, causing the crop muscles to relax and enabling flies to consume large volumes of sugar. Our findings reveal a key interoceptive mechanism that underlies the rapid sensory monitoring and motor control of sugar ingestion within the digestive tract, optimising the diet of flies across varying metabolic states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyue Cui
- Department of Neurobiology and Behaviour, Cornell University, 14853, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Matthew R. Meiselman
- Department of Neurobiology and Behaviour, Cornell University, 14853, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Current address: School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, 89154, Las Vegas, NV, US
| | - Staci N. Thornton
- Department of Neurobiology and Behaviour, Cornell University, 14853, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Current address: the Department of Kinesiology, University of Connecticut, 06269, Storrs, CT
| | - Nilay Yapici
- Department of Neurobiology and Behaviour, Cornell University, 14853, Ithaca, NY, USA
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24
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Hornung E, Robbins S, Srivastava A, Achanta S, Chen J, Cheng ZJ, Schwaber J, Vadigepalli R. Neuromodulatory co-expression in cardiac vagal motor neurons of the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus. iScience 2024; 27:110549. [PMID: 39171288 PMCID: PMC11338141 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110549] [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: 03/21/2024] [Revised: 05/31/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Vagal innervation is well known to be crucial to the maintenance of cardiac health, and to protect and recover the heart from injury. Only recently has this role been shown to depend on the activity of the underappreciated dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV). By combining neural tracing, transcriptomics, and anatomical mapping in male and female Sprague-Dawley rats, we characterize cardiac-specific neuronal phenotypes in the DMV. We find that the DMV cardiac-projecting neurons differentially express pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP), cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART), and synucleins, as well as evidence that they participate in neuromodulatory co-expression involving catecholamines. The significance of these findings is enhanced by previous knowledge of the role of PACAP at the heart and of the other neuromodulators in peripheral vagal targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eden Hornung
- Daniel Baugh Institute of Functional Genomics/Computational Biology, Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Shaina Robbins
- Daniel Baugh Institute of Functional Genomics/Computational Biology, Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Ankita Srivastava
- Daniel Baugh Institute of Functional Genomics/Computational Biology, Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Sirisha Achanta
- Daniel Baugh Institute of Functional Genomics/Computational Biology, Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Jin Chen
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, BMS Building 20, Room 230, 4110 Libra Drive, Orlando, FL 32816, USA
| | - Zixi Jack Cheng
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, BMS Building 20, Room 230, 4110 Libra Drive, Orlando, FL 32816, USA
| | - James Schwaber
- Daniel Baugh Institute of Functional Genomics/Computational Biology, Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Rajanikanth Vadigepalli
- Daniel Baugh Institute of Functional Genomics/Computational Biology, Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
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25
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Su Y, Xu J, Zhu Z, Chin J, Xu L, Yu H, Nudell V, Dash B, Moya EA, Ye L, Nimmerjahn A, Sun X. Brainstem Dbh + neurons control allergen-induced airway hyperreactivity. Nature 2024; 631:601-609. [PMID: 38987587 PMCID: PMC11254774 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07608-5] [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: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
Exaggerated airway constriction triggered by repeated exposure to allergen, also called hyperreactivity, is a hallmark of asthma. Whereas vagal sensory neurons are known to function in allergen-induced hyperreactivity1-3, the identity of downstream nodes remains poorly understood. Here we mapped a full allergen circuit from the lung to the brainstem and back to the lung. Repeated exposure of mice to inhaled allergen activated the nuclei of solitary tract (nTS) neurons in a mast cell-, interleukin-4 (IL-4)- and vagal nerve-dependent manner. Single-nucleus RNA sequencing, followed by RNAscope assay at baseline and allergen challenges, showed that a Dbh+ nTS population is preferentially activated. Ablation or chemogenetic inactivation of Dbh+ nTS neurons blunted hyperreactivity whereas chemogenetic activation promoted it. Viral tracing indicated that Dbh+ nTS neurons project to the nucleus ambiguus (NA) and that NA neurons are necessary and sufficient to relay allergen signals to postganglionic neurons that directly drive airway constriction. Delivery of noradrenaline antagonists to the NA blunted hyperreactivity, suggesting noradrenaline as the transmitter between Dbh+ nTS and NA. Together, these findings provide molecular, anatomical and functional definitions of key nodes of a canonical allergen response circuit. This knowledge informs how neural modulation could be used to control allergen-induced airway hyperreactivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujuan Su
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Jinhao Xu
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Ziai Zhu
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Jisun Chin
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Le Xu
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Haoze Yu
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Victoria Nudell
- Department of Neuroscience, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Barsha Dash
- La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Esteban A Moya
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Li Ye
- Department of Neuroscience, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Axel Nimmerjahn
- Waitt Advanced Biophotonics Center, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Xin Sun
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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26
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Prescott S. The wonderful wanderer. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2024; 159-160:62-63. [PMID: 38335774 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2024.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Sara Prescott
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA; Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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27
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Wood CP, Alvarez C, DiPatrizio NV. Cholinergic Neurotransmission Controls Orexigenic Endocannabinoid Signaling in the Gut in Diet-Induced Obesity. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e0813232024. [PMID: 38594069 PMCID: PMC11097264 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0813-23.2024] [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: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
The brain bidirectionally communicates with the gut to control food intake and energy balance, which becomes dysregulated in obesity. For example, endocannabinoid (eCB) signaling in the small-intestinal (SI) epithelium is upregulated in diet-induced obese (DIO) mice and promotes overeating by a mechanism that includes inhibiting gut-brain satiation signaling. Upstream neural and molecular mechanism(s) involved in overproduction of orexigenic gut eCBs in DIO, however, are unknown. We tested the hypothesis that overactive parasympathetic signaling at the muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) in the SI increases biosynthesis of the eCB, 2-arachidonoyl-sn-glycerol (2-AG), which drives hyperphagia via local CB1Rs in DIO. Male mice were maintained on a high-fat/high-sucrose Western-style diet for 60 d, then administered several mAChR antagonists 30 min prior to tissue harvest or a food intake test. Levels of 2-AG and the activity of its metabolic enzymes in the SI were quantitated. DIO mice, when compared to those fed a low-fat/no-sucrose diet, displayed increased expression of cFos protein in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus, which suggests an increased activity of efferent cholinergic neurotransmission. These mice exhibited elevated levels of 2-AG biosynthesis in the SI, that was reduced to control levels by mAChR antagonists. Moreover, the peripherally restricted mAChR antagonist, methylhomatropine bromide, and the peripherally restricted CB1R antagonist, AM6545, reduced food intake in DIO mice for up to 24 h but had no effect in mice conditionally deficient in SI CB1Rs. These results suggest that hyperactivity at mAChRs in the periphery increases formation of 2-AG in the SI and activates local CB1Rs, which drives hyperphagia in DIO.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney P Wood
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, Riverside, California 92521
- University of California Riverside Center for Cannabinoid Research, Riverside, California 92521
| | - Camila Alvarez
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, Riverside, California 92521
- University of California Riverside Center for Cannabinoid Research, Riverside, California 92521
| | - Nicholas V DiPatrizio
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, Riverside, California 92521
- University of California Riverside Center for Cannabinoid Research, Riverside, California 92521
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28
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Kaneko T, Boulanger-Weill J, Isabella AJ, Moens CB. Position-independent functional refinement within the vagus motor topographic map. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.09.11.557289. [PMID: 37745606 PMCID: PMC10515832 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.11.557289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Motor neurons in the central nervous system often lie in a continuous topographic map, where neurons that innervate different body parts are spatially intermingled. This is the case for the efferent neurons of the vagus nerve, which innervate diverse muscle and organ targets in the head and viscera for brain-body communication. It remains elusive how neighboring motor neurons with different fixed peripheral axon targets develop the separate somatodendritic (input) connectivity they need to generate spatially precise body control. Here we show that vagus motor neurons in the zebrafish indeed generate spatially appropriate peripheral responses to focal sensory stimulation even when they are transplanted into ectopic positions within the topographic map, indicating that circuit refinement occurs after the establishment of coarse topography. Refinement depends on motor neuron synaptic transmission, suggesting that an experience-dependent periphery-to-brain feedback mechanism establishes specific input connectivity amongst intermingled motor populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuya Kaneko
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington 98109, USA
| | - Jonathan Boulanger-Weill
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- Sorbonne Université, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France
| | - Adam J Isabella
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington 98109, USA
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA
| | - Cecilia B Moens
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington 98109, USA
- Lead contact
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29
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Richter CF, Skibicka KP, Meyer U, Rohrmann S, Krieger JP. A vagal influence on schizophrenia? A nationwide retrospective cohort of vagotomized individuals. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2024.01.30.24301418. [PMID: 38352405 PMCID: PMC10862985 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.30.24301418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
Background and Objectives Emerging preclinical evidence suggests that vagal signals contribute to the development of schizophrenia-related abnormalities in brain and behavior. Whether vagal communication in general, and its impairment in particular, is a risk factor for schizophrenia in humans remains, however, unclear. Vagotomy, the surgical lesion of the vagus nerve, was routinely performed as a treatment for peptic ulcer before modern treatment options were available. Hence, the primary aim of this study was to investigate whether vagotomy modulates the subsequent risk of developing schizophrenia. Moreover, given the existence of diverse vagotomy techniques (i.e., "truncal" or "selective"), our secondary goal was to test whether the extent of denervation modulates the risk of schizophrenia. Methods Using a nationwide retrospective matched cohort design, we identified 8,315 vagotomized individuals from the Swedish National Patient Register during the period 1970-2020 and 40,855 non-vagotomized individuals matching for age, sex and type of peptic ulcer. The risk of being diagnosed with schizophrenia and associated psychoses (ICD10 codes F20-29) was analyzed using Cox proportional hazards regression models, including death as competing risk. Results When considering all types of vagotomy together, vagotomy was not significantly associated with schizophrenia (HR: 0.91 [0.72; 1.16]). However, truncal vagotomy (which denervates all subdiaphragmatic organs) significantly increased the risk of developing schizophrenia by 69% (HR: 1.69 [1.08; 2.64]), whereas selective vagotomy (which only denervates the stomach) showed no significant association (HR: 0.80 [0.61; 1.04]). Discussion Our results provide epidemiological support for the hypothesis that impairments in vagal functions could increase the risk of schizophrenia. Notably, the finding that truncal but not selective vagotomy is associated with an increased risk of schizophrenia raises the possibility that the activity of subdiaphragmatic non-gastric vagal branches may be of particular relevance for the development of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cornelia F Richter
- Institute of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich-Vetsuisse, Switzerland
| | - Karolina P Skibicka
- Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, United States
| | - Urs Meyer
- Institute of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich-Vetsuisse, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sabine Rohrmann
- Division of Chronic Disease Epidemiology, Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jean-Philippe Krieger
- Institute of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich-Vetsuisse, Switzerland
- Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
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30
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Chen J, Lai X, Song Y, Su X. Neuroimmune recognition and regulation in the respiratory system. Eur Respir Rev 2024; 33:240008. [PMID: 38925790 PMCID: PMC11216688 DOI: 10.1183/16000617.0008-2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Neuroimmune recognition and regulation in the respiratory system is a complex and highly coordinated process involving interactions between the nervous and immune systems to detect and respond to pathogens, pollutants and other potential hazards in the respiratory tract. This interaction helps maintain the health and integrity of the respiratory system. Therefore, understanding the complex interactions between the respiratory nervous system and immune system is critical to maintaining lung health and developing treatments for respiratory diseases. In this review, we summarise the projection distribution of different types of neurons (trigeminal nerve, glossopharyngeal nerve, vagus nerve, spinal dorsal root nerve, sympathetic nerve) in the respiratory tract. We also introduce several types of cells in the respiratory epithelium that closely interact with nerves (pulmonary neuroendocrine cells, brush cells, solitary chemosensory cells and tastebuds). These cells are primarily located at key positions in the respiratory tract, where nerves project to them, forming neuroepithelial recognition units, thus enhancing the ability of neural recognition. Furthermore, we summarise the roles played by these different neurons in sensing or responding to specific pathogens (influenza, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, respiratory syncytial virus, human metapneumovirus, herpes viruses, Sendai parainfluenza virus, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, amoebae), allergens, atmospheric pollutants (smoking, exhaust pollution), and their potential roles in regulating interactions among different pathogens. We also summarise the prospects of bioelectronic medicine as a third therapeutic approach following drugs and surgery, as well as the potential mechanisms of meditation breathing as an adjunct therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Chen
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Lung Inflammation and Injury, Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Unit of Respiratory Infection and Immunity, Shanghai Institute of Immunity and Infection, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Xiaoyun Lai
- Unit of Respiratory Infection and Immunity, Shanghai Institute of Immunity and Infection, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Yuanlin Song
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Lung Inflammation and Injury, Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiao Su
- Unit of Respiratory Infection and Immunity, Shanghai Institute of Immunity and Infection, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
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31
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Isabella AJ, Moens CB. Development and regeneration of the vagus nerve. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2024; 156:219-227. [PMID: 37537116 PMCID: PMC10830892 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2023.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
The vagus nerve, with its myriad constituent axon branches and innervation targets, has long been a model of anatomical complexity in the nervous system. The branched architecture of the vagus nerve is now appreciated to be highly organized around the topographic and/or molecular identities of the neurons that innervate each target tissue. However, we are only just beginning to understand the developmental mechanisms by which heterogeneous vagus neuron identity is specified, patterned, and used to guide the axons of particular neurons to particular targets. Here, we summarize our current understanding of the complex topographic and molecular organization of the vagus nerve, the developmental basis of neuron specification and patterned axon guidance that supports this organization, and the regenerative mechanisms that promote, or inhibit, the restoration of vagus nerve organization after nerve damage. Finally, we highlight key unanswered questions in these areas and discuss potential strategies to address these questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam J Isabella
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
| | - Cecilia B Moens
- Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.
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32
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Strain MM, Conley NJ, Kauffman LS, Espinoza L, Fedorchak S, Martinez PC, Crook ME, Jalil M, Hodes GE, Abbott SB, Güler AD, Campbell JN, Boychuk CR. Dorsal motor vagal neurons can elicit bradycardia and reduce anxiety-like behavior. iScience 2024; 27:109137. [PMID: 38420585 PMCID: PMC10901094 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Cardiovagal neurons (CVNs) innervate cardiac ganglia through the vagus nerve to control cardiac function. Although the cardioinhibitory role of CVNs in nucleus ambiguus (CVNNA) is well established, the nature and functionality of CVNs in dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (CVNDMV) is less clear. We therefore aimed to characterize CVNDMV anatomically, physiologically, and functionally. Optogenetically activating cholinergic DMV neurons resulted in robust bradycardia through peripheral muscarinic (parasympathetic) and nicotinic (ganglionic) acetylcholine receptors, but not beta-1-adrenergic (sympathetic) receptors. Retrograde tracing from the cardiac fat pad labeled CVNNA and CVNDMV through the vagus nerve. Using whole-cell patch-clamp, CVNDMV demonstrated greater hyperexcitability and spontaneous action potential firing ex vivo despite similar resting membrane potentials, compared to CVNNA. Chemogenetically activating DMV also caused significant bradycardia with a correlated reduction in anxiety-like behavior. Thus, DMV contains uniquely hyperexcitable CVNs and is capable of cardioinhibition and robust anxiolysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Misty M. Strain
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | | | - Lily S. Kauffman
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Liliana Espinoza
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Stephanie Fedorchak
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | | | - Maisie E. Crook
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Maira Jalil
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Georgia E. Hodes
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Stephen B.G. Abbott
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Ali D. Güler
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - John N. Campbell
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Carie R. Boychuk
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
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33
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Borgmann D, Fenselau H. Vagal pathways for systemic regulation of glucose metabolism. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2024; 156:244-252. [PMID: 37500301 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2023.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Maintaining blood glucose at an appropriate physiological level requires precise coordination of multiple organs and tissues. The vagus nerve bidirectionally connects the central nervous system with peripheral organs crucial to glucose mobilization, nutrient storage, and food absorption, thereby presenting a key pathway for the central control of blood glucose levels. However, the precise mechanisms by which vagal populations that target discrete tissues participate in glucoregulation are much less clear. Here we review recent advances unraveling the cellular identity, neuroanatomical organization, and functional contributions of both vagal efferents and vagal afferents in the control of systemic glucose metabolism. We focus on their involvement in relaying glucoregulatory cues from the brain to peripheral tissues, particularly the pancreatic islet, and by sensing and transmitting incoming signals from ingested food to the brain. These recent findings - largely driven by advances in viral approaches, RNA sequencing, and cell-type selective manipulations and tracings - have begun to clarify the precise vagal neuron populations involved in the central coordination of glucose levels, and raise interesting new possibilities for the treatment of glucose metabolism disorders such as diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diba Borgmann
- Synaptic Transmission in Energy Homeostasis Group, Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, Gleueler Strasse 50, 50931 Cologne, Germany; Center for Physical Activity Research (CFAS), Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Henning Fenselau
- Synaptic Transmission in Energy Homeostasis Group, Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, Gleueler Strasse 50, 50931 Cologne, Germany; Center for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Preventive Medicine (CEDP), University Hospital Cologne, Kerpener Strasse 26, 50937 Cologne, Germany; Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Straße 26, Cologne 50931, Germany.
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34
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Coverdell TC, Abbott SBG, Campbell JN. Molecular cell types as functional units of the efferent vagus nerve. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2024; 156:210-218. [PMID: 37507330 PMCID: PMC10811285 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2023.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
The vagus nerve vitally connects the brain and body to coordinate digestive, cardiorespiratory, and immune functions. Its efferent neurons, which project their axons from the brainstem to the viscera, are thought to comprise "functional units" - neuron populations dedicated to the control of specific vagal reflexes or organ functions. Previous research indicates that these functional units differ from one another anatomically, neurochemically, and physiologically but have yet to define their identity in an experimentally tractable way. However, recent work with genetic technology and single-cell genomics suggests that genetically distinct subtypes of neurons may be the functional units of the efferent vagus. Here we review how these approaches are revealing the organizational principles of the efferent vagus in unprecedented detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana C Coverdell
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA
| | - Stephen B G Abbott
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA
| | - John N Campbell
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA.
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35
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Teckentrup V, Kroemer NB. Mechanisms for survival: vagal control of goal-directed behavior. Trends Cogn Sci 2024; 28:237-251. [PMID: 38036309 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2023.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Survival is a fundamental physiological drive, and neural circuits have evolved to prioritize actions that meet the energy demands of the body. This fine-tuning of goal-directed actions based on metabolic states ('allostasis') is deeply rooted in our brain, and hindbrain nuclei orchestrate the vital communication between the brain and body through the vagus nerve. Despite mounting evidence for vagal control of allostatic behavior in animals, its broader function in humans is still contested. Based on stimulation studies, we propose that the vagal afferent pathway supports transitions between survival modes by gating the integration of ascending bodily signals, thereby regulating reward-seeking. By reconceptualizing vagal signals as catalysts for goal-directed behavior, our perspective opens new avenues for theory-driven translational work in mental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Teckentrup
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Tübingen Center for Mental Health, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; School of Psychology and Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Nils B Kroemer
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Tübingen Center for Mental Health, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Section of Medical Psychology, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany; German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
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Su Y, Xu J, Zhu Z, Chin J, Xu L, Yu H, Nudell V, Dash B, Moya EA, Ye L, Nimmerjahn A, Sun X. Brainstem Dbh+ Neurons Control Chronic Allergen-Induced Airway Hyperreactivity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.02.04.527145. [PMID: 36778350 PMCID: PMC9915738 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.04.527145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Chronic exposure of the lung to irritants such as allergen is a primary cause of asthma characterized by exaggerated airway constriction, also called hyperreactivity, which can be life-threatening. Aside from immune cells, vagal sensory neurons are important for airway hyperreactivity 1-4 . However, the identity and signature of the downstream nodes of this adaptive circuit remains poorly understood. Here we show that a single population of Dbh + neurons in the nucleus of the solitary tract (nTS) of the brainstem, and downstream neurons in the nucleus ambiguous (NA), are both necessary and sufficient for chronic allergen-induced airway hyperreactivity. We found that repeated exposures of mice to inhaled allergen activates nTS neurons in a mast cell-, interleukin 4 (IL-4)-and vagal nerve-dependent manner. Single-nucleus RNA-seq of the nTS at baseline and following allergen challenges reveals that a Dbh + population is preferentially activated. Ablation or chemogenetic inactivation of Dbh + nTS neurons blunted, while chemogenetic activation promoted hyperreactivity. Viral tracing indicates that Dbh + nTS neurons, capable of producing norepinephrine, project to the NA, and NA neurons are necessary and sufficient to relay allergen signals to postganglionic neurons that then directly drive airway constriction. Focusing on transmitters, delivery of norepinephrine antagonists to the NA blunted allergen-induced hyperreactivity. Together, these findings provide molecular, anatomical and functional definitions of key nodes of a canonical allergen response circuit. The knowledge opens the possibility of targeted neural modulation as an approach to control refractory allergen-induced airway constriction.
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Berkhout JB, Poormoghadam D, Yi C, Kalsbeek A, Meijer OC, Mahfouz A. An integrated single-cell RNA-seq atlas of the mouse hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus links transcriptomic and functional types. J Neuroendocrinol 2024; 36:e13367. [PMID: 38281730 DOI: 10.1111/jne.13367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
The hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) is a highly complex brain region that is crucial for homeostatic regulation through neuroendocrine signaling, outflow of the autonomic nervous system, and projections to other brain areas. In the past years, single-cell datasets of the hypothalamus have contributed immensely to the current understanding of the diverse hypothalamic cellular composition. While the PVN has been adequately classified functionally, its molecular classification is currently still insufficient. To address this, we created a detailed atlas of PVN transcriptomic cell types by integrating various PVN single-cell datasets into a recently published hypothalamus single-cell transcriptome atlas. Furthermore, we functionally profiled transcriptomic cell types, based on relevant literature, existing retrograde tracing data, and existing single-cell data of a PVN-projection target region. Finally, we validated our findings with immunofluorescent stainings. In our PVN atlas dataset, we identify the well-known different neuropeptide types, each composed of multiple novel subtypes. We identify Avp-Tac1, Avp-Th, Oxt-Foxp1, Crh-Nr3c1, and Trh-Nfib as the most important neuroendocrine subtypes based on markers described in literature. To characterize the preautonomic functional population, we integrated a single-cell retrograde tracing study of spinally projecting preautonomic neurons into our PVN atlas. We identify these (presympathetic) neurons to cocluster with the Adarb2+ clusters in our dataset. Further, we identify the expression of receptors for Crh, Oxt, Penk, Sst, and Trh in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus, a key region that the pre-parasympathetic PVN neurons project to. Finally, we identify Trh-Ucn3 and Brs3-Adarb2 as some centrally projecting populations. In conclusion, our study presents a detailed overview of the transcriptomic cell types of the murine PVN and provides a first attempt to resolve functionality for the identified populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- J B Berkhout
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - D Poormoghadam
- Laboratory of Endocrinology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - C Yi
- Laboratory of Endocrinology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - A Kalsbeek
- Laboratory of Endocrinology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - O C Meijer
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - A Mahfouz
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Division of Pattern Recognition and Bioinformatics, Department of Intelligent Systems, Technical University Delft, Delft, The Netherlands
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Wang Q, Caraballo SG, Rychkov G, McGovern AE, Mazzone SB, Brierley SM, Harrington AM. Comparative localization of colorectal sensory afferent central projections in the mouse spinal cord dorsal horn and caudal medulla dorsal vagal complex. J Comp Neurol 2024; 532:e25546. [PMID: 37837642 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25546] [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: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023]
Abstract
The distal colon and rectum (colorectum) are innervated by spinal and vagal afferent pathways. The central circuits into which vagal and spinal afferents relay colorectal nociceptive information remain to be comparatively assessed. To address this, regional colorectal retrograde tracing and colorectal distension (CRD)-evoked neuronal activation were used to compare the circuits within the dorsal vagal complex (DVC) and dorsal horn (thoracolumbar [TL] and lumbosacral [LS] spinal levels) into which vagal and spinal colorectal afferents project. Vagal afferent projections were observed in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS), area postrema (AP), and dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV), labeled from the rostral colorectum. In the NTS, projections were opposed to catecholamine and pontine parabrachial nuclei (PbN)-projecting neurons. Spinal afferent projections were labeled from rostral through to caudal aspects of the colorectum. In the dorsal horn, the number of neurons activated by CRD was linked to pressure intensity, unlike in the DVC. In the NTS, 13% ± 0.6% of CRD-activated neurons projected to the PbN. In the dorsal horn, at the TL spinal level, afferent input was associated with PbN-projecting neurons in lamina I (LI), with 63% ± 3.15% of CRD-activated neurons in LI projecting to the PbN. On the other hand, at the LS spinal level, only 18% ± 0.6% of CRD-activated neurons in LI projected to the PbN. The collective data identify differences in the central neuroanatomy that support the disparate roles of vagal and spinal afferent signaling in the facilitation and modulation of colorectal nociceptive responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- QingQing Wang
- Visceral Pain Research Group, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Hopwood Centre for Neurobiology, Lifelong Health, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Sonia Garcia Caraballo
- Visceral Pain Research Group, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Hopwood Centre for Neurobiology, Lifelong Health, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Grigori Rychkov
- Hopwood Centre for Neurobiology, Lifelong Health, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- School of Biomedicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Alice E McGovern
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Stuart B Mazzone
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Stuart M Brierley
- Visceral Pain Research Group, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Hopwood Centre for Neurobiology, Lifelong Health, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- School of Biomedicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Andrea M Harrington
- Visceral Pain Research Group, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Hopwood Centre for Neurobiology, Lifelong Health, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- School of Biomedicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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Akagi Y, Takayama Y, Nihashi Y, Yamashita A, Yoshida R, Miyamoto Y, Kida YS. Functional engineering of human iPSC-derived parasympathetic neurons enhances responsiveness to gastrointestinal hormones. FEBS Open Bio 2024; 14:63-78. [PMID: 38013211 PMCID: PMC10761937 DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.13741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Food-derived biological signals are transmitted to the brain via peripheral nerves through the paracrine activity of gastrointestinal (GI) hormones. The signal transduction circuit of the brain-gut axis has been analyzed in animals; however, species-related differences and animal welfare concerns necessitate investigation using in vitro human experimental models. Here, we focused on the receptors of five GI hormones (CCK, GLP1, GLP2, PYY, and serotonin (5-HT)), and established human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines that functionally expressed each receptor. Compared to the original iPSCs, iPSCs expressing one of the receptors did not show any differences in global mRNA expression, genomic stability, or differentiation capacities of the three germ layers. We induced parasympathetic neurons from these established iPSC lines to assess vagus nerve activity. We generated GI hormone receptor-expressing neurons (CCKAR, GLP1R, and NPY2R-neuron) and tested their responsiveness to each ligand using Ca2+ imaging and microelectrode array recording. GI hormone receptor-expressing neurons (GLP2R and HTR3A) were generated directly by gene induction into iPSC-derived peripheral nerve progenitors. These receptor-expressing neurons promise to contribute to a better understanding of how the body responds to GI hormones via the brain-gut axis, aid in drug development, and offer an alternative to animal studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuka Akagi
- Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology Research InstituteNational Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)TsukubaJapan
- Tsukuba Life Science Innovation Program (T‐LSI), School of Comprehensive Human SciencesUniversity of TsukubaTsukubaJapan
| | - Yuzo Takayama
- Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology Research InstituteNational Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)TsukubaJapan
| | - Yuma Nihashi
- Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology Research InstituteNational Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)TsukubaJapan
| | - Azusa Yamashita
- Analytical Science Laboratories, Asahi Quality & Innovations, Ltd.MoriyaJapan
| | - Risa Yoshida
- Analytical Science Laboratories, Asahi Quality & Innovations, Ltd.MoriyaJapan
| | - Yasuhisa Miyamoto
- Analytical Science Laboratories, Asahi Quality & Innovations, Ltd.MoriyaJapan
| | - Yasuyuki S. Kida
- Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology Research InstituteNational Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)TsukubaJapan
- School of Integrative & Global Majors (SIGMA)University of TsukubaTsukubaJapan
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Jameson KG, Kazmi SA, Son C, Mazdeyasnan D, Leshan E, Vuong HE, Paramo J, Lopez-Romero A, Yang L, Schweizer FE, Hsiao EY. Vagal interoception of microbial metabolites from the small intestinal lumen. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.18.572257. [PMID: 38187610 PMCID: PMC10769238 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.18.572257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
The vagus nerve is proposed to enable communication between the gut microbiome and brain, but activity-based evidence is lacking. Herein, we assess the extent of gut microbial influences on afferent vagal activity and metabolite signaling mechanisms involved. We find that mice reared without microbiota (germ-free, GF) exhibit decreased vagal afferent tone relative to conventionally colonized mice (specific pathogen-free, SPF), which is reversed by colonization with SPF microbiota. Perfusing non-absorbable antibiotics (ABX) into the small intestine of SPF mice, but not GF mice, acutely decreases vagal activity, which is restored upon re-perfusion with bulk lumenal contents or sterile filtrates from the small intestine and cecum of SPF, but not GF, mice. Of several candidates identified by metabolomic profiling, microbiome-dependent short-chain fatty acids, bile acids, and 3-indoxyl sulfate stimulate vagal activity with varied response kinetics, which is blocked by co-perfusion of pharmacological antagonists of FFAR2, TGR5, and TRPA1, respectively, into the small intestine. At the single-unit level, serial perfusion of each metabolite class elicits more singly responsive neurons than dually responsive neurons, suggesting distinct neuronal detection of different microbiome- and macronutrient-dependent metabolites. Finally, microbial metabolite-induced increases in vagal activity correspond with activation of neurons in the nucleus of the solitary tract, which is also blocked by co-administration of their respective receptor antagonists. Results from this study reveal that the gut microbiome regulates select metabolites in the intestinal lumen that differentially activate chemosensory vagal afferent neurons, thereby enabling microbial modulation of interoceptive signals for gut-brain communication. HIGHLIGHTS Microbiota colonization status modulates afferent vagal nerve activityGut microbes differentially regulate metabolites in the small intestine and cecumSelect microbial metabolites stimulate vagal afferents with varied response kineticsSelect microbial metabolites activate vagal afferent neurons and brainstem neurons via receptor-dependent signaling.
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41
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Strain MM, Conley NJ, Kauffman LS, Espinoza L, Fedorchak S, Martinez PC, Crook ME, Jalil M, Hodes GE, Abbott SBG, Güler AD, Campbell JN, Boychuk CR. Dorsal Motor Vagal Neurons Can Elicit Bradycardia and Reduce Anxiety-Like Behavior. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.14.566855. [PMID: 38014247 PMCID: PMC10680764 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.14.566855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Cardiovagal neurons (CVNs) innervate cardiac ganglia through the vagus nerve to control cardiac function. Although the cardioinhibitory role of CVNs in nucleus ambiguus (CVNNA) is well established, the nature and functionality of CVNs in dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (CVNDMV) is less clear. We therefore aimed to characterize CVNDMV anatomically, physiologically, and functionally. Optogenetically activating cholinergic DMV neurons resulted in robust bradycardia through peripheral muscarinic (parasympathetic) and nicotinic (ganglionic) acetylcholine receptors, but not beta-1-adrenergic (sympathetic) receptors. Retrograde tracing from the cardiac fat pad labeled CVNNA and CVNDMV through the vagus nerve. Using whole cell patch clamp, CVNDMV demonstrated greater hyperexcitability and spontaneous action potential firing ex vivo despite similar resting membrane potentials, compared to CVNNA. Chemogenetically activating DMV also caused significant bradycardia with a correlated reduction in anxiety-like behavior. Thus, DMV contains uniquely hyperexcitable CVNs capable of cardioinhibition and robust anxiolysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Misty M. Strain
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
| | | | - Lily S. Kauffman
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
| | - Liliana Espinoza
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
| | - Stephanie Fedorchak
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
| | | | - Maisie E. Crook
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
| | - Maira Jalil
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
| | - Georgia E. Hodes
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA
| | | | - Ali D. Güler
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
| | - John N. Campbell
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
| | - Carie R. Boychuk
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
- Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
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Chen D, Hagen SJ, Boyce M, Zhao CM. Neuroendocrine mechanism of gastric acid secretion: Historical perspectives and recent developments in physiology and pharmacology. J Neuroendocrinol 2023; 35:e13305. [PMID: 37317882 PMCID: PMC10656367 DOI: 10.1111/jne.13305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The physiology of gastric acid secretion is one of the earliest subjects in medical literature and has been continuously studied since 1833. Starting with the notion that neural stimulation alone drives acid secretion, progress in understanding the physiology and pathophysiology of this process has led to the development of therapeutic strategies for patients with acid-related diseases. For instance, understanding the physiology of parietal cells led to the developments of histamine 2 receptor blockers, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), and recently, potassium-competitive acid blockers. Furthermore, understanding the physiology and pathophysiology of gastrin has led to the development of gastrin/CCK2 receptor (CCK2 R) antagonists. The need for refinement of existing drugs in patients have led to second and third generation drugs with better efficacy at blocking acid secretion. Further understanding of the mechanism of acid secretion by gene targeting in mice has enabled us to dissect the unique role for each regulator to leverage and justify the development of new targeted therapeutics for acid-related disorders. Further research on the mechanism of stimulation of gastric acid secretion and the physiological significances of gastric acidity in gut microbiome is needed in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duan Chen
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Susan J Hagen
- Department of Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Chun-Mei Zhao
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
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Grams KJ, Neumueller SE, Mouradian GC, Burgraff NJ, Hodges MR, Pan L, Forster HV. Mild and moderate chronic hypercapnia elicit distinct transcriptomic responses of immune function in cardiorespiratory nuclei. Physiol Genomics 2023; 55:487-503. [PMID: 37602394 PMCID: PMC11178267 DOI: 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00038.2023] [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: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic hypercapnia (CH) is a hallmark of respiratory-related diseases, and the level of hypercapnia can acutely or progressively become more severe. Previously, we have shown time-dependent adaptations in steady-state physiology during mild (arterial Pco2 ∼55 mmHg) and moderate (∼60 mmHg) CH in adult goats, including transient (mild CH) or sustained (moderate CH) suppression of acute chemosensitivity suggesting limitations in adaptive respiratory control mechanisms as the level of CH increases. Changes in specific markers of glutamate receptor plasticity, interleukin-1ß, and serotonergic modulation within key nodes of cardiorespiratory control do not fully account for the physiological adaptations to CH. Here, we used an unbiased approach (bulk tissue RNA sequencing) to test the hypothesis that mild or moderate CH elicits distinct gene expression profiles in important brain stem regions of cardiorespiratory control, which may explain the contrasting responses to CH. Gene expression profiles from the brain regions validated the accuracy of tissue biopsy methodology. Differential gene expression analyses revealed greater effects of CH on brain stem sites compared with the medial prefrontal cortex. Mild CH elicited an upregulation of predominantly immune-related genes and predicted activation of immune-related pathways and functions. In contrast, moderate CH broadly led to downregulation of genes and predicted inactivation of cellular pathways related to the immune response and vascular function. These data suggest that mild CH leads to a steady-state activation of neuroinflammatory pathways within the brain stem, whereas moderate CH drives the opposite response. Transcriptional shifts in immune-related functions may underlie the cardiorespiratory network's capability to respond to acute, more severe hypercapnia when in a state of progressively increased CH.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Mild chronic hypercapnia (CH) broadly upregulated immune-related genes and a predicted activation of biological pathways related to immune cell activity and the overall immune response. In contrast, moderate CH primarily downregulated genes related to major histocompatibility complex signaling and vasculature function that led to a predicted inactivation of pathways involving the immune response and vascular endothelial function. The severity-dependent effect on immune responses suggests that neuroinflammation has an important role in CH and may be important in the maintenance of proper ventilatory responses to acute and chronic hypercapnia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirstyn J Grams
- Department of Physiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
| | - Suzanne E Neumueller
- Department of Physiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
| | - Gary C Mouradian
- Department of Physiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
| | - Nicholas J Burgraff
- Center for Integrated Brain Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States
| | - Matthew R Hodges
- Department of Physiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
| | - Lawrence Pan
- Department of Physical Therapy, Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
| | - Hubert V Forster
- Department of Physiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
- Zablocki Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
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Edwards PT, Soni KG, Conner ME, Fowler SW, Foong JPP, Stavely R, Cheng LS, Preidis GA. Site-specific pathophysiology in a neonatal mouse model of gastroparesis. Neurogastroenterol Motil 2023; 35:e14676. [PMID: 37772676 PMCID: PMC11023621 DOI: 10.1111/nmo.14676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2022] [Revised: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early-life events impact maturation of the gut microbiome, enteric nervous system, and gastrointestinal motility. We examined three regions of gastric tissue to determine how maternal separation and gut microbes influence the structure and motor function of specific regions of the neonatal mouse stomach. METHODS Germ-free and conventionally housed C57BL/6J mouse pups underwent timed maternal separation (TmSep) or nursed uninterrupted (controls) until 14 days of life. We assessed gastric emptying by quantifying the progression of gavaged fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-dextran. With isolated rings of forestomach, corpus, and antrum, we measured tone and contractility by force transduction, gastric wall thickness by light microscopy, and myenteric plexus neurochemistry by whole-mount immunostaining. KEY RESULTS Regional gastric sampling revealed site-specific differences in contractile patterns and myenteric plexus structure. In neonatal mice, TmSep prolonged gastric emptying. In the forestomach, TmSep increased contractile responses to carbachol, decreased muscularis externa and mucosa thickness, and increased the relative proportion of myenteric plexus nNOS+ neurons. Germ-free conditions did not appreciably alter the structure or function of the neonatal mouse stomach and did not impact the changes caused by TmSep. CONCLUSIONS AND INFERENCES A regional sampling approach facilitates site-specific investigations of murine gastric motor physiology and histology to identify site-specific alterations that may impact gastrointestinal function. Delayed gastric emptying in TmSep is associated with a thinner muscle wall, exaggerated cholinergic contractile responses, and increased proportions of inhibitory myenteric plexus nNOS+ neurons in the forestomach. Gut microbes do not profoundly affect the development of the neonatal mouse stomach or the gastric pathophysiology that results from TmSep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Price T. Edwards
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Krishnakant G. Soni
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Margaret E. Conner
- Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Department of Education, Innovation and Technology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Stephanie W. Fowler
- Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Department of Education, Innovation and Technology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jaime P. P. Foong
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic., Australia
| | - Rhian Stavely
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lily S. Cheng
- Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Division of Pediatric Surgery, Texas Children’s Surgical Oncology Program, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Geoffrey A. Preidis
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
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Wang Y, Lai H, Zhang T, Wu J, Tang H, Liang X, Ren D, Huang J, Li W. Mitochondria of intestinal epithelial cells in depression: Are they at a crossroads of gut-brain communication? Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 153:105403. [PMID: 37742989 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
The role of gut dysbiosis in depression is well established. However, recent studies have shown that gut microbiota is regulated by intestinal epithelial cell (IEC) mitochondria, which has yet to receive much attention. This review summarizes the recent developments about the critical role of IEC mitochondria in actively maintaining gut microbiota, intestinal metabolism, and immune homeostasis. We propose that IEC mitochondrial dysfunction alters gut microbiota composition, participates in cell fate, mediates oxidative stress, activates the peripheral immune system, causes peripheral inflammation, and transmits peripheral signals through the vagus and enteric nervous systems. These pathological alterations lead to brain inflammation, disruption of the blood-brain barrier, activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, activation of microglia and astrocytes, induction of neuronal loss, and ultimately depression. Furthermore, we highlight the prospect of treating depression through the mitochondria of IECs. These new findings suggest that the mitochondria of IECs may be a newly found important factor in the pathogenesis of depression and represent a potential new strategy for treating depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Wang
- Basic Medical College, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610000, PR China
| | - Han Lai
- School of Foreign Languages, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610000, PR China
| | - Tian Zhang
- Basic Medical College, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610000, PR China
| | - Jing Wu
- Basic Medical College, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610000, PR China
| | - Huiling Tang
- Basic Medical College, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610000, PR China
| | - Xuanwei Liang
- Basic Medical College, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610000, PR China
| | - Dandan Ren
- Basic Medical College, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610000, PR China
| | - Jinzhu Huang
- School of Nursing, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610000, PR China.
| | - Weihong Li
- Basic Medical College, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610000, PR China.
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46
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Wang YY, Zhou YQ, Xie JX, Zhang X, Wang SC, Li Q, Hu LP, Jiang SH, Yi SQ, Xu J, Cao H, Zhao EH, Li J. MAOA suppresses the growth of gastric cancer by interacting with NDRG1 and regulating the Warburg effect through the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2023; 46:1429-1444. [PMID: 37249744 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-023-00821-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Previous studies have indicated that neurotransmitters play important roles in the occurrence and development of gastric cancer. MAOA is an important catecholamine neurotransmitter-degrading enzyme involved in the degradation of norepinephrine, epinephrine and serotonin. To find a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of gastric cancer, the biological functions of MAOA and the underlying mechanism in gastric cancer need to be explored. METHODS The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets, Kaplan‒Meier (KM) plotter were used to identify the differentially expressed genes, which mainly involved the degradation and synthesis enzymes of neurotransmitters in gastric cancer. We also investigated the expression pattern of MAOA in human and mouse tissues and cell lines by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting analysis. Western blotting, quantitative real-time PCR, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a Seahorse experiment were used to identify the molecular mechanism of cancer cell glycolysis. MAOA expression and patient survival were analysed in the Ren Ji cohort, and univariate and multivariate analyses were performed based on the clinicopathological characteristics of the above samples. RESULTS MAOA expression was significantly downregulated in gastric cancer tissue and associated with poor patient prognosis. Moreover, the expression level of MAOA in gastric cancer tissue had a close negative correlation with the SUXmax value of PET-CT in patients. MAOA suppressed tumour growth and glycolysis and promoted cancer cell apoptosis. We also reported that MAOA can interact with NDRG1 and regulate glycolysis through suppression of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. MAOA expression may serve as an independent prognostic factor in gastric cancer patients. CONCLUSIONS MAOA attenuated glycolysis and inhibited the progression of gastric cancer through the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. Loss of function or downregulation of MAOA can facilitate gastric cancer progression. Overexpression of MAOA and inhibition of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway may provide a potential method for gastric cancer treatment in clinical therapeutic regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang-Yang Wang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 160 Pujian Road, Shanghai, 200127, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Yao-Qi Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Jia-Xuan Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Xiang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Shu-Chang Wang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 160 Pujian Road, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Qing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Li-Peng Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Shu-Heng Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Shuang-Qin Yi
- Department of Frontier Health Sciences, Graduate School of Human Health Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Hachioji, Japan
| | - Jia Xu
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 160 Pujian Road, Shanghai, 200127, China.
| | - Hui Cao
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 160 Pujian Road, Shanghai, 200127, China.
| | - En-Hao Zhao
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 160 Pujian Road, Shanghai, 200127, China.
| | - Jun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China.
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47
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Li L, Yang J, Liu T, Shi Y. Role of the gut-microbiota-metabolite-brain axis in the pathogenesis of preterm brain injury. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 165:115243. [PMID: 37517290 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain injury, a common complication in preterm infants, includes the destruction of the key structural and functional connections of the brain and causes neurodevelopmental disorders; it has high morbidity and mortality rates. The exact mechanism underlying brain injury in preterm infants is unclear. Intestinal flora plays a vital role in brain development and the maturation of the immune system in infants; however, detailed understanding of the gut microbiota-metabolite-brain axis in preterm infants is lacking. In this review, we summarise the key mechanisms by which the intestinal microbiota contribute to neurodevelopment and brain injury in preterm infants, with special emphasis on the influence of microorganisms and their metabolites on the regulation of neurocognitive development and neurodevelopmental risks related to preterm birth, infection and neonatal necrotising enterocolitis (NEC). This review provides support for the development and application of novel therapeutic strategies, including probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, and faecal bacteria transplantation targeting at brain injury in preterm infants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Li
- Department of Pediatrics, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, China.
| | - Jiahui Yang
- Department of Pediatrics, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, China.
| | - Tianjing Liu
- Department of Pediatrics, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, China.
| | - Yongyan Shi
- Department of Pediatrics, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, China.
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48
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Shaffer C, Barrett LF, Quigley KS. Signal processing in the vagus nerve: Hypotheses based on new genetic and anatomical evidence. Biol Psychol 2023; 182:108626. [PMID: 37419401 PMCID: PMC10563766 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2023.108626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
Each organism must regulate its internal state in a metabolically efficient way as it interacts in space and time with an ever-changing and only partly predictable world. Success in this endeavor is largely determined by the ongoing communication between brain and body, and the vagus nerve is a crucial structure in that dialogue. In this review, we introduce the novel hypothesis that the afferent vagus nerve is engaged in signal processing rather than just signal relay. New genetic and structural evidence of vagal afferent fiber anatomy motivates two hypotheses: (1) that sensory signals informing on the physiological state of the body compute both spatial and temporal viscerosensory features as they ascend the vagus nerve, following patterns found in other sensory architectures, such as the visual and olfactory systems; and (2) that ascending and descending signals modulate one another, calling into question the strict segregation of sensory and motor signals, respectively. Finally, we discuss several implications of our two hypotheses for understanding the role of viscerosensory signal processing in predictive energy regulation (i.e., allostasis) as well as the role of metabolic signals in memory and in disorders of prediction (e.g., mood disorders).
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Affiliation(s)
- Clare Shaffer
- Department of Psychology, College of Science, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Lisa Feldman Barrett
- Department of Psychology, College of Science, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Karen S Quigley
- Department of Psychology, College of Science, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.
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49
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Yuan PQ, Li T, Million M, Larauche M, Atmani K, Bellier JP, Taché Y. New insight on the enteric cholinergic innervation of the pig colon by central and peripheral nervous systems: reduction by repeated loperamide administration. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1204233. [PMID: 37650102 PMCID: PMC10463754 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1204233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The central and peripheral nervous systems provide cholinergic innervation in the colon. The ability to assess their neuroanatomical distinctions is still a challenge. The pig is regarded as a relevant translational model due to the close similarity of its enteric nervous system (ENS) with that of human. Opioid-induced constipation is one of the most common side effects of opioid therapy. Methods We developed an approach to differentiate the central and peripheral cholinergic innervation of the pig colon using double immunolabeling with a novel mouse anti-human peripheral type of choline acetyltransferase (hpChAT) antibody combined with a rabbit anti-common type of ChAT (cChAT) antibody, a reliable marker of cholinergic neurons in the central nervous system. We examined their spatial configurations in 3D images of the ENS generated from CLARITY-cleared colonic segments. The density was quantitated computationally using Imaris 9.7. We assessed changes in the distal colon induced by daily oral treatment for 4 weeks with the μ opioid receptor agonist, loperamide (0.4 or 3 mg/kg). Results The double labeling showed strong cChAT immunoreactive (ir) fibers in the cervical vagus nerve and neuronal somata and fibers in the ventral horn of the sacral (S2) cord while hpChAT immunoreactivity was visualized only in the ENS but not in the vagus or sacral neural structures indicating the selectivity of these two antibodies. In the colonic myenteric plexus, dense hpChAT-ir neurons and fibers and varicose cChAT-ir fibers surrounding hpChAT-ir neurons were simultaneously visualized in 3D. The density of cChAT-ir varicose fibers in the outer submucosal plexus of both males and females were higher in the transverse and distal colon than in the proximal colon and in the myenteric plexus compared to the outer submucosal plexus and there was no cChAT innervation in the inner submucosal plexus. The density of hpChAT in the ENS showed no segmental or plexus differences in both sexes. Loperamide at the highest dose significantly decreased the density hpChAT-ir fibers + somata in the myenteric plexus of the distal colon. Discussion These data showed the distinct density of central cholinergic innervation between myenteric and submucosal plexuses among colonic segments and the localization of cChAT-ir fibers around peripheral hpChAT neurons in 3D. The reduction of cholinergic myenteric innervation by chronic opiate treatment points to target altered prokinetic cholinergic pathway to counteract opiate constipation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pu-Qing Yuan
- CURE/Digestive Diseases Research Center, Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Digestive Diseases Division, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- VA GLAHS, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Tao Li
- CURE/Digestive Diseases Research Center, Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Digestive Diseases Division, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Mulugeta Million
- CURE/Digestive Diseases Research Center, Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Digestive Diseases Division, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Muriel Larauche
- CURE/Digestive Diseases Research Center, Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Digestive Diseases Division, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Karim Atmani
- CURE/Digestive Diseases Research Center, Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Digestive Diseases Division, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Jean-Pierre Bellier
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Yvette Taché
- CURE/Digestive Diseases Research Center, Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Digestive Diseases Division, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- VA GLAHS, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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50
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Liu J, Dong S, Liu S. Aberrant parasympathetic responses in acupuncture therapy for restoring immune homeostasis. ACUPUNCTURE AND HERBAL MEDICINE 2023; 3:69-75. [DOI: 10.1097/hm9.0000000000000060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2025]
Abstract
Acupuncture is an effective therapy used worldwide to treat various diseases, including infections, allergic disorders, autoimmune diseases, and immunodeficiency syndromes. Except for the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, acupuncture exerts its regulatory effect mainly by producing autonomic reflexes, including somatic-sympathetic and somatic-parasympathetic reflexes. In this review, we discuss the updated progress of the cholinergic vagal efferent pathway, vagal-adrenal axis, local spinal sacral-parasympathetic pathway, and the somatotopic evocation of parasympathetic responses related to restoring immune homeostasis within acupuncture therapy. Targeting the parasympathetic reflex offers scientific instruction for the design of acupuncture protocols for immunological diseases, providing more specialized comprehensive treatment recommendations.
Graphical abstract:
http://links.lww.com/AHM/A49
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Shun Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Shenbin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
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