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Li J, Ryabinin AE. Oxytocin Receptors in the Mouse Centrally-projecting Edinger-Westphal Nucleus and their Potential Functional Significance for Thermoregulation. Neuroscience 2022; 498:93-104. [PMID: 35803493 PMCID: PMC9420781 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.07.002] [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: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
The centrally-projecting Edinger-Westphal nucleus (EWcp) has been shown to contribute to regulation of multiple functions, including responses to stress and fear, attention, food consumption, addiction, body temperature and maternal behaviors. However, receptors involved in regulation of these behaviors through EWcp remain poorly characterized. On the other hand, the oxytocin peptide (OXT) is also known to regulate a substantial number of physiological responses and behaviors. Here we show that mRNA encoding OXT receptors (Oxtr) is expressed in EWcp of male and female C57BL/6J mice. These receptors are present on urocortin 1 (Ucn) mRNA-containing neurons and, to a lesser extent, on neurons in EWcp expressing the vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (Vglut2) mRNA of EWcp. Using RNAscope in situ hybridization, we show that neurons containing Ucn and Vglut2 mRNAs are two intermingled, but independent subpopulations in EWcp and characterize their relationship with other populations of neurons in the vicinity of this nucleus. Using immunohistochemistry, we show that intraperitoneal (IP) administration of OXT can induce FOS in Oxtr-containing neurons, suggesting that these receptors on EWcp neurons are functional. A follow up study showed that injection of OXT (2.3 or 7.7 mg/kg, IP) is accompanied by a decrease in body temperature. Since EWcp is known to be involved in regulation of body temperature, we hypothesize that OXT's effects on body temperature could be mediated through the EWcp. The contribution of OXTR in EWcp to regulation of various functions of EWcp and OXT needs to be deciphered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ju Li
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Andrey E Ryabinin
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA.
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Ujvári B, Pytel B, Márton Z, Bognár M, Kovács LÁ, Farkas J, Gaszner T, Berta G, Kecskés A, Kormos V, Farkas B, Füredi N, Gaszner B. Neurodegeneration in the centrally-projecting Edinger-Westphal nucleus contributes to the non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease in the rat. J Neuroinflammation 2022; 19:31. [PMID: 35109869 PMCID: PMC8809039 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-022-02399-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The neuropathological background of major depression and anxiety as non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease is much less understood than classical motor symptoms. Although, neurodegeneration of the Edinger-Westphal nucleus in human Parkinson's disease is a known phenomenon, its possible significance in mood status has never been elucidated. In this work we aimed at investigating whether neuron loss and alpha-synuclein accumulation in the urocortin 1 containing (UCN1) cells of the centrally-projecting Edinger-Westphal (EWcp) nucleus is associated with anxiety and depression-like state in the rat. METHODS Systemic chronic rotenone administration as well as targeted leptin-saporin-induced lesions of EWcp/UCN1 neurons were conducted. Rotarod, open field and sucrose preference tests were performed to assess motor performance and mood status. Multiple immunofluorescence combined with RNAscope were used to reveal the functional-morphological changes. Two-sample Student's t test, Spearman's rank correlation analysis and Mann-Whitney U tests were used for statistics. RESULTS In the rotenone model, besides motor deficit, an anxious and depression-like phenotype was detected. Well-comparable neuron loss, cytoplasmic alpha-synuclein accumulation as well as astro- and microglial activation were observed both in the substantia nigra pars compacta and EWcp. Occasionally, UCN1-immunoreactive neuronal debris was observed in phagocytotic microglia. UCN1 peptide content of viable EWcp cells correlated with dopaminergic substantia nigra cell count. Importantly, other mood status-related dopaminergic (ventral tegmental area), serotonergic (dorsal and median raphe) and noradrenergic (locus ceruleus and A5 area) brainstem centers did not show remarkable morphological changes. Targeted partial selective EWcp/UCN1 neuron ablation induced similar mood status without motor symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Our findings collectively suggest that neurodegeneration of urocortinergic EWcp contributes to the mood-related non-motor symptoms in toxic models of Parkinson's disease in the rat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Balázs Ujvári
- Department of Anatomy, Research Group for Mood Disorders, Medical School, University of Pécs, Szigeti út 12., 7624, Pecs, Hungary.,Centre for Neuroscience, University of Pécs, 7624, Pecs, Hungary
| | - Bence Pytel
- Department of Anatomy, Research Group for Mood Disorders, Medical School, University of Pécs, Szigeti út 12., 7624, Pecs, Hungary
| | - Zsombor Márton
- Department of Anatomy, Research Group for Mood Disorders, Medical School, University of Pécs, Szigeti út 12., 7624, Pecs, Hungary
| | - Máté Bognár
- Department of Anatomy, Research Group for Mood Disorders, Medical School, University of Pécs, Szigeti út 12., 7624, Pecs, Hungary
| | - László Ákos Kovács
- Department of Anatomy, Research Group for Mood Disorders, Medical School, University of Pécs, Szigeti út 12., 7624, Pecs, Hungary.,Centre for Neuroscience, University of Pécs, 7624, Pecs, Hungary
| | - József Farkas
- Department of Anatomy, Research Group for Mood Disorders, Medical School, University of Pécs, Szigeti út 12., 7624, Pecs, Hungary.,Centre for Neuroscience, University of Pécs, 7624, Pecs, Hungary
| | - Tamás Gaszner
- Department of Anatomy, Research Group for Mood Disorders, Medical School, University of Pécs, Szigeti út 12., 7624, Pecs, Hungary.,Centre for Neuroscience, University of Pécs, 7624, Pecs, Hungary
| | - Gergely Berta
- Department of Medical Biology, Medical School, University of Pécs, 7624, Pecs, Hungary
| | - Angéla Kecskés
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Medical School & Szentágothai Research Centre, Molecular Pharmacology Research Group, University of Pécs, 7624, Pecs, Hungary
| | - Viktória Kormos
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Medical School & Szentágothai Research Centre, Molecular Pharmacology Research Group, University of Pécs, 7624, Pecs, Hungary
| | - Boglárka Farkas
- Department of Anatomy, Research Group for Mood Disorders, Medical School, University of Pécs, Szigeti út 12., 7624, Pecs, Hungary
| | - Nóra Füredi
- Department of Anatomy, Research Group for Mood Disorders, Medical School, University of Pécs, Szigeti út 12., 7624, Pecs, Hungary.,Centre for Neuroscience, University of Pécs, 7624, Pecs, Hungary
| | - Balázs Gaszner
- Department of Anatomy, Research Group for Mood Disorders, Medical School, University of Pécs, Szigeti út 12., 7624, Pecs, Hungary. .,Centre for Neuroscience, University of Pécs, 7624, Pecs, Hungary.
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