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Zheng QM, Zhou ZR, Hou XY, Lv N, Zhang YQ, Cao H. Transcriptome Analysis of the Mouse Medial Prefrontal Cortex in a Chronic Constriction Injury Model. Neuromolecular Med 2023; 25:375-387. [PMID: 36971954 DOI: 10.1007/s12017-023-08742-5] [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: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is critical for both the sensory and emotional/cognitive components of pain. However, the underlying mechanism remains largely unknown. Here, we examined changes in the transcriptomic profiles in the mPFC of mice with chronic pain using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) technology. A mouse model of peripheral neuropathic pain was established via chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve. CCI mice developed sustained mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia, as well as cognitive impairment four weeks after surgery. RNA-seq was conducted 4 weeks after CCI surgery. Compared with contral group, RNA-seq identified a total 309 and 222 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the ipsilateral and contralateral mPFC of CCI model mice, respectively. GO analysis indicated that the functions of these genes were mainly enriched in immune- and inflammation-related processes such as interferon-gamma production and cytokine secretion. KEGG analysis further showed the enrichment of genes involved in the neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction signaling pathway and Parkinson disease pathway that have been reported to be importantly involved in chronic neuralgia and cognitive dysfunction. Our study may provide insights into the possible mechanisms underlying neuropathic pain and pain-related comorbidities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi-Min Zheng
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Jing'an District Centre Hospital of Shanghai, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Zi-Rui Zhou
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Jing'an District Centre Hospital of Shanghai, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xin-Yu Hou
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Jing'an District Centre Hospital of Shanghai, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Ning Lv
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Jing'an District Centre Hospital of Shanghai, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yu-Qiu Zhang
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Jing'an District Centre Hospital of Shanghai, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Hong Cao
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Jing'an District Centre Hospital of Shanghai, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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Cope EC, Wang SH, Waters RC, Gore IR, Vasquez B, Laham BJ, Gould E. Activation of the CA2-ventral CA1 pathway reverses social discrimination dysfunction in Shank3B knockout mice. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1750. [PMID: 36991001 PMCID: PMC10060401 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37248-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutation or deletion of the SHANK3 gene, which encodes a synaptic scaffolding protein, is linked to autism spectrum disorder and Phelan-McDermid syndrome, conditions associated with social memory impairments. Shank3B knockout mice also exhibit social memory deficits. The CA2 region of the hippocampus integrates numerous inputs and sends a major output to the ventral CA1 (vCA1). Despite finding few differences in excitatory afferents to the CA2 in Shank3B knockout mice, we found that activation of CA2 neurons as well as the CA2-vCA1 pathway restored social recognition function to wildtype levels. vCA1 neuronal oscillations have been linked to social memory, but we observed no differences in these measures between wildtype and Shank3B knockout mice. However, activation of the CA2 enhanced vCA1 theta power in Shank3B knockout mice, concurrent with behavioral improvements. These findings suggest that stimulating adult circuitry in a mouse model with neurodevelopmental impairments can invoke latent social memory function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise C Cope
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
| | - Samantha H Wang
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Renée C Waters
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Isha R Gore
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Betsy Vasquez
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Blake J Laham
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Elizabeth Gould
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA.
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Ortiz-Leal I, Torres MV, Vargas-Barroso V, Fidalgo LE, López-Beceiro AM, Larriva-Sahd JA, Sánchez-Quinteiro P. The olfactory limbus of the red fox ( Vulpes vulpes). New insights regarding a noncanonical olfactory bulb pathway. Front Neuroanat 2023; 16:1097467. [PMID: 36704406 PMCID: PMC9871471 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2022.1097467] [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: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The olfactory system in most mammals is divided into several subsystems based on the anatomical locations of the neuroreceptor cells involved and the receptor families that are expressed. In addition to the main olfactory system and the vomeronasal system, a range of olfactory subsystems converge onto the transition zone located between the main olfactory bulb (MOB) and the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB), which has been termed the olfactory limbus (OL). The OL contains specialized glomeruli that receive noncanonical sensory afferences and which interact with the MOB and AOB. Little is known regarding the olfactory subsystems of mammals other than laboratory rodents. Methods: We have focused on characterizing the OL in the red fox by performing general and specific histological stainings on serial sections, using both single and double immunohistochemical and lectin-histochemical labeling techniques. Results: As a result, we have been able to determine that the OL of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) displays an uncommonly high degree of development and complexity. Discussion: This makes this species a novel mammalian model, the study of which could improve our understanding of the noncanonical pathways involved in the processing of chemosensory cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Ortiz-Leal
- Faculty of Veterinary, University of Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain
| | - Mateo V. Torres
- Faculty of Veterinary, University of Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain
| | - Víctor Vargas-Barroso
- Cellular Neuroscience, IST Austria (Institute of Science and Technology Austria), Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | | | | | - Jorge A. Larriva-Sahd
- Institute of Neurobiology, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Querétaro, Mexico
| | - Pablo Sánchez-Quinteiro
- Faculty of Veterinary, University of Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain,*Correspondence: Pablo Sanchez-Quinteiro
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Gutierrez-Castellanos N, Husain BFA, Dias IC, Lima SQ. Neural and behavioral plasticity across the female reproductive cycle. Trends Endocrinol Metab 2022; 33:769-785. [PMID: 36253276 DOI: 10.1016/j.tem.2022.09.001] [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: 06/24/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Sex is fundamental for the evolution and survival of most species. However, sex can also pose danger, because it increases the risk of predation and disease transmission, among others. Thus, in many species, cyclic fluctuations in the concentration of sex hormones coordinate sexual receptivity and attractiveness with female reproductive capacity, promoting copulation when fertilization is possible and preventing it otherwise. In recent decades, numerous studies have reported a wide variety of sex hormone-dependent plastic rearrangements across the entire brain, including areas relevant for female sexual behavior. By contrast, how sex hormone-induced plasticity alters the computations performed by such circuits, such that collectively they produce the appropriate periodic switches in female behavior, is mostly unknown. In this review, we highlight the myriad sex hormone-induced neuronal changes known so far, the full repertoire of behavioral changes across the reproductive cycle, and the few examples where the relationship between sex hormone-dependent plasticity, neural activity, and behavior has been established. We also discuss current challenges to causally link the actions of sex hormones to the modification of specific cellular pathways and behavior, focusing on rodents as a model system while drawing a comparison between rodents and humans wherever possible.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Basma F A Husain
- Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Foundation, Avenida Brasília, 1400-038 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Inês C Dias
- Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Foundation, Avenida Brasília, 1400-038 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Susana Q Lima
- Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Foundation, Avenida Brasília, 1400-038 Lisbon, Portugal.
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Villamayor PR, Gullón J, Quintela L, Sánchez-Quinteiro P, Martínez P, Robledo D. Sex separation unveils the functional plasticity of the vomeronasal organ in rabbits. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:1034254. [PMID: 36340690 PMCID: PMC9634631 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.1034254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Chemosensory cues are vital for social and sexual behaviours and are primarily detected and processed by the vomeronasal system (VNS), whose plastic capacity has been investigated in mice. However, studying chemosensory plasticity outside of laboratory conditions may give a more realistic picture of how the VNS adapts to a changing environment. Rabbits are a well-described model of chemocommunication since the discovery of the rabbit mammary pheromone and their vomeronasal organ (VNO) transcriptome was recently characterised, a first step to further study plasticity-mediated transcriptional changes. In this study, we assessed the plastic capacity of the rabbit male and female VNO under sex-separation vs. sex-combined scenarios, including adults and juveniles, to determine whether the rabbit VNO is plastic and, if so, whether such plasticity is already established at early stages of life. First, we characterised the number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the VNO of rabbit male and female under sex-separation and compared it to sex-combined individuals, both in adults and juveniles, finding that differences between male and female were larger in a sex-separated scenario. Secondly, we analysed the number of DEGs between sex-separated and sex-combined scenarios, both in males and females. In adults, both sexes showed a high number of DEGs while in juveniles only females showed differences. Additionally, the vomeronasal receptor genes were strikingly downregulated in sex-separated adult females, whereas in juveniles upregulation was shown for the same condition, suggesting a role of VRs in puberty onset. Finally, we described the environment-modulated plastic capacity of genes involved in reproduction, immunity and VNO functional activity, including G-protein coupled receptors. Our results show that sex-separation induces sex- and stage-specific gene expression differences in the VNO of male and female rabbit, both in adults and juveniles. These results bring out for the first time the plastic capacity of the rabbit VNO, supporting its functional adaptation to specifically respond to a continuous changing environment. Finally, species-specific differences and individual variability should always be considered in VNO studies and overall chemocommunication research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula R. Villamayor
- Departamento de Zooloxía, Xenética e Antropoloxía Física, Facultade de Veterinaria, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain
- Departamento de Anatomía, Producción Animal e Ciencias Clínicas Veterinarias, Facultade de Veterinaria, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain
| | | | - Luis Quintela
- Departamento de Patoloxía Animal, Facultade de Veterinaria Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain
| | - Pablo Sánchez-Quinteiro
- Departamento de Anatomía, Producción Animal e Ciencias Clínicas Veterinarias, Facultade de Veterinaria, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain
| | - Paulino Martínez
- Departamento de Zooloxía, Xenética e Antropoloxía Física, Facultade de Veterinaria, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain
| | - Diego Robledo
- The Roslin Institute, The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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Pardo-Bellver C, Vila-Martin ME, Martínez-Bellver S, Villafranca-Faus M, Teruel-Sanchis A, Savarelli-Balsamo CA, Drabik SM, Martínez-Ricós J, Cervera-Ferri A, Martínez-García F, Lanuza E, Teruel-Martí V. Neural activity patterns in the chemosensory network encoding vomeronasal and olfactory information in mice. Front Neuroanat 2022; 16:988015. [PMID: 36120099 PMCID: PMC9479637 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2022.988015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Rodents detect chemical information mainly through the olfactory and vomeronasal systems, which play complementary roles to orchestrate appropriate behavioral responses. To characterize the integration of chemosensory information, we have performed electrophysiological and c-Fos studies of the bulbo–amygdalar network in freely behaving female mice exploring neutral or conspecific stimuli. We hypothesize that processing conspecifics stimuli requires both chemosensory systems, and thus our results will show shared patterns of activity in olfactory and vomeronasal structures. Were the hypothesis not true, the activity of the vomeronasal structures would be independent of that of the main olfactory system. In the c-Fos analysis, we assessed the activation elicited by neutral olfactory or male stimuli in a broader network. Male urine induced a significantly higher activity in the vomeronasal system compared to that induced by a neutral odorant. Concerning the olfactory system, only the cortex–amygdala transition area showed significant activation. No differential c-Fos expression was found in the reward system and the basolateral amygdala. These functional patterns in the chemosensory circuitry reveal a strong top-down control of the amygdala over both olfactory bulbs, suggesting an active role of the amygdala in the integration of chemosensory information directing the activity of the bulbs during environmental exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecília Pardo-Bellver
- Department of Functional and Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Manuel E. Vila-Martin
- Department of Functional and Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
- Laboratory of Neuronal Circuits, Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Sergio Martínez-Bellver
- Laboratory of Neuronal Circuits, Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - María Villafranca-Faus
- Laboratory of Neuronal Circuits, Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Anna Teruel-Sanchis
- Department of Functional and Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
- Laboratory of Neuronal Circuits, Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Camila A. Savarelli-Balsamo
- Department of Functional and Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
- Laboratory of Neuronal Circuits, Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Sylwia M. Drabik
- Department of Functional and Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
- Department of Neurophysiology and Chronobiology, Institute of Zoology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Joana Martínez-Ricós
- Laboratory of Neuronal Circuits, Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Ana Cervera-Ferri
- Laboratory of Neuronal Circuits, Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Fernando Martínez-García
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Pre-Departmental Unit of Medicine, Jaume I University, Castellón de la Plana, Spain
| | - Enrique Lanuza
- Department of Functional and Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
- *Correspondence: Enrique Lanuza,
| | - Vicent Teruel-Martí
- Laboratory of Neuronal Circuits, Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
- Vicent Teruel-Martí,
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Neuroanatomical and Immunohistological Study of the Main and Accessory Olfactory Bulbs of the Meerkat ( Suricata suricatta). Animals (Basel) 2021; 12:ani12010091. [PMID: 35011198 PMCID: PMC8749820 DOI: 10.3390/ani12010091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary In wild mammals, chemical senses are crucial to survival, but sensory system information is lacking for many species, including the meerkat (Suricata suricatta), an iconic mammal with a marked social hierarchy that has been ambiguously classified in both canid and felid families. We studied the neuroanatomical basis of the meerkat olfactory and accessory olfactory bulbs, aiming to provide information on the relevance of both systems to the behaviors of this species and contributing to improving its taxonomic classification. The accessory olfactory bulb serves as the integration center of vomeronasal information. When examined microscopically, the accessory olfactory bulb of the meerkat presents a lamination pattern more defined than observed in dogs and approaching the pattern described in cats. The degree of lamination and development in the meerkat main olfactory bulb is comparable to the general pattern observed in mammals but with numerous specific features. Our study supports the functionality of the olfactory and vomeronasal integrative centers in meerkats and places this species within the suborder Feliformia. Our study also confirms the importance of chemical signals in mediating the social behaviors of this species and provides essential neuroanatomical information for understanding the functioning of their chemical senses. Abstract We approached the study of the main (MOB) and accessory olfactory bulbs (AOB) of the meerkat (Suricata suricatta) aiming to fill important gaps in knowledge regarding the neuroanatomical basis of olfactory and pheromonal signal processing in this iconic species. Microdissection techniques were used to extract the olfactory bulbs. The samples were subjected to hematoxylin-eosin and Nissl stains, histochemical (Ulex europaeus agglutinin, Lycopersicon esculentum agglutinin) and immunohistochemical labelling (Gαo, Gαi2, calretinin, calbindin, olfactory marker protein, glial fibrillary acidic protein, microtubule-associated protein 2, SMI-32, growth-associated protein 43). Microscopically, the meerkat AOB lamination pattern is more defined than the dog’s, approaching that described in cats, with well-defined glomeruli and a wide mitral-plexiform layer, with scattered main cells and granular cells organized in clusters. The degree of lamination and development of the meerkat MOB suggests a macrosmatic mammalian species. Calcium-binding proteins allow for the discrimination of atypical glomerular subpopulations in the olfactory limbus between the MOB and AOB. Our observations support AOB functionality in the meerkat, indicating chemosensory specialization for the detection of pheromones, as identified by the characterization of the V1R vomeronasal receptor family and the apparent deterioration of the V2R receptor family.
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