Neuroscience
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Increases in plasma osmolality enhance nitric oxide (NO) levels in magnocellular neurosecretory cells (MNCs) of the supraoptic nucleus (SON) and modulate the secretion of both vasopressin (VP) and oxytocin (OT). In this paper, we describe the effects of hypertonicity on the electrical properties of MNCs by focusing on the nitrergic modulation of their activity in this condition. Membrane potentials were measured using the patch clamp technique, in the presence of both glutamatergic and GABAergic neurotransmission blockers, in coronal brain slices of male Wistar rats. ⋯ L-Arginine prevented the increase in fire frequency induced by hypertonic stimulus, and L-NAME (inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase) induced an additional increase in frequency when applied together with the hypertonic solution. Moreover, L-Arginine hyperpolarizes the resting potential and decreases the peak value of the after-hyperpolarization; both effects were blocked by L-NAME and hypertonicity and/or L-NAME reduced the time constant of the rising phase of the after-depolarization. These results demonstrate that an intrinsic nitrergic system is part of the mechanisms controlling the excitability of MNCs of the SON when the internal fluid homeostasis is disturbed.
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β-Amyloid (Aβ) peptides are derived from the sequential cleavage of the amyloid precursor protein (APP). They are enriched in plaques present in Alzheimer's brains and thus play important roles in the pathogenesis of this disease. APP is also known to be expressed in the neurons of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and contributes to neuronal survival and axonal growth during development. ⋯ In parallel with reduced pain sensitivity, the expression of pain mediators such as substance P, calcitonin gene-related peptide and transient receptor potential vanilloid-1 was significantly reduced in L4-6 DRG of CRND8 mice. Although i.pl. injection of CFA induced a rather similar pattern of inflammatory pain in 3-month-old CRND8 mice and their wild-type littermates, recovery from inflammatory pain seemed faster in 12-month-old CRND8 mice than wild-type mice. These findings suggest that APP and Aβ peptides suppress both nociception and inflammatory pain and are likely involved in blunt pain perception of Alzheimer's patients in clinical settings.
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In the adult rabbit and mouse retina, about 30% of the ON-OFF direction selective ganglion cells (DSGCs) are coupled via gap junctions. In early postnatal rabbit retinas, a greater proportion of morphological ON-OFF DSGCs shows coupling with a larger number of nearby somas. It is not clear whether the coupled ON-OFF DSGCs belong to the same subtype, or how coupling patterns change during development. ⋯ Therefore, a rapid decoupling process takes place in DSGCs around eye opening. Light deprivation delayed but did not halt the decoupling process. By using a transgenic mouse line in which green fluorescent protein (GFP) is selectively expressed in DSGCs with PDs to posterior and by performing in situ hybridization of cadherin-6, a marker for the DSGCs with PDs to superior and inferior, we showed that heterologous coupling existed between DSGCs with PDs to anterior and posterior till P12, but this heterologous coupling never spread to DSGCs positive for cadherin-6.
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There is mounting evidence that, in addition to texture and olfaction, taste plays a role in the detection of long chain fatty acids. Triglycerides, the main components of oils and dietary fat, are hydrolyzed in the mouth by a lingual lipase secreted from the von Ebner gland and the released free fatty acids are detected by the taste system. GPR40 and GPR120, two fatty acid responsive G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), are expressed in taste bud cells, and knockout mice lacking either of those receptors have blunted taste nerve responses to and reduced preference for fatty acids. ⋯ In human subjects, two-alternative forced choice (2-AFC) tests, triangle tests and sensory profiling showed that non fatty acid agonists of GPR40 dissolved in water are detected in sip and spit tests and elicit a taste similar to that of linoleic acid, whereas 2-AFC tests showed that two agonists of GPR120 in water are not perceived fattier than water alone. Wild-type mice did not show any preference for five agonists of GPR40, two agonists of GPR120 and mixtures of both agonists over water in two-bottle preference tests. Together these data indicate that GPR40 mediated taste perception is not sufficient to generate preference.
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Oxidative stress aggravates brain injury following ischemia. The glutathione (GSH) system plays a pivotal role in combating oxidative stress in various cell types. To determine whether oral GSH administration elicits anti-oxidative effects, we assessed its potential neuroprotective effects in transient bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO) mice. ⋯ Notably, post-administration of GSH (100 and 500 mg/kg p.o.) significantly prevented neuronal cell death in the hippocampal CA1 region in BCCAO mice, an effect closely correlated with decreased levels of oxidative markers such as 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4-HNE), 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and nitrotyrosine in that region. Finally, GSH administration for 10 days improved memory deficits observed in BCCAO mice. Taken together, our findings indicate that the anti-oxidative effect of oral GSH administration ameliorates post-ischemia neuronal cell death and, in turn, may improve memory.