Neuroscience
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ATP-sensitive potassium (K(ATP)) channels may be linked to mechanisms of pain after nerve injury, but remain under-investigated in primary afferents so far. We therefore characterized these channels in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons, and tested whether they contribute to hyperalgesia after spinal nerve ligation (SNL). We compared K(ATP) channel properties between DRG somata classified by diameter into small or large, and by injury status into neurons from rats that either did or did not become hyperalgesic after SNL, or neurons from control animals. ⋯ These findings indicate that functional K(ATP) channels are present in normal DRG neurons, wherein they regulate RMP. Alterations of these channels may be involved in the pathogenesis of neuropathic pain following peripheral nerve injury. Their biophysical and pharmacological properties are preserved even after axotomy, suggesting that K(ATP) channels in primary afferents remain available for therapeutic targeting against established neuropathic pain.
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Social vocalizations are particularly important stimuli in an animal's auditory environment. Because of their importance, vocalizations should be strongly represented in auditory pathways. Mice commonly emit ultrasonic vocalizations with spectral content between 45 and 100 kHz. ⋯ The combinations of tones that elicit responses are the quadratic and/or cubic intermodulation distortion components that are generated by the cochlea. Thus, the intermodulation distortions in the cochlea may provide a previously overlooked mechanism for auditory processing of complex stimuli such as vocalizations. The implication of these findings is that nonlinear interactions of frequencies, possibly caused by distortions in the system, may be used to enhance the sensitivity to behaviorally important stimuli.
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Co-cultures of 3T3-L1 adipocytes with neurons from the rat dorsal root ganglia (DRG) showed enhanced neuritogenesis and synaptogenesis. Microarray analysis for upregulated genes in adipocyte/DRG co-cultures currently points to apolipoproteins D and E (ApoD, ApoE) as influential proteins. We therefore tested adipocyte-secreted cholesterol and the carrier proteins ApoD and ApoE3. ⋯ The application of ApoD, ApoE3, and cholesterol to DRG cell cultures corresponded with increased expression of the chemokine stromal cell-derived factor 1 and its receptor CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4). Surprisingly, the inhibition of CXCR4 by the antagonistic drug AMD3100 decreased the apolipoprotein/cholesterol dependent neurotrophic effects. We thus assume that apolipoprotein-induced neuritogenesis in DRG cells interferes with CXCR4 signaling, and that adipocyte-derived apolipoproteins might be helpful in nerve repair.
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The present study assessed the possible pronociceptive role of peripheral and spinal 5-HT(6) receptors in the formalin test. For this, local peripheral administration of selective 5-HT(6) receptor antagonists N-[3,5-dichloro-2-(methoxy)phenyl]-4-(methoxy)-3-(1-piperazinyl)-benzenesulphonamide (SB-399885) (0.01-1 nmol/paw) and 4-iodo-N-[4-methoxy-3-(4-methyl-1-piperazinyl)phenyl]benzene-sulfonamide hydrochloride (SB-258585) (0.001-0.1 nmol/paw) significantly reduced formalin-induced flinching. Local peripheral serotonin (5-HT) (10-100 nmol/paw) or 5-chloro-2-methyl-3-(1,2,3,6-tetrahydro-4-pyridinyl)-1H-indole hydrochloride (EMD-386088) (0.01-0.1 nmol/paw; a selective 5-HT(6) receptor agonist) augmented 0.5% formalin-induced nociceptive behavior. ⋯ The spinal pronociceptive effect of EMD-386088 (1 nmol/rat) was reduced by SB-399885 (1 nmol/rat) and SB-258585 (0.1 nmol/rat). Our results suggest that 5-HT(6) receptors play a pronociceptive role in peripheral as well as spinal sites in the rat formalin test. Thus, 5-HT(6) receptors could be a target to develop analgesic drugs.
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A multicenter randomized clinical trial demonstrated that acute ischemic stroke patients treated with edaravone, a scavenger of hydroxyl radicals, had significant functional improvement. We tested the hypothesis that edaravone has protective effects against white matter lesions (WML) and endothelial injury, using a rat chronic hypoperfusion model. Adult Wistar rats underwent ligation of bilateral common carotid artery (LBCCA) and were divided into the edaravone group (injected once only immediately after LBCCA [n=39, ED(1)]; and injected on three consecutive days [n=39, ED(3)]), the vehicle group (n=39), and the sham group (n=15). ⋯ These results were more evident in the ED(3) group. Moreover, at day 21 after LBCCA, spatial memory but not motor function, and axonal damage were significantly improved by three-time treatment of edaravone (P<0.05). Our results indicated that 3-day treatment with edaravone provides protection against WML through endothelial protection and free radical scavenging and suggested that edaravone is potentially useful for the treatment of cognitive impairment.