VIP is a transcriptional target of Nurr1 in dopaminergic cells     

Luo Y  Henricksen LA  Giuliano RE  Prifti L  Callahan LM  Federoff HJ 《Experimental neurology》2007,203(1):221-232

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A toolbox for light control of Drosophila behaviors through Channelrhodopsin 2-mediated photoactivation of targeted neurons     

Zhang W  Ge W  Wang Z 《The European journal of neuroscience》2007,26(9):2405-2416

In order to study the function of specific neural circuits, we generated UAS-Channelrhodopsin2 (ChR2) transgenic Drosophila and established a ChR2-based system that enables specific activation of targeted neurons in larval and adult fruit flies with blue light illumination, under the control of a newly designed light source that provides fully programmable stimulation patterns. We showed that stimulating selectively the nociceptor of larvae expressing ChR2 elicited light-induced 'pain' response, confined freely behaving larvae in defined area and directed larva migration along a preset route. In freely behaving adult flies, rapid photoactivation of targeted gustatory sensory neurons, dopaminergic modulatory neurons and motor neurons triggered the proboscis extension response, escaping reflex and changes in the locomotion pattern, respectively, with precise temporal control. This non-invasive method for remote control of animal behaviors also provides a potential tool for conducting 'gain of function' studies toward understanding how animal behaviors are controlled by neural activity.  相似文献   

Overexpression of Septin 4, the Drosophila homologue of human CDCrel-1, is toxic for dopaminergic neurons     

Muñoz-Soriano V  Paricio N 《The European journal of neuroscience》2007,26(11):3150-3158

parkin loss-of-function mutations are linked to autosomal recessive juvenile parkinsonism. Parkin is an E3 ubiquitin ligase that promotes degradation of specific target proteins by the proteasome. It has been proposed that loss of Parkin activity will result in accumulation of its substrates, thus leading to dopaminergic (DA) neuron death. In Drosophila, parkin mutations cause degeneration of a subset of DA neurons in the brain but no Parkin substrates have yet been described. Here we characterized the septin 4 gene, which encodes the Drosophila orthologue of human CDCrel-1, a Parkin substrate. We showed that Septin 4 overexpression causes age-dependent disruption of DA neuron integrity in the dorsomedial cluster, which is suppressed by coexpression of Parkin and enhanced by reducing parkin function. Furthermore, other phenotypes caused by Septin 4 overexpression are also enhanced in a heterozygous parkin mutant background. This indicates that Septin 4 accumulation is toxic for DA neurons and suggests that Septin 4 could be a genuine substrate of Drosophila Parkin. Regarding this, we also showed that both proteins are able to interact physically with each other in vitro, thus supporting this hypothesis.  相似文献   

Expression of ovarian steroid hormone receptors in tuberoinfundibular dopaminergic neurones during pregnancy and lactation     

Steyn FJ  Anderson GM  Grattan DR 《Journal of neuroendocrinology》2007,19(10):788-793

During late-pregnancy, tuberoinfundibular dopaminergic (TIDA) neurones, a critical component of the negative-feedback loop regulating prolactin secretion, become unresponsive to the stimulatory effects of prolactin. The change in TIDA responsiveness to prolactin at this time results in a decrease in dopamine secretion and a prolactin surge. As the onset of parturition and the antepartum prolactin surge depend on the withdrawal of progesterone in the presence of oestrogen, it is likely that ovarian steroid hormones mediate this change in TIDA responsiveness. To determine whether ovarian steroids can directly modulate TIDA activity, and whether changes of receptor numbers might contribute to overall steroid-regulation of these neurones, we investigated the level of oestrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) and progesterone receptor (PR) expression within TIDA neurones during pregnancy and lactation. Animals were sacrificed on dioestrous, days 12, 19 and 21 of pregnancy and day 5 of lactation, and the proportion of TIDA neurones expressing ERalpha or PR, as well as the total number of PR expressing cells within the arcuate nucleus, was determined. Approximately 75% and 55% of tyrosine hydroxylase neurones expressed ERalpha and PR, respectively. Levels of steroid receptor expression within TIDA neurones remained fairly constant, except for an increase in ERalpha on days 12 and 19 of pregnancy compared to dioestrous and lactation day 5. The presence of steroid receptors on TIDA neurones during pregnancy and lactation supports the concept of a direct effect of steroid hormones on these neurones at this time. Thus, steroid hormones may directly act on TIDA neurones to regulate maternal prolactin secretion. The relatively stable level of expression during late pregnancy suggests that a shift in steroid receptor expression during late pregnancy does not contribute to the change in TIDA responsiveness to prolactin at this time.  相似文献   

Does increased excitatory drive from the subthalamic nucleus contribute to dopaminergic neuronal death in Parkinson's disease?     

Luquin MR  Saldise L  Guillén J  Belzunegui S  San Sebastián W  Izal A  Garrido P  Vázquez M 《Experimental neurology》2006,201(2):407-415

Excitotoxicity has been suggested to play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson disease (PD). As subthalamic nucleus (STN) neurons express glutamate and are overactivated in parkinsonism, it seems that in PD dopaminergic (DA) neurons are under the influence of abnormally high levels of glutamate and consequently might be more vulnerable to neurodegeneration. To determine the contribution of the overactivated STN-SN pathway to the progression of PD, we studied the effect of prior unilateral STN lesion on the toxicity induced by subsequent administration of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6, tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) to non-human primates. In animals from group 1, kainic-induced lesion of the STN was performed prior to the administration of MPTP whereas in animals from group 2, STN lesion was caused after animals had been chronically treated with MPTP. The lesion of the STN elicited a contralateral hemiballism in animals from group 1, and they developed an asymmetrical parkinsonism after being exposed to MPTP. The STN lesion produced an improvement in the contralateral parkinsonism and mild choreic movements in animals from group 2. Cell counting of tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactive (TH-ir) cells was performed by stereology and showed a similar loss of TH-ir cells (approximately 85%) in the ipsilateral and contralateral SN to the lesioned STN. These data indicate that the surgical removal of the excitatory drive from the STN to SN neurons does not protect dopaminergic neurons against a chronic and extended toxic effect of MPTP and do not support the assumption that STN blockade might delay the progression of PD.  相似文献   

Neuroinflammation, Oxidative Stress and the Pathogenesis of Parkinson's Disease     

Mosley RL  Benner EJ  Kadiu I  Thomas M  Boska MD  Hasan K  Laurie C  Gendelman HE 《Clinical neuroscience research》2006,6(5):261-281

Neuroinflammatory processes play a significant role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Epidemiologic, animal, human, and therapeutic studies all support the presence of a neuroinflammatory cascade in disease. This is highlighted by the neurotoxic potential of microglia. In steady-state, microglia serve to protect the nervous system by acting as debris scavengers, killers of microbial pathogens, and regulators of innate and adaptive immune responses. In neurodegenerative diseases, activated microglia affect neuronal injury and death through production of glutamate, pro-inflammatory factors, reactive oxygen species, quinolinic acid among others and by mobilization of adaptive immune responses and cell chemotaxis leading to transendothelial migration of immunocytes across the blood–brain barrier and perpetuation of neural damage. As disease progresses, inflammatory secretions engage neighboring glial cells, including astrocytes and endothelial cells, resulting in a vicious cycle of autocrine and paracrine amplification of inflammation perpetuating tissue injury. Such pathogenic processes contribute to neurodegeneration in PD. Research from others and our own laboratories seek to harness such inflammatory processes with the singular goal of developing therapeutic interventions that positively affect the tempo and progression of human disease.  相似文献   

C. elegans as a model system for Parkinson disease     

Pu P  LE WD 《神经科学通报》2006,22(2):124-128

Parkinson disease （PD） is characterized by the selective loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra.Although investigation in mammalian animal models of PD has enhanced our understanding of PD, the complexity of the mammalian nervous system and our inability to visualize DA neurons in vivo restricts the advances in elucidating the molecular mechanisms of PD. Conservation between C. elegans and mammals in genomic, biosynthetic and metabolic pathways as well as the advantages of observing DA neurons morphology in vivo and the ease of transgenic and genetic manipulation make C. elegans an excellent model organism for PD.  相似文献   

Evidence that Dopaminergic Neurons are not Involved in the Negative Feedback Effect of Testosterone on Luteinizing Hormone in Rams in the Non-Breeding Season     

Tilbrook AJ  Clarke IJ 《Journal of neuroendocrinology》1992,4(3):365-374

In this study we tested the hypothesis that the negative feedback effects by testosterone on the secretion of luteinizing hormone (LH) in rams involves dopaminergic afferents to gonadotrophin-releasing hormone neurons operating via D(2) receptors in the non-breeding season. In the first experiment, three groups (n = 5) of rams were treated with an intravenous injection of vehicle or 10 or 20 mg of the dopaminergic D(2) antagonist pimozide and jugular venous samples were collected every 10 min for 3 h before and 3 h following treatment. The plasma was assayed for LH. Three groups of ewes (n = 4 to 5) were similarly treated. There were no significant effects of treatment of the rams with pimozide on the plasma concentrations of LH or LH pulse frequency or pulse amplitude and the response of individual rams in each group was inconsistent. In contrast, treatment of the ewes with 20 mg pimozide significantly (P<0.001) increased the mean (± SEM) plasma LH concentrations (pretreatment 0.37 ± 0.04; post-treatment 2.42±0.25 ng/ml) and decreased (P<0.001) the LH inter-pulse interval (pretreatment 180.0; post-treatment 88.0±11.1 min); the 10 mg dose of pimozide did not affect these parameters. In the second experiment, two groups of rams (n = 5) and ewes (n = 7) were treated with an intravenous injection of vehicle or 0.33 mg pimozide/kg liveweight and jugular venous samples were collected every 10 min for 2 h before and 6 h following treatment. As in the first experiment, the mean (± SEM) concentrations of plasma LH were not affected by treatment with pimozide in the rams (pretreatment 0.18 ± 0.25; post-treatment 0.43 ± 0.14 ng/ml) but were significantly (P<0.05) increased in the ewes (pretreatment 1.12±0.22; post-treatment 1.93 ± 0.23 ng/ml). In the third experiment, four adult rams were castrated and 3 weeks later each animal had two cannulae inserted to allow injection into the lateral cerebral ventricles. Vehicle or 100 μg pimozide was injected intracerebroventricularly and blood samples were collected as in the other experiments. A Latin Square design was used so that each animal received each treatment (n = 4). This procedure was repeated after the animals had been injected (intramuscularly) with 16 mg testosterone propionate twice daily for at least 7 days. Treatment with testosterone propionate significantly decreased (P < 0.001) the plasma concentrations of LH (pre-treatment 7.71±0.27; post-treatment 0.75 ± 0.27 ng/ml; mean ± SEM) and follicle-stimulating hormone (pre-treatment 79.61±8.47; post-treatment 42.53 ± 6.08 ng/ml; mean ± SEM) and increased the mean (± SEM) LH inter-pulse interval (53.14 ± 3.58 min pre-treatment and 292.5 ± 32.94 min post-treatment) but had no effect on the amplitude of LH pulses (pre-treatment 3.61 ± 0.36; post-treatment 1.86±1.76 ng; mean ± SEM). Pimozide had no effect on the plasma concentrations of gonadotrophins. These results suggest that, in the ram, dopaminergic neurons do not influence the gonadotrophin-releasing hormone neurons via D(2) receptors in the non-breeding season and are not involved in the negative feedback effect of testosterone on the secretion of gonadotrophins. Conversely, our data suggest that such a mechanism is integral to the negative feedback effects of oestradiol on LH in anoestrous ewes. Finally, it also appears that the steroid-independent suppression of the secretion of gonadotrophins during the non-breeding season in rams is not mediated via D(2) receptors.  相似文献   

Stromal cell-derived inducing activity does not promote dopaminergic differentiation, but enhances differentiation and proliferation of neural stem cell-derived astrocytes   总被引：5，自引：0，他引：5  

Roybon L  Brundin P  Li JY 《Experimental neurology》2005,196(2):373-380

Previous evidence has shown that stromal cell-derived inducing activity (SDIA), produced by the mouse PA6 stromal cell line, promotes dopaminergic differentiation of mouse, monkey and human embryonic stem cells in vitro. To examine whether PA6 stromal cells can enhance the yield of dopaminergic differentiation from neural progenitors, we generated neurospheres from embryonic day 11.5 (E11.5) (midbrain and forebrain) and E14.5 (ventral mesencephalon and cortex) rat embryos and allowed them to differentiate in co-culture with PA6 cells or poly-l-lysine/laminin-coated dishes. We observed that SDIA did not promote dopaminergic differentiation of E11.5 and E14.5 neurospheres but more prominently, enhanced astrocyte differentiation, cell survival and astrocyte proliferation. Our results suggest that PA6 cells do not have a general capacity to promote differentiation into dopaminergic neurons from all types of stem cells, but that they may specifically induce dopaminergic differentiation of highly uncommitted stem cells such as embryonic stem cells.  相似文献   

Functional properties and synaptic integration of genetically labelled dopaminergic neurons in intrastriatal grafts     

Sørensen AT  Thompson L  Kirik D  Björklund A  Lindvall O  Kokaia M 《The European journal of neuroscience》2005,21(10):2793-2799

Intrastriatal grafts of fetal ventral mesencephalic tissue, rich in dopaminergic neurons, can reverse symptoms in Parkinson's disease. For development of effective cell replacement therapy, other sources of dopaminergic neurons, e.g. derived from stem cells, are needed. However, the electrophysiological properties grafted cells need to have in order to induce substantial functional recovery are poorly defined. It has not been possible to prospectively identify and record from dopaminergic neurons in fetal transplants. Here we used transgenic mice expressing green fluorescent protein under control of the rat tyrosine hydroxylase promoter for whole-cell patch-clamp recordings of endogenous and grafted dopaminergic neurons. We transplanted ventral mesencephalic tissue from E12.5 transgenic mice into striatum of neonatal rats with or without lesions of the nigrostriatal dopamine system. The transplanted cells exhibited intrinsic electrophysiological properties typical of substantia nigra dopaminergic neurons, i.e. broad action potentials, inward rectifying currents with characteristic 'sag', and spontaneous action potentials. The grafted dopaminergic neurons also received functional excitatory and inhibitory synaptic inputs from the host brain, as shown by the presence of both spontaneous and stimulation-evoked excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic currents. Occurrence of spontaneous excitatory and inhibitory currents was lower, and of spontaneous action potentials was higher, in neurons placed in the dopamine-depleted striatum than of those in the intact striatum. Our findings define specific electrophysiological characteristics of transplanted fetal dopaminergic neurons, and we provide the first direct evidence of functional synaptic integration of these neurons into host neural circuitries.  相似文献