{"title":"Emerging connections between Piezo1 and BK channels in vascular smooth muscle cells.","authors":"Luigi Catacuzzeno, Antonio Michelucci","doi":"10.1007/s00424-024-03001-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00424-024-03001-3","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":19954,"journal":{"name":"Pflugers Archiv : European journal of physiology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141860466","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Vera A Kulow, Robert Labes, Claudia S Czopek, Christian Rosenberger, Michael Fähling
{"title":"Galectin-3 protects distal convoluted tubules in rhabdomyolysis-induced kidney injury.","authors":"Vera A Kulow, Robert Labes, Claudia S Czopek, Christian Rosenberger, Michael Fähling","doi":"10.1007/s00424-024-02987-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00424-024-02987-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) contribute to cellular damage of various pathologies, including kidney diseases. Acute kidney injury (AKI) represents a syndrome seldom characterized by a single, distinct pathophysiological cause. Rhabdomyolysis-induced acute kidney injury (RIAKI) constitutes roughly 15% of AKI cases, yet its underlying pathophysiology remains poorly understood. Using a murine model of RIAKI induced by muscular glycerol injection, we observed elevated levels of AGEs and the AGE receptor galectin-3 (LGALS3) in the kidney. Immunofluorescence localized LGALS3 to distal nephron segments. According to transcriptomic profiling via next-generation sequencing, RIAKI led to profound changes in kidney metabolism, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Cellular stress was evident in both proximal and distal tubules, as shown by kidney injury markers KIM-1 and NGAL. However, only proximal tubules exhibited overt damage and apoptosis, as detected by routine morphology, active Caspase-3, and TUNEL assay, respectively. In vitro, distal convoluted tubule (DCT) cells challenged with AGEs underwent apoptosis, which was markedly enhanced by Lgals3 siRNA treatment. Thus, in RIAKI, the upregulation of LGALS3 may protect the distal nephron from AGE-mediated damage, while proximal tubules lacking LGALS3 stay at risk. Thus, stimulating LGALS3 in the proximal nephron, if achievable, may attenuate RIAKI.</p>","PeriodicalId":19954,"journal":{"name":"Pflugers Archiv : European journal of physiology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11381487/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141748769","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Chae Eun Haam, Sooyeon Choi, Seonhee Byeon, Eun Yi Oh, Soo-Kyoung Choi, Young-Ho Lee
{"title":"Alteration of Piezo1 signaling in type 2 diabetic mice: focus on endothelium and BK<sub>Ca</sub> channel.","authors":"Chae Eun Haam, Sooyeon Choi, Seonhee Byeon, Eun Yi Oh, Soo-Kyoung Choi, Young-Ho Lee","doi":"10.1007/s00424-024-02983-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00424-024-02983-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Piezo1 mechanosensitive ion channel plays a important role in vascular physiology and disease. This study aimed to elucidate the altered signaling elicited by Piezo1 activation in the arteries of type 2 diabetes. Ten- to 12-week-old male C57BL/6 (control) and type 2 diabetic mice (db<sup>-</sup>/db<sup>-</sup>) were used. The second-order mesenteric arteries (~ 150 μm) were used for isometric tension experiments. Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence staining were performed to observe protein expression. Piezo1 was significantly decreased in mesenteric arteries of type 2 diabetic mice compared to control mice, as analyzed by western blot and immunofluorescence staining. Piezo1 agonist, Yoda1, concentration-dependently induced relaxation of mesenteric arteries in both groups. Interestingly, the relaxation response was significantly greater in control mice than in db<sup>-</sup>/db<sup>-</sup> mice. The removal of endothelium reduced relaxation responses induced by Yoda1, which was greater in control mice than db<sup>-</sup>/db<sup>-</sup> mice. Furthermore, the relaxation response was reduced by pre-treatment with various types of K<sup>+</sup> channel blockers in endothelium-intact arteries in control mice. In endothelium-denuded arteries, pre-incubation with charybdotoxin, an Ca<sup>2+</sup>-activated K<sup>+</sup> channel (BK<sub>Ca</sub> channel) blocker, significantly attenuated Yoda1-induced relaxation in db<sup>-</sup>/db<sup>-</sup> mice, while there was no effect in control mice. Co-immunofluorescence staining showed co-localization of Piezo1 and BK<sub>Ca</sub> channel was more pronounced in db<sup>-</sup>/db<sup>-</sup> mice than in control mice. These results indicate that the vascular responses induced by Piezo1 activation are different in the mesenteric resistance arteries in type 2 diabetic mice.</p>","PeriodicalId":19954,"journal":{"name":"Pflugers Archiv : European journal of physiology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11381481/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141492978","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Chiara Pappalettera, Silvia Angela Mansi, Marco Arnesano, Fabrizio Vecchio
{"title":"Decoding influences of indoor temperature and light on neural activity: entropy analysis of electroencephalographic signals.","authors":"Chiara Pappalettera, Silvia Angela Mansi, Marco Arnesano, Fabrizio Vecchio","doi":"10.1007/s00424-024-02988-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00424-024-02988-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Understanding the neural responses to indoor characteristics like temperature and light is crucial for comprehending how the physical environment influences the human brain. Our study introduces an innovative approach using entropy analysis, specifically, approximate entropy (ApEn), applied to electroencephalographic (EEG) signals to investigate neural responses to temperature and light variations in indoor environments. By strategically placing electrodes over specific brain regions linked to temperature and light processing, we show how ApEn can be influenced by indoor factors. We also integrate heart indices from a multi-sensor bracelet to create a machine learning classifier for temperature conditions. Results showed that in anterior frontal and temporoparietal areas, neutral temperature conditions yield higher ApEn values. The anterior frontal area showed a trend of gradually decreasing ApEn values from neutral to warm conditions, with cold being in an intermediate position. There was a significant interaction between light and site factors, only evident in the temporoparietal region. Here, the neutral light condition had higher ApEn values compared to blue and red light conditions. Positive correlations between anterior frontal ApEn and thermal comfort scores suggest a link between entropy and perceived thermal comfort. Our quadratic SVM classifier, incorporating entropy and heart features, demonstrates strong performance (until 90% in terms of AUC, accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity) in classifying temperature sensations. This study offers insights into neural responses to indoor factors and presents a novel approach for temperature classification using EEG entropy and heart features.</p>","PeriodicalId":19954,"journal":{"name":"Pflugers Archiv : European journal of physiology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141620680","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Evaluation of the relationship between intercostal muscle oxygenation measured by near-infrared spectroscopy and exercise capacity in group E COPD patients.","authors":"Buğra Kerget, Gizem Çil, Alperen Aksakal","doi":"10.1007/s00424-024-02993-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00424-024-02993-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) can be used to demonstrate muscle metabolism and oxygenation. NIRS-based oximeters enable the noninvasive measurement of static and dynamic muscle oxygenation. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between NIRS readings and exercise capacity in group E COPD patients. The prospective study included 40 patients with group E COPD who presented to our outpatient clinic between May 2021 and June 2022. The patients were evaluated with pulmonary function testing, 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), echocardiography, and dyspnea and quality of life assessments. NIRS muscle oxygen saturation (SmO<sub>2</sub>) levels at the start and end of the 6MWT were obtained. 6MWT distance was positively correlated with intercostal SmO<sub>2</sub> and fingertip SO<sub>2</sub> at the start (R = 0.679, p ≤ 0.001 and R = 0.321, p = 0.04, respectively) and end of the 6MWT (R = 0.693, p ≤ 0.001 and R = 0.635, p ≤ 0.001, respectively) and negatively correlated with the number of hospitalizations due to exacerbations in the last year and mean pulmonary arterial pressure (R = - 0.648, p ≤ 0.001 and R = - 0.676, p ≤ 0.001, respectively). SF-36 score was positively correlated with intercostal SmO<sub>2</sub> at the beginning of the 6MWT (R = 0.336, p = 0.03). Intercostal SmO<sub>2</sub> levels at the start of the 6MWT positively correlated with diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon dioxide (DLCO) (R = 0.388, p = 0.01) and ratio of DLCO to alveolar volume (DLCO/VA) levels (R = 0.379, p = 0.02), and these correlations persisted more strongly after the 6MWT (R = 0.524, p = 0.01; R = 0.500, p = 0.01, respectively). NIRS is a practical and noninvasive method for measuring muscle oxygenation and can be used as an alternative to 6MWT in the evaluation of exercise capacity in patients with group E COPD.</p>","PeriodicalId":19954,"journal":{"name":"Pflugers Archiv : European journal of physiology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11381480/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141752356","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Stress-induced impairment of parasympathetic NO-mediated inhibition of sympathetic vasoconstriction in submucosal arteriole of rat rectum.","authors":"Retsu Mitsui, Mizuki Yamori, Hiroyuki Nakamori, Hikaru Hashitani","doi":"10.1007/s00424-024-02990-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00424-024-02990-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In the gastrointestinal tract, nitrergic inhibition of the arteriolar contractility has not been demonstrated. Here, we explored whether neurally-released nitric oxide (NO) inhibits sympathetic vasoconstrictions in the rat rectal arterioles. Changes in sympathetic vasoconstrictions and their nitrergic modulation in rats exposed to water avoidance stress (WAS, 10 days, 1 h per day) were also examined. In rectal submucosal preparations, changes in arteriolar diameter were monitored using video microscopy. In control or sham-treated rats, electrical field stimulation (EFS)-induced sympathetic vasoconstrictions were increased by the neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) inhibitor L-NPA (1 μM) and diminished by the cyclic guanosine monophosphate-specific phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitor tadalafil (10 nM). In phenylephrine-constricted, guanethidine-treated arterioles, EFS-induced vasodilatations were inhibited by the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor antagonist BIBN-4096 (1 μM) but not L-NPA. Perivascular nNOS-immunoreactive nitrergic fibres co-expressing the parasympathetic marker vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) were intermingled with tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-immunoreactive sympathetic fibres expressing soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), a receptor for NO. In WAS rats in which augmented sympathetic vasoconstrictions were developed, L-NPA failed to further increase the vasoconstrictions, while tadalafil-induced inhibition of the vasoconstrictions was attenuated. Phenylephrine- or α,β-methylene ATP-induced vasoconstrictions and acetylcholine-induced vasodilatations were unaltered by WAS. Thus, in arterioles of the rat rectal submucosa, NO released from parasympathetic nerves appears to inhibit sympathetic vasoconstrictions presumably by reducing sympathetic transmitter release. In WAS rats, sympathetic vasoconstrictions are augmented at least partly due to the diminished pre-junctional nitrergic inhibition of transmitter release without changing α-adrenoceptor or P2X-purinoctor mediated vasoconstriction and endothelium-dependent vasodilatation.</p>","PeriodicalId":19954,"journal":{"name":"Pflugers Archiv : European journal of physiology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141634203","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Persistent sodium currents in neurons: potential mechanisms and pharmacological blockers.","authors":"Peter Müller, Andreas Draguhn, Alexei V Egorov","doi":"10.1007/s00424-024-02980-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00424-024-02980-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Persistent sodium current (I<sub>NaP</sub>) is an important activity-dependent regulator of neuronal excitability. It is involved in a variety of physiological and pathological processes, including pacemaking, prolongation of sensory potentials, neuronal injury, chronic pain and diseases such as epilepsy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Despite its importance, neither the molecular basis nor the regulation of I<sub>NaP</sub> are sufficiently understood. Of particular significance is a solid knowledge and widely accepted consensus about pharmacological tools for analysing the function of I<sub>NaP</sub> and for developing new therapeutic strategies. However, the literature on I<sub>NaP</sub> is heterogeneous, with varying definitions and methodologies used across studies. To address these issues, we provide a systematic review of the current state of knowledge on I<sub>NaP</sub>, with focus on mechanisms and effects of this current in the central nervous system. We provide an overview of the specificity and efficacy of the most widely used I<sub>NaP</sub> blockers: amiodarone, cannabidiol, carbamazepine, cenobamate, eslicarbazepine, ethosuximide, gabapentin, GS967, lacosamide, lamotrigine, lidocaine, NBI-921352, oxcarbazepine, phenytoine, PRAX-562, propofol, ranolazine, riluzole, rufinamide, topiramate, valproaic acid and zonisamide. We conclude that there is strong variance in the pharmacological effects of these drugs, and in the available information. At present, GS967 and riluzole can be regarded bona fide I<sub>NaP</sub> blockers, while phenytoin and lacosamide are blockers that only act on the slowly inactivating component of sodium currents.</p>","PeriodicalId":19954,"journal":{"name":"Pflugers Archiv : European journal of physiology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11381486/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141535049","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Maximilian Molitor, Amelie Menge, Sebastian Mandel, Sven George, Susanne Müller, Stefan Knapp, Bettina Hofmann, Dieter Steinhilber, Ann-Kathrin Häfner
{"title":"Unlocking the potential: unveiling tyrphostins with Michael-reactive cyanoacrylate motif as promising inhibitors of human 5-lipoxygenase.","authors":"Maximilian Molitor, Amelie Menge, Sebastian Mandel, Sven George, Susanne Müller, Stefan Knapp, Bettina Hofmann, Dieter Steinhilber, Ann-Kathrin Häfner","doi":"10.1007/s00424-024-03019-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00424-024-03019-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Human 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) is the key enzyme in the biosynthesis of leukotrienes, mediators of the innate immune system that also play an important role in inflammatory diseases and cancer. In this study, we present compounds, containing a Michael-reactive cyanoacrylate moiety as potent inhibitors of 5-LO. Representatives of the tyrosine kinase inhibitor family called tyrphostins, structurally related to known 5-LO inhibitors, were screened for their 5-LO inhibitory properties using recombinant human 5-LO, intact human PMNL (polymorphonuclear leukocytes), and PMNL homogenates. Their mode of action was characterized by the addition of glutathione, using a fourfold cysteine 5-LO mutant and mass spectrometry analysis. SAR studies revealed several members of the tyrphostin family containing a Michael-reactive cyanoacrylate to efficiently inhibit 5-LO. We identified degrasyn (IC<sub>50</sub> 0.11 µM), tyrphostin A9 (IC<sub>50</sub> 0.8 µM), AG879 (IC<sub>50</sub> 78 nM), and AG556 (IC<sub>50</sub> 64 nM) as potent 5-LO inhibitors. Mass spectrometry analysis revealed that degrasyn and AG556 covalently bound to up to four cysteines, including C416 and/or C418 which surround the substrate entry site. Furthermore, the 5-LO inhibitory effect of degrasyn was remarkably impaired by the addition of glutathione or by the mutation of cysteines to serines at the surface of 5-LO. We successfully identified several tyrphostins as potent inhibitors of human 5-LO. Degrasyn and AG556 were able to covalently bind to 5-LO via their cyanoacrylate moiety. This provides a promising mechanism for targeting 5-LO by Michael acceptors, leading to new therapeutic opportunities in the field of inflammation and cancer.</p>","PeriodicalId":19954,"journal":{"name":"Pflugers Archiv : European journal of physiology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142351800","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Micol Rugi, Verena Hofschröer, Zoltán Pethő, Benjamin Soret, Thorsten Loeck, Albrecht Schwab
{"title":"K<sub>2P</sub>2.1 channels modulate the pH- and mechanosensitivity of pancreatic stellate cells.","authors":"Micol Rugi, Verena Hofschröer, Zoltán Pethő, Benjamin Soret, Thorsten Loeck, Albrecht Schwab","doi":"10.1007/s00424-024-03021-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00424-024-03021-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) are central in the development of acute pancreatitis and tumor fibrosis in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Fibrosis and a unique pH landscape represent characteristic properties of the PDAC microenvironment. Mechanosensitive ion channels are involved in the activation of PSCs. Among these channels, K<sub>2P</sub>2.1 has not yet been studied in PSCs. K<sub>2P</sub>2.1 channels are pH- and mechanosensitive. We confirmed K<sub>2P</sub>2.1 expression in PSCs by RT-qPCR and immunofluorescence. PSCs from K<sub>2P</sub>2.1<sup>+/+</sup> and K<sub>2P</sub>2.1<sup>-/-</sup> mice were studied under conditions mimicking properties of the PDAC microenvironment (acidic extracellular pH (pH<sub>e</sub>), ambient pressure elevated by + 100 mmHg). Migration and the cell area were taken as surrogates for PSC activation and evaluated with live cell imaging. pH<sub>e</sub>-dependent changes of the membrane potential of PSCs were investigated with DiBAC<sub>4</sub>(3), a voltage-sensitive fluorescent dye. We observed a correlation between morphological activation and progressive hyperpolarization of the cells in response to changes in pH<sub>e</sub> and pressure. The effect was in part dependent on the expression of K<sub>2P</sub>2.1 channels because the membrane potential of K<sub>2P</sub>2.1<sup>+/+</sup> PSCs was always more hyperpolarized than that of K<sub>2P</sub>2.1<sup>-/-</sup> PSCs. Cell migration velocity of K<sub>2P</sub>2.1<sup>+/+</sup> cells decreased upon pressure application when cells were kept in an acidic medium (pH<sub>e</sub> 6.6). This was not the case in K<sub>2P</sub>2.1<sup>-/-</sup> PSCs. Taken together, our study highlights the critical role of K<sub>2P</sub>2.1 channels in the combined sensing of environmental pressure and pH<sub>e</sub> by PSCs and in coordinating cellular morphology with membrane potential dynamics. Thus, K<sub>2P</sub>2.1 channels are important mechano-sensors in murine PSCs.</p>","PeriodicalId":19954,"journal":{"name":"Pflugers Archiv : European journal of physiology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142351798","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Seong Jun Kang, Huu Son Nguyen, Choong-Ku Lee, Sohyun Kim, Jeong Seop Rhee, Seong-Woo Jeong
{"title":"Optimization of an autaptic culture system for studying cholinergic synapses in sympathetic ganglia.","authors":"Seong Jun Kang, Huu Son Nguyen, Choong-Ku Lee, Sohyun Kim, Jeong Seop Rhee, Seong-Woo Jeong","doi":"10.1007/s00424-024-03023-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00424-024-03023-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>An autaptic synapse (or 'autapse') is a functional connection between a neuron and itself, commonly used in studying the molecular mechanisms underlying synaptic transmission and plasticity in central neurons. Most previous studies on autonomic synaptic functions have relied on spontaneous connections among neurons in mass cultures. However, growing evidence supports the utility of microcultures cultivating autaptic neurons for examining cholinergic transmission within sympathetic ganglia. Despite these advancements, standardized protocols for culturing autaptic sympathetic neurons have yet to be established. Drawing on historical literature, this study delineates optimal experimental conditions to efficiently and reliably produce cholinergic synapses in sympathetic neurons within a short time frame. Our research emphasizes five key factors: (i) the generation of uniformly sized microislands of growth permissive substrates; (ii) the addition of nerve growth factor, ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), and serum to the culture medium; (iii) independence from specific serum and neuronal medium types; (iv) the reciprocal roles of CNTF and glial cells; and (v) the promotion of cholinergic synaptogenesis in SCG neurons through indirect glia co-cultures, rather than direct glial feeder layer cultures. In conclusion, glia-free monocultures of SCG neurons are relatively simple to prepare and yield robust and reliable synaptic currents. This makes them an effective model system for straightforwardly addressing fundamental questions about neurogenic mechanisms involved in cholinergic synaptic transmission in autonomic ganglia. Furthermore, autaptic culture experiments could eventually be implemented to investigate the roles of functional neuron-satellite glia units in regulating cholinergic functions under physiological and pathological conditions.</p>","PeriodicalId":19954,"journal":{"name":"Pflugers Archiv : European journal of physiology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142351799","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}