The TRPV1 receptor is associated with preferential stress in large dorsal root ganglion neurons in early diabetic sensory neuropathy

Chronic diabetic neuropathy is associated with peripheral demyelination and degeneration of nerve fibers. The mechanism(s) underlying neuronal injury in diabetic sensory neuropathy remain poorly understood. Recently, we reported increased expression and function of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) in large dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons in diabetic sensory neuropathy. In this study, we examined the effects of TRPV1 activation on cell injury pathways in this subpopulation of neurons in the streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat model. Large DRG neurons from diabetic (6–8 weeks) rats displayed increased oxidative stress and activation of cell injury markers compared with healthy controls. Capsaicin (CAP) treatment induced decreased labeling of MitoTracker Red and increased cytosolic cytochrome c and activation of caspase 3 in large neurons isolated from diabetic rats. CAP treatment also induced oxidative stress in large diabetic DRG neurons, which was blocked by pre-treatment with caspase or calpain inhibitor. In addition, both μ-calpain expression and calpain activity were significantly increased in DRG neurons from diabetic rats after CAP treatment. Treatment with capsazepine, a competitive TRPV1 antagonist, markedly reduced these abnormalities in vitro and prevented activation of cell injury in large DRG neurons in diabetic rats in vivo . These results suggest that activation of the TRPV1 receptor activates pathways associated with caspase-dependent and calpain-dependent stress in large DRG neurons in STZ-diabetic rats. Activation of the TRPV1 receptor may contribute to preferential neuronal stress in large DRG neurons relatively early in diabetic sensory neuropathy.     

瞬时外向钾电流的降低介导了慢性压迫背根神经节细胞兴奋性的升高

慢性压迫大鼠背根神经节（chronic compression of the dorsal root,ganglion,CCD）后,背根神经节细胞兴奋性升高,但引起神经元兴奋性改变的离子通道机制还需进一步探索。本实验采用胞内记录以及全细胞膜片钳记录方法,研究急性分离的大鼠背根神经节细胞兴奋性改变与瞬时外向钾电流（A-type potassium current,ⅠA）的关系。结果表明,CCD术后背根神经节细胞兴奋性升高,在急性分离的体外细胞中仍继续存在,表现为对辣椒素敏感的背根神经节细胞产生动作电位的最小电流刺激强度,即阈电流（current threshold）及阈电位（voltage threshold）降低;给予正常对照组神经元（未压迫损伤）瞬时外向钾通道阻断剂4-氨基吡啶,出现了类似CCD术后兴奋性升高的改变。进一步用两步电压钳方法分离ⅠA,研究CCD术后神经元ⅠA的变化,结果表明,CCD组神经元的ⅠA比对照组神经元ⅠA降低,并且与其阈电位的改变一致。以上结果提示,背根神经节压迫受损后,神经节细胞ⅠA降低可能参与介导了神经节细胞兴奋性的升高。     

神经病理痛大鼠DRG神经元GABAA受体激活电流的变化

目的：观察坐骨神经慢性压榨损伤（CCI）致神经病理痛后,大鼠背根节神经元GABAA受体（γ-氨基丁酸A受体）激活电流的变化。方法：运用全细胞膜片钳技术记录CCI模型手术侧、手术对侧及假手术组大鼠背根神经节细胞GABAx受体激活电流,比较坐骨神经慢性压榨损伤后GABAA受体激活电流的变化。结果：①CCI模型组大鼠手术侧DRG神经元在不同浓度（0．1-1000μmol／L）GABAA受体激活电流幅值均显著小于假手术组。②CCI模型组大鼠手术对侧DRG神经元在不同浓度（0．01-1000μmol／L）GABAA受体激活电流幅值均显著大于手术同侧及假手术组。结论：在坐骨神经慢性压榨损伤的过程中,不仅损伤侧的DRG神经元GABAA受体激活电流显著减小,这种损伤同时还引起了手术对侧的DRG神经元GABA激活电流代偿性的增强,GABAA受体功能的改变导致的突触前抑制作用的减弱可能是神经病理痛产生的根本原因之一。     

TRPV1b overexpression negatively regulates TRPV1 responsiveness to capsaicin, heat and low pH in HEK293 cells

Transient receptor potential channel type V (TRPV) 1 is a non-selective cation channel that can be activated by capsaicin, endogenous vanilloids, heat and protons. The human TRPV1 splice variant, TRPV1b, lacking exon 7, was cloned from human dorsal root ganglia (DRG) RNA. The expression profile and relative abundance of TRPV1b and TRPV1 in 35 different human tissues were determined by quantitative RT-PCR using isoform-specific probes. TRPV1b was most abundant in fetal brain, adult cerebellum and DRG. Functional studies using electrophysiological techniques showed that recombinant TRPV1b was not activated by capsaicin (1 microM), protons (pH 5.0) or heat (50 degrees C). However, recombinant TRPV1b did form multimeric complexes and was detected on the plasma membrane of cells, demonstrating that the lack of channel function was not due to defects in complex formation or cell surface expression. These results demonstrate that exon 7, which encodes the third ankyrin domain and 44 amino acids thereafter, is required for normal channel function of human TRPV1. Moreover, when co-expressed with TRPV1, TRPV1b formed complexes with TRPV1, and inhibited TRPV1 channel function in response to capsaicin, acidic pH, heat and endogenous vanilloids, dose-dependently. Taken together, these data support the hypothesis that TRPV1b is a naturally existing inhibitory modulator of TRPV1.     

Slow inactivation of tetrodotoxin-insensitive Na+ channels in neurons of rat dorsal root ganglia

Summary Whole-cell patch-clamp experiments were performed with neurons cultured from rat dorsal root ganglia (DRG). Two types of Na⁺ currents were identified on the basis of sensitivity to tetrodotoxin. One type was blocked by 0.1 nm tetrodotoxin, while the other type was insensitive to 10 m tetrodotoxin. The peak amplitude of the tetrodotoxin-insensitive Na⁺ current gradually decreased after depolarization of the membrane. The steady-state value of the peak amplitude was attained several minutes after the change of holding potential. Such a slow inactivation was not observed in tetrodotoxin-sensitive Na⁺ current. The slow inactivation of the tetrodotoxin-insensitive Na⁺ current was kinetically distinct from the ordinary short-time steady-state inactivation. The voltage dependence of the slow inactivation could be described by a sigmoidal function, and its time course had a double-exponential process. A decrease of external pH partially antagonized the slow inactivation, probably through an increased diffusion potential across the membrane. However, the slow inactivation was not due to change in surface negative charges, since a shift of the kinetic parameters along the voltage axis was not observed during the slow inactivation. Due to the slow inactivation, the inactivation curves for the tetrodotoxininsensitive Na⁺ current were shifted in the negative direction as the prepulse duration was increased. Consequently, the window current activated at potentials close to the resting membrane potential was markedly reduced. Thus, the slow inactivation may be involved in the long-term regulation of the excitability of sensory neurons.We thank Prof. Hirosi Kuriyama for his support and advice and Dr. M. Yoshii for helpful discussions. This study was supported by the Japanese Ministry of Education (Scientific Research 02670090).     

Neurotrophin-3 and TrkC-immunoreactive neurons in rat dorsal root ganglia correlate by distribution and morphology

Previous studies have shown that a subpopulation of large dorsal root ganglion neurons contains neurotrophin-3 (NT3)-like immunoreactivity. It is not known, however, whether these NT3 immunoreactive neurons also express the high affinity receptor for NT3, trkC. In the present study, the distribution and morphology of trkC immunoreactive neurons have been correlated with those of NT3 immunoreactive neurons in the dorsal root ganglia. Size and segmental distributions of both antigens indicate that they are present in the same group of large sensory neurons. Almost twice the number of these neurons are present in the cervical and lumbar spinal ganglia than in the thoracic. Co-localization study indicates that 94% of NT3 immunoreactive neurons express trkC. Our findings support the proposal that NT3 in these neurons is derived from their peripheral targets rather than synthesized in situ. Special issue dedicated to Dr. Hans Thoenen.     

血管升压素对大鼠背根神经节神经元膜的作用

为研究血管升压素(arginine vasopressin,AVP)对大鼠背根神经节(dorsal root ganglion,DRG)神经元的作用及其机制,用细胞内微电极记录技术记录离体灌流DRG神经元的膜电位。结果如下:(1)在受检的120个细胞中,大多数(81.67％)在滴加AVP后产生明显的超极化反应。(2)滴加AVP(10μmol/L)后膜电导增加约19.34％(P<0.05)。(3)灌流平衡液巾的NaCl以氯化胆碱(CH-Cl)置代和用Cd2+阻断Ca2+通道后,AVP引起超极化反应的幅值均无明显变化(P>0.05),而加入K+通道阻断剂四乙铵(TEA)后,AVP引起的超极化反应幅值明显减小(P<0.05)。(4)AVP引起的超极化反应可被AVP V.受体拈抗剂阻断。结果捉示,AVP可使DRG大多数神经元膜产生超极化,DRG神经元膜上存在AVP V,受体,且AVP引起的超极化反应是通过神经元膜上AVP V.受体介导的K+外流所致.AVP可能参与了初级感觉信息传入的调制。     

Involvement of hyperpolarization-activated, cyclic nucleotide-gated cation channels in dorsal root ganglion in neuropathic pain

Dorsal root ganglion(DRG)neurons have peripheral terminals in skin,muscle,and other peripheral tissues,andcentral terminals     

Role of the monocyte chemoattractant protein-1/C-C chemokine receptor 2 signaling pathway in transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 ablation-induced renal injury in salt-sensitive hypertension

Our recent studies indicate that the transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) channel may act as a potential regulator of monocyte/macrophage recruitment to reduce renal injury in salt-sensitive hypertension. This study tests the hypothesis that deletion of TRPV1 exaggerates salt-sensitive hypertension-induced renal injury due to enhanced inflammatory responses via monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1)/C-C chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2)-dependent pathways. Wild type (WT) and TRPV1-null mutant (TRPV1^−/−) mice were subjected to uninephrectomy and deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt treatment for four weeks with or without the selective CCR2 antagonist, RS504393. DOCA-salt treatment increased systolic blood pressure (SBP) to the same degree in both strains, but increased urinary excretion of albumin and 8-isoprostane and decreased creatinine clearance with greater magnitude in TRPV1^−/− mice compared to WT mice. DOCA-salt treatment also caused renal glomerulosclerosis, tubulointerstitial injury, collagen deposition, monocyte/macrophage infiltration, proinflammatory cytokine and chemokine production, and NF-κB activation in greater degree in TRPV1^−/− mice compared to WT mice. Blockade of the CCR2 with RS504393 (4 mg/kg/day) had no effect on SBP in DOCA-salt-treated WT or TRPV1^−/− mice compared to their respective controls. However, treatment with RS504393 ameliorated renal dysfunction and morphological damage, and prevented the increase in monocyte/macrophage infiltration, cytokine/chemokine production, and NF-κB activity in both DOCA-salt hypertensive strains with a greater effect in DOCA-salt-treated TRPV1^−/− mice compared to DOCA-salt-treated WT mice. No differences in CCR2 protein expression in kidney were found between DOCA-salt-treated WT and TRPV1^−/− mice with or without RS504393 treatment. Our studies for the first time indicate that deletion of TRPV1 aggravated renal injury in salt-sensitive hypertension via enhancing MCP-1/CCR2 signaling-dependent inflammatory responses.     

Newly Synthesized Oleylgingerol and Oleylshogaol Activate TRPV1 Ion Channels

The oleyl moiety in vanilloids is important in activating vanilloid receptor 1 (TRPV1), but there was no ingredient of ginger containing the oleyl moiety in the natural form. We synthesized oleylgingerol and oleylshogaol and then evaluated their potential to activate a rat TRPV1 channel. Oleylgingerol is a stronger TRPV1 agonist than natural gingerols, but oleylshogaol is a weaker agonist than natural shogaols. The difference in structure between oleylgingerol and oleylshogaol is only the hydroxy group at carbon-5. This hydroxy group might have an important role in activating a TRPV1 channel.     

Okadaic acid reversibly inhibits neurite outgrowth in embryonic dorsal root ganglion neurons

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of low concentrations of okadaic acid (OA) on neurite outgrowth and cellular integrity in cultures of dissociated dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. The complete and fully reversible arrest of neurite outgrowth was achieved at 1 nM OA, thus ruling out the involvement of protein phosphatase 1 in the observed inhibitory effect. OA at 0.5 nM did not completely block neurite outgrowth, although it reduced the rate of growth by about one third. Protein phosphorylation and the integrity of microtubules and neurofilaments in neuron-enriched cultures were unaffected by 1 nM OA. The rate of synthesis of the low-molecular-weight neurofilament subunit (NFL) was also unchanged by OA treatment. Antimitotic agents used to eliminate proliferating cells did not alter the rate of neurite elongation. Since 1 nM OA does not suffice to inhibit neuronal protein phosphatase 2A fully, owing to the high concentration of this enzyme in neurons, we propose that the inhibitor is affecting a neuronal compartment that contains low levels of the phosphatase. This putative compartment is likely to be located in neurites, which were shown to contain levels of protein phosphatase 2A that were two- to threefold lower than in neuronal perikarya. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Neurobiol 32: 193–201, 1997.     

Synaptic connections in a dissociated mixed culture of rat dorsal root ganglion and spinal cord neurons

Postsynaptic currents and action potentials recorded from neurons in a mixed culture of rat dorsal root ganglion and spinal cord cells are described. The existence of mutual synaptic connections between the above two types of neurons is demonstrated. Neirofiziologiya/Neurophysiology, Vol. 38, No. 4, pp. 358–360, July–August, 2006.     

缓激肽对背根节神经元钠通道电流的作用

目的：观察缓激肽(bradykinin,BK)对大鼠背根节神经元电压依赖性钠通道电流的作用。方法：采用全细胞膜片钳技术,记录钠通道电流。结果：缓激肽剂量依赖性(0．01～10μmol／L)增高小细胞背根节神经元诱发放电频率;缓激肽剂量依赖性(O．01～10μmol／L)增加小细胞背根节神经元的河豚毒素不敏感(TTX—resistant,TTX—R)钠电流,对TTX敏感(TTX—sensitive,TTX-S)钠电流无明显影响。结论：缓激肽引起炎性痛的机制可能与TTX-R钠通道电流有关。     

Dopamine as trace amine in the dorsal root ganglia

It has been shown that in the chick dorsal root ganglion (DRG) about 8% of neurons, belonging to both the A and B classes of sensory neurons exhibit a clear dopamine immunoreactivity. In the present study are reported the results of measurements, by mean of HPLC-electrochemical detection (HPLC-ED), of DA and of the DA metabolites dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and homovanillic acid (HVA) in the rat DRG and their central nerves. Very low levels of DA, about 10 folds lower than the levels found in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord, were found in the DRG. However the levels of DOPAC and HVA were approximately equivalent to the levels found in the cord. The immunocytochemical study performed in parallel has shown that some dopaminergic-immunoreactive fibers in the DRG are located around the blood vessels. Few dopamine-immunoreactive sensory neurons were identified in the DRG and immunoreactive fibers, not linked to blood vessels, were identified in the dorsal root nerves. The present work indicates that there is a dopaminergic innervation of the blood vessels in the rat DRG but that dopamine may also be, as in the chick, a transmitter of primary afferent fibers.     

咖啡因对大鼠背根神经节急性分离神经元GABA-激活电流的抑制作用

应用全细胞膜片钳记录技术,在大鼠新鲜分离背根神经节(dorsal root ganglion,DRG)神经元上,观察预加咖啡因对GABA-激活电流(IGABA)的调制作用。实验中,大部分受检细胞(97．4％,l13／116)对外加GABA敏感。1-1000μmol／L GABA引起一剂量依赖性、有明显上敏感作用的内向电流。在受检的108个DRG细胞中,约有半数(53．7％,58／108)对胞外加咖啡因(0．1-100μmol／L)敏感．产生一幅值很小的内向电流。倾加咖啡因(0．1～100μmol／L)30s后再加GABA能明显抑制GABA(100μmol／L)激活电流的幅值。预加咖啡因后GABA量效曲线明显下移;GABA-激活电流的最人值较之对照下降约57％;而Kd值(30μmol／L)几乎不变,表示此种抑制为非竞争性的。预加安定(diazepam,1μmol／L)对GABA(100μmol／L)激活电流有增强作用,而预加咖啡因(10μmol／L)有拈抗安定增强IGABA的作用。胞内透析H-8后,几乎可以完全消除咖啡因对,IGABA的抑制作用。已知GABA作用于初级感觉神经元能引起初级传入去极化,因而实验结果提示,咖啡因有可能在初级传入末梢产生对抗突触前抑制的效应。     

藜芦碱致使大鼠背根神经节A类神经元产生触发性振荡

在大鼠L5背根节浸浴钠通道失活门阻断剂藜芦碱（veratridine),记录该背根节神经元A类单纤维传入放电。发现：浸浴藜芦碱（1．8－3μmol/L）10min后,触压皮肤感受野或刺激坐骨神经引起部分静息纤维产生高频放电,其放电峰峰间期（interspike interval,ISI)形成U字形等型式的振荡,称之为触发性振荡。刺激脉冲的间隔越大,触发该振荡所需要的刺激脉冲数也就越多;不同时程和形式的刺激引起触发性振荡的形式无明显差异;触发性振荡的后抑制时期一般为30－90s。另外,实验还观察到该触发性振荡可由同一神经刺激引起的传入冲动触发。上述结果表明,用黎芦碱处理可使初级感觉神经元产生一种触发性振荡,该振荡机制可能与触发病的发作有关。     

藜芦碱和乌头碱在受损背根节神经元诱发不同的放电模式

为了研究钠通道失活门阻断后受损背根节神经元放电模式的变化特征,在大鼠背根节慢性压迫模型上采用单纤维技术记录A类神经元的自发放电。藜芦碱和乌头碱是钠通道失活门的抑制剂,但二者作用于不同的位点,前者结合于D2-S6,后者结合于D3-S6。我们比较了这两种试剂引发的放电模式。结果发现,在同一神经元,藜芦碱(1．5～5．0μmol／L)可以引起放电峰峰间期的慢波振荡,即峰峰间期由大逐渐减小,然后又逐渐增大,形成重复的振荡波形,每个振荡持续约数十秒至数分钟：而乌头碱(10～200μmol／L)则引起强直性放电,即峰峰间期逐渐减小,然后维持在一个稳定的水平。这两种不同的放电模式不因背景放电或试剂浓度的不同而发生明显的改变。实验结果表明,藜芦碱和乌头碱在受损的背根节神经元可以引发不同的放电模式,这可能与它们结合于钠通道上不同位点的抑制作用有关。     

实验性结肠炎对脊髓传入神经元中降钙素基因相关肽和香草酸受体1表达的调节

本文旨在探讨肠道局部炎症对脊髓肠道感觉传入神经通路的近期及远期效应,应用三硝基苯磺酸(trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid,TNBS)建立大鼠结肠炎动物模型,用DiI(3)逆行神经标记法识别支配肠道炎症部位的脊髓背根神经节(dorsalrootganglia,DRG)神经元,通过肉眼观察、平均组织损伤评分及髓过氧化物酶活性测定等方法评价肠道组织的炎症反应状态,用免疫组织化学法测定香草酸受体l(vanilloid receptor 1,VRl)和降钙素基因相关肽(calcitonin gene-related peptide,CGRP)在支配结肠炎症部位的DRG神经元中的表达,比较炎症不同阶段(给予TNBS后7、21、42 d)CGRP和VRI阳性神经元的数目.结果显示,炎症急性期(即给予TNBS后7 d)结肠黏膜肉眼可见明显损伤,同时相应DRG中表达CGRP及VRl的神经元增加近2倍[(95.38±9.45)%VS(42.86±5.02)%,(89.23±8.21)%VS(32.54±4.58)%].给予TNBS后21、42 d,肠道炎症反应已完全消退,但表达CGRP及VRl的DRG神经元数目仍明显高于对照组[(86.25±8.21)%,(68.28±7.12)%VS(42.86±5.02)%;(67.22±6.52)%,(56.25±4.86)%VS(32.54±4.58)%].结果提示,肠道局部炎症可以上调支配肠道的脊髓传入神经元中CGRP和VRl的表达,这种异常表达可以持续至肠道炎症反应消退后的一定时间.