Cholinergic input to, and cholinergic mechanisms within the lower lumbar (L6) and upper sacral (S1) spinal cord of rat may influence neuronal excitability and afferent transmission (Thor et al, 2000) and may provide the environment necessary for appropriate central nervous system control of bladder and bowel function. It is unclear, however, if cholinergic terminals and receptors are present in the L6 & S1 spinal segments of rat and when this may develop. Cholinergic mechanisms have been shown to alter sensory afferent transmission, enhance motoneuron excitability, induce plateau potentials via non-linear membrane properties in motoneurons and reveal oscillations in locomotor-related interneurons. The enhanced activity of sphincter motoneurons was attributed to non-linear properties during the continence phase of distention-evoked voiding in the decerebrate cat (Paroschy & Shefchyk, 2000). Candidate neurotransmitters inducing non-linear properties in cat sphincter motoneurons are 5-HT (Paroschy & Shefchyk, 2000) and acetylcholine via motoneuron axon collaterals (Sasaki, 1994) and other spinal sources. We have established using the antibody to the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) that cholinergic terminals are present on ventrolateral Onuf (VLO), dorsomedial Onuf (DMO) motoneurons and parasympathetic preganglionic motoneurons (PGN) in the L6 and S1 rat spinal cord segments. Muscarinic receptor (M2), nicotinic-α4 and α7 receptor subunit immunoreactivity was also present on Onuf motoneurons and in regions dorsal to the PGN. One source of the cholinergic puncta on Onuf motoneurons may be from motoneuron axon collaterals which we observed on a postnatal day 15 VLO motoneuron. Cholinergic terminals were observed on vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-immunoreactive (VIP) afferents, interneurons in the intermediolateral (IML) region and perhaps on other afferents in the lateral and medial collateral pathway of L6 and S1 spinal segments. In the ventral horn, the cholinergic puncta and receptors appear to have a mature distribution around two weeks postnatal and the cholinergic terminals appeared to have a mature distribution in the IML region by three weeks postnatal. Using whole cell patch clamp recording techniques and thick slices of the L6 and S1 rat spinal cord, we observed excitatory responses of ventral horn neurons and motoneurons to carbachol (10-50 μM), a non-specific cholinergic agonist. Ventral horn neurons (postnatal day 8- 16) exhibited prolonged firing and prolonged depolarizations (plateau potentials) beyond the duration of the applied excitatory input from cholinergic (n=6/33) and other (n= 4/37) neurotransmitter systems. In a selection of the neurons with plateau potentials, the L-type calcium current played a role in the plateau production (n=5/5) and low frequency oscillations (n=2/2) as revealed by nifedipine. Postnatally, the voiding reflex changes from a perineal-evoked reflex, to the adult bladder-bladder reflex. Cholinergic input may be responsible in part for the bursting activity of the external urethral sphincter and the activation of the bladder, which is required for complete voiding reflexes in the adult rat. Plateau potentials and enhanced excitability due to cholinergic mechanisms could render inessential a constant excitatory drive that is required in the perineal-evoked voiding reflex in the neonatal rat and may underlie changes in the voiding reflexes that occur during postnatal development.

Animal models are crucial to improve the knowledge of the mechanisms underlying the different pathological processes. These models are also excellent tools to facilitate the research of new targets for the treatment of different diseases and to evaluate the benefit/risk ratio of the potential new treatments. We have focussed this research work in the study of a new potential targets for pain, cognitive and eating disorders using new animal models developed in our laboratory. We first investigated the effects of the interaction between cannabinoids and nicotine on cognitive processes and metabolism using different behavioural models and new experimental devices. In a second part of this work, we investigated new therapeutic targets for neuropathic pain and for this purpose we developed a new behavioural model to improve the study of the therapeutic potential and possible side-effects of novel compounds. / Los modelos animales son cruciales para mejorar el conocimiento sobre los mecanismos que constituyen la base de los diversos procesos patológicos. Estos modelos representan también excelentes herramientas para facilitar la investigación de nuevas dianas para el tratamiento de estas enfermedades y para evaluar el cociente beneficio/riesgo de los nuevos tratamientos potenciales. Este trabajo de investigación se encuentra centrado en el estudio de nuevos dianas terapéuticas para el dolor, los procesos cognitivos y los desórdenes alimentarios utilizando nuevos modelos animales desarrollados en nuestro laboratorio. En primer lugar, hemos investigado los efectos de la interacción entre los cannabinoinoides y la nicotina a nivel los procesos cognitivos y del metabolismo usando diversos modelos comportamentales y nuevos dispositivos experimentales. En una segunda parte de este trabajo, hemos estudiado nuevas dianas terapéuticas para el dolor neuropático y hemos desarrollado para este propósito un nuevo modelo comportamental que permite evaluar el potencial terapéutico y los posibles efectos secundarios de nuevos compuestos.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Uppsala universitet, 2007. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-07-22T20:49:59Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2008-09-24. Added 1 bitstream(s) on 2015-08-11T03:25:34Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 Publico-017.pdf: 1297043 bytes, checksum: 1c07f97bbf8c4bb508620341eee9116b (MD5) / Associação Fundo de Incentivo à Psicofarmacologia (AFIP) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Justificativa: Drogas colinérgicas como 0 donepezil aumentam a disponibilidade de acetilcolina (ACh) e consequentemente melhoram a cognção em uma variedade de disfunções clínicas. Contudo, não há consenso quanta ao potencial nootrópico agudo desta droga quando administrada a voluntários jovens sadios. Em estudos que investigaram os efeitos agudos do donepezil a avaliação cognitiva foi feita antes que 0 pica de concentração plasmático fosse atingido. Portanto, a falta de resultados consistentes pode refletir concentações subótimas e/ou variáveis de ACh. Objetivo: avaliar 0 curso temporal dos efeitos cognitivos de uma dose oral aguda do donepezil em voluntários jovens sadios. Método: Este foi um estudo duplo cego, controlado por placebo, em grupos paralelos de tratamento que avaliou os efeitos agudos de 5 mg de donepezil por via oral em voluntários sadios jovens. Os sujeitos foram testados duas vezes após a ingestão do donepezil: aos 90 min. (tempo que coincide com as testagens prévias na literatura) e aos 210 min. (tempo que coincide com 0 pica de concentração plasmático teórico do donepezil). A bateria de testes incluiu tarefas que avaliam domínios cognitivos sensíveis a manipulações colinérgicas: processamento visuospacial, memória episódica, e subcomponentes de memória operacional, além de avaliações do humor. Resultados: a maior parte de efeitos do donepezil foi observada em ambos os tempos de testagem e incluíram melhora do humor, recordação tardia de uma história, recordação (imediata e tardia) de objetos, de posições espaciais estáticas e integração da identidade de objetos com as suas posições espaciais. Contudo, a melhora de desempenho na medida de funcionamento do executivo central (digit span ordem inversa) ocorreu apenas aos 210 min. Conclusão: os efeitos cognitivos benéficos do donepezil após administração aguda foram observados em vários domínios cognitivos em voluntários jovens sadios, mas 0 seu potencial nootrópico completo e mais claramente encontrado próximo ao pico de concentração plasmático esta droga. / Rationale: Drugs such as donepezil that increase the availability of acetylcholine (Ach) are known to improve cognition. However, there is no consensus as to the acute nootropic potential of this drug when administered to young, healthy volunteers. In the studies that have investigated this issue donepezil effects were evaluated before peak-plasma concentration was reached. Hence, lack of consistent results may reflect performance at suboptimal and/or variable concentrations of ACh. Objective: To evaluate the time course of cognitive effects of an acute oral dose of donepezil in young, healthy volunteers. Methods: This was a double-blind, placebo controlled, parallel group study of cognitive effects of acute oral donepezil (5 mg). Subjects were tested twice after donepezil ingestion: 90 min (time that coincides with previous testing in the literature) and 210 min. (theoretical peak-plasma concentration). The test battery included tasks that tap cognitive domains that have been shown to be sensitive to ACh manipulations: visuospatial processing, episodic memory, and subcomponents of working memory, in addition to evaluations of mood. Results: Most of donepezil’s effects were observed at both testing times and included improvement in mood, long-term recall of prose, objects recall, recall of static spatial locations and integration of objects with their locations. However, improvement of performance in the central executive measure (backward digit span) occurred only at 210 min. Conclusion: positive cognitive effects of acute donepezil can be observed in various cognitive domains in young, healthy volunteers but its full nootropic potential is more clearly found close to peak-plasma concentration. / TEDE / BV UNIFESP: Teses e dissertações

Made available in DSpace on 2015-07-22T20:50:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2006-01-01 / No processo da sensibilização comportamental, que se desenvolve a algumas drogas psicoativas, participam diversos sistemas de neurotransmissão, entre eles o sistema colinérgico, que modula de maneira importante o funcionamento de vias dopaminérgicas. Neste estudo avaliamos os efeitos da escopolamina, um antagonista colinérgico muscarínico, no desenvolvimento e expressão da sensibilização ao efeito estimulante do etanol (Estudo I) e os níveis de ligação dos receptores colinérgicos muscarínicos M1 em animais classificados como apresentando Alta (AS) ou Baixa Sensibilização (BS) ao efeito estimulante do etanol (Estudo II). No Estudo I, quatro grupos camundongos suíços albinos machos receberam durante 21 dias, respectivamente: salina+salina (sal/sal); 1,0 mg/kg de escopolamina+salina (escop/sal); salina+2,2 g/kg de etanol (sal/2,2EtOH) ou 1,0 mg/kg escopolamina+2,2 g/kg de etanol (escop/2,2EtOH). A atividade locomotora dos animais foi registrada por 20 minutos no 1°, 7°, 14° e 21° dias de tratamento. Agudamente, tanto etanol como escopolamina não alteraram a atividade locomotora dos animais, porém, a co-administração das duas drogas induziu um significativo efeito depressor, ao qual se desenvolveu tolerância com o tratamento. Apenas o grupo sal/2,2EtOH desenvolveu sensibilização. Após o tratamento foram realizados 3 desafios (28°, 31° e 34° dias), nos quais metade do grupo sal/sal recebeu salina e a outra metade recebeu a droga-desafio (etanol nos desafios 1 e 2 e escopolamina no desafio 3). Nos desafios 1 e 3, realizados nas caixas de atividade, somente os animais dos grupos sal/2,2EtOH e escop/2,2EtOH expressaram sensibilização, sugerindo "sensibilização cruzada" entre etanol e escopolamina. No desafio 2, realizado em um ambiente novo para eles (campo aberto), a expressão da sensibilização foi bloqueada. No Estudo II os camundongos foram tratados por 21 dias com salina ou 2,2 g/kg de etanol (i.p.), sendo estes classificados como AS ou BS, com base na atividade do 21° dia. Os animais foram sacrificados para análise auto-radiográfica da densidade de receptores M1, não tendo sido observadas diferenças significativas entre os animais classificados como AS, BS ou controles (salina), em nenhuma das 20 regiões encefálicas analisadas. Em resumo, a escopolamina influenciou o processo de sensibilização ao efeito estimulante do etanol, sugerindo que o sistema colinérgico é importante neste processo. Porém, as neuroadaptações que ocorreram com o tratamento crônico com etanol parecem não afetar os níveis de receptores M1. / Various neurotransmission systems have influence on the behavioral sensitization process developed after repeated administration of some drugs of abuse, among them the cholinergic system, which modulates the dopaminergic pathway’s functioning. In this study we evaluated the influence of scopolamine (an antagonist of cholinergic muscarinic receptors) on the development and _expression of behavioral sensitization to ethanol (Study I), as well as on the M1 binding, in animals classified as presenting high (AS) or low (BS) sensitization to ethanol (Study II). In Study I, four groups of male Swiss albino mice received one of the following during 21 days: saline+saline (sal/sal); 1.0 mg/kg of scopolamine+saline (escop/sal); salina+2.2 g/kg of ethanol (sal/2.2EtOH) or 1.0 mg/kg scopolamine+2.2 g/kg of ethanol (escop/2.2EtOH). Their locomotor activity was recorded during 20 minutes on the first, 7th, 14th and 21st days of treatment. Acutely, neither ethanol nor scopolamine altered their locomotor activity; however the co-administration of the both drugs induced a significant depressor effect to which tolerance was developed. Only the sal/2.2EtOH group developed sensitization. After the treatment, 3 challenge tests were carried out (on days 28th, 31st and 34th), in which half of the sal/sal group received saline and the other half received the challenge drug (ethanol in challenges 1 and 2 and scopolamine in challenge 3). In challenges 1 and 3 the animals were tested in activity cages and only the sal/2.2EtOH and escop/2.2EtOH groups expressed sensitization, suggesting there is cross-sensitization between ethanol and scopolamine. In challenge 2, which was conducted in a new environment (open-field arena), the _expression of the sensitization was blocked. In Study II, mice were treated during 21 days with saline or 2.2 g/kg ethanol (i.p.) and the ethanol treated mice were classified as AS or BS, according to their locomotor activity on day 21st. The animals were sacrificed and the bindings to M1 sites were examined by auto-radiographic analyses. No significant differences were found among groups (AS, BS and control) in any of the 20 brain regions analyzed. The present results suggest that scopolamine influences the process of sensitization to ethanol and that the cholinergic system participates in this process. However, the neuroadaptation that occurred after chronic ethanol treatment does not seem to change the binding to M1. / TEDE / BV UNIFESP: Teses e dissertações

Submitted by Ana Maria Fiscina Sampaio (fiscina@bahia.fiocruz.br) on 2012-11-19T18:59:36Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Atila dos Santos Batista. Papel dos receptores....pdf: 4517971 bytes, checksum: 2d9cb0d434dcb66027ca90861bbd1a75 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2012-11-19T18:59:36Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Atila dos Santos Batista. Papel dos receptores....pdf: 4517971 bytes, checksum: 2d9cb0d434dcb66027ca90861bbd1a75 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012 / Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz. Salvador, Bahia, Brasil / Diferentes áreas do sistema nervoso central que participam da regulação cardiovascular recebem projeções de núcleos da rafe produtores de 5-HT. Diversos estudos têm também demonstrado a participação dos receptores serotoninérgicos nas respostas neuroendócrinas e emocionais ao estresse e no equilíbrio hidrossalino, assim os objetivos do referido trabalho foram: a) estudar o papel dos receptores do tipo 5-HT3 presentes na ASM (área septal medial) sobre as respostas cardiovasculares ao estresse de contenção em ratos; b) verificar a possível interação entre os receptores colinérgicos muscarínicos e 5-HT3 presentes na ASM no controle cardiovascular; c) verificar o papel dos receptores do tipo 5-HT3 na ASM sobre o controle hidrossalino. Foram utilizados ratos Wistar (280-300g) submetidos ao implante de uma cânula guia na ASM. Os animais destinados aos estudos cardiovasculares receberam implante de catéter carotídeo para análise da PA. No momento do experimento referente ao estresse os animais receberam injeção de m-CPBG e ondansetrona na ASM e 15 min após a microinjeção foram submetidos ao estresse de contenção com registro da PA. Para análise da interação entre os receptores muscarínicos e os receptores serotoninérgicos do tipo 5-HT3 os animais receberam previamente atropina, antagonista colinérgico muscarínico, e após 10 min receberam ondansetrona com registro constante da PA por mais 110min. No protocolo experimental para depleção de sódio os animais receberam microinjeções de furosemida 24h antes do experimento tendo disponíveis bebedouros de água destilada. No momento do experimento os animais receberam microinjeções de m-CPBG e ondansetrona e após 15 min os volumes de água e salina 1,5% foram registrados por 2h. Para análise do efeito do bloqueio dos receptores 5-HT3 sobre o comportamento de ingestão de água os animais foram submetidos a privação hídrica por 24h. No momento do experimento microinjeções de salina, m-CPBG ondansetrona foram feitas na ASM com medida dos volumes ingeridos ao longo de 2h. Verificamos que os receptores serotoninérgicos do tipo 5-HT3 presentes na ASM inibem o aumento da PA em animais submetidos ao estresse, além disso, verificamos também que a resposta hipertensiva decorrente do bloqueio dos receptores serotoninérgicos do tipo 5- HT3 depende da integridade funcional dos receptores colinérgicos muscarínicos. Por outro lado, tanto a ativação, quanto o bloqueio dos receptores serotoninérgicos do tipo 5-HT3 presentes na ASM parecem não mediar a ingestão de sódio em animais sódio-depletados nem a ingestão de água em animais sob privação hídrica. / Different areas of the central nervous system that participate in cardiovascular regulation receive the projections of rafe nuclei that product 5-HT. Several studies have also demonstrated the participation of serotoninergic receptors in neuroendocrine and emotional responses for stress and in fluid and electrolyte balance. Thus, the objectives of this work were: a) to study the role of type 5-HT3 receptors present in MSA (medial septal area) on the cardiovascular responses to stress of restraint in rats; b) to verify the possible interaction between muscarinic cholinergic receptors and 5-HT3 present in MSA in cardiovascular control; c) to verify the role of type 5-HT3 receptors in MSA on fluid and electrolyte control. There were used Wistar rats (280-300g) submitted to a guide cannula implant in MSA. The animals for cardiovascular studies received carotid catheter implant to AP analyses. At the time of stress experiment the animals received m-CPBG and ondansetron injection in MSA and, 15 minutes after microinjection were submitted to stress of restraint with the AP register. To analyses the interaction between the muscarinic receptors and 5-HT3 serotoninergic receptors, the animals previously received atropine, cholinergic muscarinic antagonist, and 10 minutes after received ondansetron with the constant register of AP for 110 minutes more. In the experimental protocol for sodium depletion animals received furosemide microinjections 24 hours before the experiment with distilled water drinking fountains available. At the time of the experiment the animals received m-CPBG and ondansetron injection and after 15 minutes the volumes of water and 1,5% saline were registered for two hours. To analyses the effect of 5-HT3 receptors blockade on the water ingestion behavior the animals had been submitted to water privation by 24 hours. At the time of the experiment microinjections of saline, m-CPBG and ondansetron were made in MSA with measurement of ingested volumes during two hours. We verified that the type 5-HT3 serotoninergic receptors present in MSA inhibit the increase of AP in animals on stress. In addition, we also verified that the hypertensive response due to the type 5-HT3 serotoninergic receptors blockade depends on the functional integrity of the muscarinic cholinergic receptors. On the other hand, both the activation as the blocking of type 5-HT3 serotoninergic receptors presents in MSA seem not to mediate sodium ingest in sodium-depleted animals nor the water ingestion in animals on water deprivation.

Pesticidas organofosforados são amplamente usados e seu uso constitui um grave problema de saúde pública. A ação clássica destes compostos é a inibição irreversível da acetilcolinesterase, promovendo acúmulo de acetilcolina nas sinapses e hiperestimulação colinérgica. No entanto, as consequências da exposição a baixas doses podem se estender a outros mecanismos de ação e sistemas neurotransmissores. Considerando que crianças constituem um grupo particularmente vulnerável aos efeitos de pesticidas, neste trabalho investigamos os efeitos da exposição aos organofosforados metamidofós (MET) e clorpirifós (CPF) durante o desenvolvimento sobre os sistemas colinérgico e serotoninérgico e sobre o comportamento de camundongos. Para isso, camundongos suíços foram expostos a injeções subcutâneas de MET, clorpirifós ou veículo do terceiro (PN3) ao nono (PN9) dias de vida pós-natal. As doses de exposição foram previamente escolhidas através da construção de uma curva dose-resposta que identificou como mais adequadas para este estudo as doses de 1mg/kg de MET e 3mg/kg de CPF, as quais promoveram em torno de 20% de inibição da acetilcolinesterase. Em PN10, parte dos animais foi sacrificada e foram avaliados os sistemas colinérgico e serotoninérgico no tronco encefálico e córtex cerebral. De PN60 a PN63, os animais foram submetidos a uma bateria de testes comportamentais. Em seguida, estes animais também foram sacrificados tendo sido avaliados os sistemas colinérgico e serotoninérgico. Em PN10, MET e CPF causaram alterações que sugerem aumento da atividade colinérgica respectivamente no tronco e córtex em fêmeas. No sistema serotoninérgico, apenas CPF promoveu alterações, aumentando a ligação ao receptor 5HT1A e transportador 5HT em fêmeas e diminuindo na ligação ao 5HT2. Em PN63, a atividade da acetilcolinesterase foi reestabelecida em todos os grupos. Ainda assim, MET diminuiu a atividade da colina acetiltransferase no córtex e a ligação ao transportador colinérgico no tronco. Quanto aos efeitos do CPF, no tronco, houve redução da atividade da colina acetiltransferase em fêmeas e aumento em machos. Sobre o sistema serotoninérgico, MET e CPF promoveram diminuições no 5HT1A respectivamente no tronco e córtex das fêmeas e CPF aumentou a ligação no córtex de machos. A ligação ao 5HT2 foi aumentada após o tratamento com MET e ao transportador 5HT foi diminuída em fêmeas após o tratamento com clorpirifós. Sobre o comportamento, identificamos comportamento associado à depressão em animais expostos a MET e aumento dos níveis de ansiedade, além de prejuízo de aprendizado/memória após exposição à CPF. Desta forma, nossos resultados indicam que a exposição à metamidofós e clorpirifós durante o desenvolvimento é capaz de alterar, de diferentes formas, a atividade colinérgica e serotoninérgica, mesmo que as doses de exposição sejam toxicologicamente equivalentes. Foram verificados efeitos nas vias neuroquímicas logo após a exposição e após um longo período de interrupção do tratamento, indicando efeitos tardios em sistemas importantes que podem estar associados às alterações comportamentais. Finalmente, o presente estudo reforça a associação epidemiológica entre pesticidas e alterações psiquiátricas e a capacidade da programação de alterações a longo-prazo quando a exposição se dá durante o desenvolvimento. / Organophosphate pesticides are widely used and its use consist on a severe public health problem. The classic effect of these compounds involve irreversible inhibition of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, causing an accumulation of acetylcholine at cholinergic synapses and, consequently, cholinergic hyperstimulation. However, when the doses of exposure are low, other the mechanisms of action may play a role and other neurotransmitter systems may be affected. Considering that children are particularly vulnerable to effects of these compounds, in this study we investigated the effects of methamidophos and chlorpyrifos organophosphate exposure during development on cholinergic and serotonergic systems and behavior. For this purpose, Swiss mice received subcutaneous injections of methamidophos or chlorpyrifos, or vehicle from the third to the nineth postnatal day (PN3 - PN9). Initially, a dose-response study was performed and the doses of 1mg/kg methamidophos and 3mg/kg chlorphrifos, which promoted 20% inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity in brain were chosen to be used in the next set of experiments. At PN10, one day after exposure, a group of animals was sacrificed and the brainstem and cortex collected and stored to further analysis of cholinergic and serotonergic systems. From PN60 to PN63 the animals were submitted to behavioral tests in order to evaluate: anxiety, locomotor activity, decision making, depressive-like behavior and learning/memory. After the last test, the animals were sacrificed and the brainstem and cortex collected and stored to further analysis of cholinergic and serotonergic systems. At PN10, methamidophos and chlorpyrifos promoted alterations that suggest an increase of cholinergic activity respectively on the brainstem and cortex of females. As for the serotonergic system: only chlorpyrifos elicited alterations: There were increases in 5HT1A receptor and 5HT transporter binding in females and a decrease in 5HT2 receptor binding. At PN63, the activity of acetylcholinesterase had returned to control levels. Despite that, methamidophos elicited a decrease in the activity of choline acetyltransferase in the cortex and in choline transporter binding in the brainstem. As for the serotonergic system, methamidophos and chlorpyrifos promoted decreased 5HT1A receptor binding respectively in the brainstem and cortex of females and chlorpyrifos increased its binding in males. Methamidophos exposure elicited increased 5HT2 binding whereas chlorpyrifos exposure decreased female 5HT transporter binding. Methamidophos elicited behavioral alterations suggestive of increased depressive-like behavior while chlorpyrifos exposure was associated to increased anxiety levels and memory/learning deficits. Our results indicate that metamidophos and chlorpyrifos exposure during development distinctively affect the cholinergic and serotonergic systems even at toxicologically equivalent doses. There were immediate and late-emergent neurochemical effects that may play a role on the behavioral outcomes. Finally, the present study reinforces the epidemiologic association between pesticides exposure and mood disorders and suggest that organophosphate exposure during early development programs for late effects.

O processo de secreção salivar é dependente de energia, consome glicose e pode mobilizar glicogênio na glândula submandibular. Nos ratos diabéticos a produção de saliva estimulada é reduzida e ocorre acúmulo de glicogênio nas glândulas parótida e submandibular. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar in vivo o metabolismo de glicogênio das glândulas salivares, submandibular e parótida, de ratos diabéticos após o estimulo com agonistas colinérgico e adrenérgico e também analisar se os animais alimentados ou com restrição alimentar overnight apresentam diferenças no metabolismo de glicogênio das glândulas salivares nas condições estudadas. Os ratos foram divididos em grupos controles (C) e diabéticos (D). Após 30 dias da indução do diabete com estreptozotocina i.p. 60mg/kg p.c., os animais foram subdivididos em alimentados ou em jejum, anestesiados com pentobarbital 50mg/kg p.c. e hidrato de cloral 400mg/kg p.c, administrado i.p. 7,5 mg/kg p.c de pilocarpina ou 5 mg/kg p.c. de isoproterenol, os ratos foram eutanasiados 0(T0), 30(T30), 60(T60) and 120(T120) minutos após a injeção do agonista. As glândulas SM e P foram removidas e analisadas quanto ao conteúdo de proteína total, glicogênio, atividade da glicogênio sintase (GS) e da glicogênio fosforilase (GP), ativa (a) e total (t). Os dados foram analisados estatisticamente pelo ANOVA e o teste de Tukey (p>0,05). A concentração de proteína total não foi afetada pela doença diabetes, nem pela administração dos agonistas, mas apresentou-se maior nos grupos em jejum quando comparados aos grupos alimentados. A concentração de glicogênio inicial foi maior nos ratos diabéticos quando comparados ao controles nas glândulas SM e P. O estímulo com a pilocarpina e com o isoproterenol na SM dos ratos alimentados e em jejum promoveu a degradação do glicogênio observada em T30 e posterior recuperação do conteúdo até o T120 nos grupos controles e diabéticos. Na P os agonistas não mobilizaram o glicogênio no grupo controle e sim no grupo diabético. As enzimas GP e GS tiveram a atividade alterada pelos agonistas e pela doença diabetes, porém não apresentaram um padrão nas condições estudadas. Os animais em jejum apresentaram menor conteúdo de glicogênio que os diabéticos nas glândulas SM e parótida e as enzimas GS apresentou um aumento na relação da forma ativa e total nos grupos em jejum e a GP apresentou menores valores que foi mais evidente na glândula SM. A injeção dos sialogogos apresentou efeitos diferentes no metabolismo de glicogênio das glândulas P e SM, assim como nos animais diabéticos / The salivary secretion process is energydependent, consumes glucose and might mobilize glycogen in the submandibular glands. In diabetics rats the stimulated saliva flow rate is reduced and accumulate glycogen in submandibular (SM) and parotid (P). The aim of this work was evaluated in vivo glycogen metabolism in the SM and P of diabetic rats stimulated with adrenergic or cholinergic agonists, and to analyze if there are any differences in the glycogen metabolism in fed or unfed (alimentary fasting overnight) animals.The rats were divided in control (C) and diabetic (D) groups. Thirty days after diabetes induction with streptozotocin (60mg/kg b.w. i.p.), the animals were subdivided in fed or unfed, anaesthetized with pentobarbital (50mg/kg b.w. i.p.). and chloral hydrate (400mg/kg b.w. i.p.), injected pilocarpine (7.5mg/kg b.w.) or isoproterenol (5mg/kg b.w.) intraperitoneally, and euthanized 0(T0), 30(T30), 60(T60) and 120(T120) minutes post-injection of the agonists. SM and P were excised and assessed for glycogen and protein content and glycogen synthase (GS) and phosphorylase (GP) active (a) and total (t) activities. Data was statistically analyzed by ANOVA and Tukeys test (p<0.05). Protein concentration didn´t alter by diabetes or agonist injections but was higher in unfed when compared to the fed rats. Increased initial glycogen content was found in both groups of glands in diabetic rats when compared to the control group. Pilocarpine and isoproterenol stimulus promoted glycogen degradation in SM of fed and unfed rats on T30 and the T120 SM control and diabetic groups recovered glycogen content as the initial T0 values. In P the agonist mobilized glycogen just in diabetic group. The GP and GS activities were different and didnt present a pattern in this study´s condition. The unfed animals present glycogen content diminished when compared to fed animal in both glands and the relation of active and total glycogen synthase was higher in fast animals and lesser specific activities of active and total glycogen phosphorilase that were more evident in submandibular glands. The secretagogues injection presents different effects on glycogen metabolism of P and SM even so in diabetic animals.

Neuronal communication in the mammalian brain relies on the presynaptic release of neurotransmitters which bind to ligand-gated ion channels found on postsynaptic neurons to modulate neuronal excitability. One such neurotransmitter is acetylcholine (ACh), a small molecule that is the signalling messenger of the cholinergic system. The cholinergic system is involved in a variety of behavioural functions including motor activity, sensory function, and higher executive commands. Dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) and the basal ganglia in general have long been implicated in initiation and completion of voluntary movement. Studies have shown that cholinergic neurons from two brainstem nuclei, the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus and the pedunculopontine nucleus, project onto substantia nigra dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the midbrain and release ACh, GABA or both to modulate motor behaviours. However, with prior research primarily focused on demonstrating the phenomenon of co-transmission itself, the subcellular distribution and dynamics of ACh and GABA release onto SN DA neurons receiving co-transmitted inputs largely remains to be investigated. The present study investigates the spatial and physiological properties of ACh/GABA co- transmission from brainstem cholinergic axons synapsing onto medial SN DA neurons to understand its role in tuning the neuron’s excitatory-inhibitory balance. To that end, we developed a channelrhodopsin (ChR2)-based functional input mapping technique with high spatial resolution to probe the dendritic distribution of ACh and GABA synaptic inputs onto DA neurons in ChATcre::ChR2 mice. Using this technique, we discovered three different types of monosynaptic inputs from cholinergic axons onto DA cells: co-transmitted ACh/GABA, GABA only, and ACh only. Furthermore, we revealed a somatodendritic patterning of cholinergic input distribution onto DA cells with a predominant GABA conductance along the lateral dendrites and a soma-centered mix ACh/GABA transmission. Physiological findings were corroborated using immunolabeling against VGAT and VAChT, which showed many closely spatially clustered ACh and GABA- specific cholinergic terminals and few truly colocalized VAChT and VGAT terminals. This result revealed that true co-transmission represents a minority of the presynaptic mode of release from cholinergic axons onto medial SN DA neurons, and that the majority actually share closely spatially clustered ACh and GABA-specific cholinergic terminals. To investigate the dynamic properties of soma-centered ACh/GABA transmission, we restricted our stimulation field to the cell body to measure the contribution of nAChR and GABAR-mediated conductances without recruiting the lateralized population of primary GABA inputs. We then employed a deconvolution method to understand the relative plasticity of contributions of nAChRs and GABARs to ACh/GABA transmission onto DA cells. We confirmed an initial dominant GABAergic component of ACh/GABA transmission that was previously reported. However, we found that the GABAergic contribution had a greater decay compared to the ACh component with repeated stimulations. As such the predominant initial inhibition is followed by a subsequent equalization of excitatory and inhibitory conductances. Finally, we performed similar experiments to compare the short-term plasticity of the isolated GABA conductance during 15 Hz stimulation between the populations of mix ACh/GABA inputs proximally and the population of primary GABA inputs found on the lateral dendrites 160 μm from the cell body. Interestingly, the lateral GABA component was more sustained across repeated stimulations compared to the proximal GABA conductance, suggesting a differential contribution to excitation/inhibition balance by spatially distributed populations of ACh and GABA inputs from cholinergic axons onto the dendrites of medial SN DA neurons. To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the distribution and dynamics of ACh/GABA transmission onto midbrain DA system using fine-scale ChR2-assisted subcellular input mapping and conductance deconvolution. / Graduate / 2022-04-12

Electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve attenuates tumor necrosis factor (TNF) synthesis by macrophages and reduces the systemic inflammatory response. Current evidence suggests that the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor present in the celiac/superior mesenteric ganglia is a key component in vagus nerve signaling to the spleen; however, there is currently no direct anatomical evidence that the α7 receptor is present in the murine celiac/superior mesenteric ganglia. Our study addresses this deficiency by providing anatomical evidence that the α7 receptor is expressed within the celiac/superior mesenteric ganglia and splenic nerve fibers using immunohistochemistry and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). α7 receptor mRNA is highly expressed in the celiac/superior mesenteric ganglia and at low levels in the spleen compared to the brain. Double-labeling for α7 and tyrosine hydroxylase shows that α7 receptor protein is present on noradrenergic neurons within the ganglia and prejunctionally on noradrenergic nerve fibers within the spleen. The α7 receptor in the ganglia provides a possible location for the action of α7-selective agonists, while prejunctional α7 receptor expressed on splenic nerves may induce an increase in norepinephrine release in a positive feedback system enhanced by lymphocyte-derived acetylcholine.