Investigation of the Fasciola Cinereum, Absent in BTBR mice, and Comparison with the Hippocampal Area CA2.

The arginine vasopressin 1b receptor (Avpr1b) plays an important role in social behaviors including social learning, memory, and aggression, and is known to be a specific marker for the cornu ammonis area 2 (CA2) regions of the hippocampus. The fasciola cinereum (FC) is an anatomical region in which Avpr1b expressing neurons are prominent, but the functional roles of the FC have yet to be investigated. Surprisingly, the FC is absent in the inbred BTBR T+tf/J (BTBR) mouse strain used to study core behavioral deficits of autism.

Simultaneous Knockouts of the Oxytocin and Vasopressin 1b Receptors in Hippocampal CA2 Impair Social Memory.

Oxytocin (Oxt) and vasopressin (Avp) are two neuropeptides with many central actions related to social cognition. The oxytocin (Oxtr) and vasopressin 1b (Avpr1b) receptors are co-expressed in the pyramidal neurons of the hippocampal subfield CA2 and are known to play a critical role in social memory formation. How the neuropeptides perform this function in this region is not fully understood.

Peripheral TGF-β1 signaling is a critical event in bone cancer-induced hyperalgesia in rodents.

Pain is the most common symptom of bone cancer. TGF-β, a major bone-derived growth factor, is largely released by osteoclast bone resorption during the progression of bone cancer and contributes to proliferation, angiogenesis, immunosuppression, invasion, and metastasis. Here, we further show that TGF-β1 is critical for bone cancer-induced pain sensitization.

Targeting A-type K(+) channels in primary sensory neurons for bone cancer pain in a rat model.

Cancer pain is one of the most severe types of chronic pain, and the most common cancer pain is bone cancer pain. The treatment of bone cancer pain remains a clinical challenge. Here, we report firstly that A-type K(+) channels in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) are involved in the neuropathy of rat bone cancer pain and are a new target for diclofenac, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug that can be used for therapy for this distinct pain.

TGF-β1 enhances Kv2.1 potassium channel protein expression and promotes maturation of cerebellar granule neurons.

Members of the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) family of cytokines are involved in diverse physiological processes. Although TGF-β is known to play multiple roles in the mammalian central nervous system (CNS), its role in neuronal development has not been explored. We have studied the effects of TGF-β1 on the electrophysiological properties and maturation of rat primary cerebellar granule neurons (CGNs).

Activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase in the anterior cingulate cortex contributes to the induction and expression of affective pain.

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is implicated in the affective response to noxious stimuli. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms involved. The present study demonstrated that extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation in the ACC plays a crucial role in pain-related negative emotion.