Correction: Odegaard et al. Distinct Synaptic Vesicle Proteomic Signatures Associated with Pre- and Post-Natal Oxycodone-Exposure. 2022, , 1740.

In the original publication [...

Cortical Coding of Gustatory and Thermal Signals in Active Licking Mice.

Eating behaviors are influenced by the integration of gustatory, olfactory, and somatosensory signals, which all contribute to the perception of flavor. Although extensive research has explored the neural correlates of taste in the gustatory cortex (GC), less is known about its role in encoding thermal information. This study investigates the encoding of oral thermal and chemosensory signals by GC neurons compared to the oral somatosensory cortex.

Neural Processing of Taste-Related Signals in the Mediodorsal Thalamus of Mice.

Our consummatory decisions depend on the taste of food and the reward experienced while eating, which are processed through neural computations in interconnected brain areas. Although many gustatory regions of rodents have been explored, the mediodorsal nucleus of the thalamus (MD) remains understudied. The MD, a multimodal brain area connected with gustatory centers, is often studied for its role in processing associative and cognitive information and has been shown to represent intraorally-delivered chemosensory stimuli after strong retronasal odor-taste associations.

Oral thermal processing in the gustatory cortex of awake mice.

Oral temperature is a sensory cue relevant to food preference and nutrition. To understand how orally sourced thermal inputs are represented in the gustatory cortex (GC), we recorded neural responses from the GC of male and female mice presented with deionized water at different innocuous temperatures (14 °C, 25 °C, and 36 °C) and taste stimuli (room temperature). Our results demonstrate that GC neurons encode orally sourced thermal information in the absence of classical taste qualities at the single neuron and population levels, as confirmed through additional experiments comparing GC neuron responses to water and artificial saliva.

and post-natal opioid exposure followed by mild traumatic brain injury contributes to cortical neuroinflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and behavioral deficits in juvenile rats.

Maternal opioid use poses a significant health concern not just to the expectant mother but also to the fetus. Notably, increasing numbers of children born suffering from neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) further compounds the crisis. While epidemiological research has shown the heightened risk factors associated with NOWS, little research has investigated what molecular mechanisms underly the vulnerabilities these children carry throughout development and into later life.

Intraoral thermal processing in the gustatory cortex of awake mice.

Oral temperature is a sensory cue relevant to food preference and nutrition. To understand how orally-sourced thermal inputs are represented in the gustatory cortex (GC) we recorded neural responses from the GC of male and female mice presented with deionized water at different innocuous temperatures (14 °C, 25 °C, 36 °C) and taste stimuli (room temperature). Our results demonstrate that GC neurons encode orally-sourced thermal information in the absence of classical taste qualities at the single neuron and population levels, as confirmed through additional experiments comparing GC neuron responses to water and artificial saliva.

Distinct Synaptic Vesicle Proteomic Signatures Associated with Pre- and Post-Natal Oxycodone-Exposure.

The current opioid crisis, which has ravaged all segments of society, continues to pose a rising public health concern. Importantly, dependency on prescription opioids such as oxycodone (oxy) during and after pregnancy can significantly impact the overall brain development of the exposed offspring, especially at the synapse. A significant knowledge gap that remains is identifying distinct synaptic signatures associated with these exposed offspring.

A comprehensive study to delineate the role of an extracellular vesicle-associated microRNA-29a in chronic methamphetamine use disorder.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), which express a repertoire of cargo molecules (cf. proteins, microRNA, lipids, etc.), have been garnering a prominent role in the modulation of several cellular processes.

Integrated Systems Analysis of Mixed Neuroglial Cultures Proteome Post Oxycodone Exposure.

Opioid abuse has become a major public health crisis that affects millions of individuals across the globe. This widespread abuse of prescription opioids and dramatic increase in the availability of illicit opioids have created what is known as the opioid epidemic. Pregnant women are a particularly vulnerable group since they are prescribed for opioids such as morphine, buprenorphine, and methadone, all of which have been shown to cross the placenta and potentially impact the developing fetus.

Generational Effects of Opioid Exposure.

The inheritance of substance abuse, including opioid abuse, may be influenced by genetic and non-genetic factors related to the environment, such as stress and socioeconomic status. These non-genetic influences on the heritability of a trait can be attributed to epigenetics. Epigenetic inheritance can result from modifications passed down from the mother, father, or both, resulting in either maternal, paternal, or parental epigenetic inheritance, respectively.

A Holistic Systems Approach to Characterize the Impact of Pre- and Post-natal Oxycodone Exposure on Neurodevelopment and Behavior.

Increased risk of oxycodone (oxy) dependency during pregnancy has been associated with altered behaviors and cognitive deficits in exposed offspring. However, a significant knowledge gap remains regarding the effect of and postnatal exposure on neurodevelopment and subsequent behavioral outcomes. Using a preclinical rodent model that mimics oxy exposure (IUO) and postnatally (PNO), we employed an integrative holistic systems biology approach encompassing proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (H-MRS), electrophysiology, RNA-sequencing, and Von Frey pain testing to elucidate molecular and behavioral changes in the exposed offspring during early neurodevelopment as well as adulthood.

Comprehensive Characterization of Nanosized Extracellular Vesicles from Central and Peripheral Organs : Implications for Preclinical and Clinical Applications.

Extracellular vesicles (EV) are nano-sized vesicles that have been garnering a lot of attention for their valuable role as potential diagnostic markers and therapeutic vehicles for a plethora of pathologies. Whilst EV markers from biofluids such as plasma, serum, urine, cerebrospinal fluid and cell culture based platforms have been extensively studied, a significant knowledge gap that remains is the characterization of specific organ derived EVs (ODE). Here, we present a standardized protocol for isolation and characterization of purified EV isolated from brain, heart, lung, kidney and liver from rat and postmortem human tissue.

Role of microRNAs in the pathophysiology of addiction.

Addiction is a chronic and relapsing brain disorder characterized by compulsive seeking despite adverse consequences. There are both heritable and epigenetic mechanisms underlying drug addiction. Emerging evidence suggests that non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) such as microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs, and circular RNAs regulate synaptic plasticity and related behaviors caused by substances of abuse.

Role of Extracellular Vesicles in Substance Abuse and HIV-Related Neurological Pathologies.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are a broad, heterogeneous class of membranous lipid-bilayer vesicles that facilitate intercellular communication throughout the body. As important carriers of various types of cargo, including proteins, lipids, DNA fragments, and a variety of small noncoding RNAs, including miRNAs, mRNAs, and siRNAs, EVs may play an important role in the development of addiction and other neurological pathologies, particularly those related to HIV. In this review, we summarize the findings of EV studies in the context of methamphetamine (METH), cocaine, nicotine, opioid, and alcohol use disorders, highlighting important EV cargoes that may contribute to addiction.

Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles: Challenges in Clinical Applications.

Stem cell therapy has garnered much attention and application in the past decades for the treatment of diseases and injuries. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are studied most extensively for their therapeutic roles, which appear to be derived from their paracrine activity. Recent studies suggest a critical therapeutic role for extracellular vesicles (EV) secreted by MSCs.

Brain-Derived Extracellular Vesicle microRNA Signatures Associated with In Utero and Postnatal Oxycodone Exposure.

Oxycodone (oxy) is a semi-synthetic opioid commonly used as a pain medication that is also a widely abused prescription drug. While very limited studies have examined the effect of in utero oxy (IUO) exposure on neurodevelopment, a significant gap in knowledge is the effect of IUO compared with postnatal oxy (PNO) exposure on synaptogenesis-a key process in the formation of synapses during brain development-in the exposed offspring. One relatively unexplored form of cell-cell communication associated with brain development in response to IUO and PNO exposure are extracellular vesicles (EVs).