Oleanolic acid-3-glucoside, a synthetic oleanane-type saponin, ameliorates methylmercury-induced dysfunction of synaptic transmission in mice.

Methylmercury (MeHg) is widely distributed in nature and is known to cause neurotoxic effects. This study aimed to examine the anti-MeHg activity of oleanolic acid-3-glucoside (OA3Glu), a synthetic oleanane-type saponin derivative, by evaluating its effects on motor function, pathology, and electrophysiological properties in a mouse model of MeHg poisoning. Mice were orally administered 2 or 4 mg·kg·d MeHg with or without 100 µg·kg·d OA3Glu 5x/week for four weeks.

Selective inhibition of A-fiber-mediated excitatory transmission underlies the analgesic effects of KCNQ channel opening in the spinal dorsal horn.

Neuronal voltage-gated KCNQ (Kv7) channels, expressed centrally and peripherally, mediate low-threshold and non-inactivating M-currents responsible for the control of tonic excitability of mammalian neurons. Pharmacological opening of KCNQ channels has been reported to generate analgesic effects in animal models of neuropathic pain. Here, we examined the possible involvement of central KCNQ channels in the analgesic effects of retigabine, a KCNQ channel opener.

SYK-623, a δ Opioid Receptor Inverse Agonist, Mitigates Chronic Stress-Induced Behavioral Abnormalities and Disrupted Neurogenesis.

The δ opioid receptor (DOR) inverse agonist has been demonstrated to improve learning and memory impairment in mice subjected to restraint stress. Here, we investigated the effects of SYK-623, a new DOR inverse agonist, on behavioral, immunohistochemical, and biochemical abnormalities in a mouse model of imipramine treatment-resistant depression. Male ddY mice received daily treatment of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) combined with chronic mild stress exposure (ACMS).

Distinct synaptic mechanisms underlying the analgesic effects of γ-aminobutyric acid transporter subtypes 1 and 3 inhibitors in the spinal dorsal horn.

Normalization of the excitatory and inhibitory balance by increasing the levels of endogenous inhibitory neurotransmitters by blocking their reuptake is a promising therapeutic strategy for relieving chronic pain. Pharmacological blockade of spinal γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transporter subtypes 1 and 3 (GAT1 and GAT3) has been reported to generate analgesic effects in animal models of neuropathic pain. Here, we explored the synaptic mechanisms underlying their analgesic effects in the spinal dorsal horn.

Mirogabalin activates the descending noradrenergic system by binding to the αδ-1 subunit of voltage-gated Ca channels to generate analgesic effects.

Gabapentinoids such as gabapentin and pregabalin, which bind specifically to the αδ subunit of voltage-gated Ca channels, are used for first-line treatment of neuropathic pain. Here, we examined the analgesic effect of mirogabalin besilate (referred to simply as mirogabalin), a novel gabapentinoid, focusing on its action on the spinal cord and the descending noradrenergic pain inhibitory system. When administered systemically (10 and 30 mg/kg, intraperitoneally (i.

Oxytocin reverses Aβ-induced impairment of hippocampal synaptic plasticity in mice.

Aim: Oxytocin, a peptide hormone synthesized in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus, has been reported to participate in the regulation of learning and memory performance. However, no report has demonstrated the effect of oxytocin on the amyloid-beta (Aβ)-induced impairment of synaptic plasticity. In this study, we examined the effects of oxytocin on the Aβ-induced impairment of synaptic plasticity in mice.

Mirogabalin prevents repeated restraint stress-induced dysfunction in mice.

Gabapentinoids, which are the common analgesics, are also thought to be an effective treatment for anxiety disorder, which is one of several psychiatric disorders triggered and exacerbated by stress. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether mirogabalin, a recently launched gabapentinoid, protects multiple brain functions against repeated restraint stress. Adult male ddY mice were restrained for 7 days (repeated restraint stress: 2 h/day) or for 30 min (single restraint stress).

Glycosphingolipid Biosynthesis Pathway in the Spinal Cord and Dorsal Root Ganglia During Inflammatory Pain: Early and Late Changes in Expression Patterns of Glycosyltransferase Genes.

Glycosphingolipids (GSLs) are abundant, ceramide-containing lipids in the nervous system that play key functional roles in pain and inflammation. We measured gene expression (Ugcg, St3gal5, St8sia1, B4galNT1, Ugt8a, and Gal3st1) of glycosyltransferases involved in GSL synthesis in murine dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and spinal cord after complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced unilateral hind-paw inflammation (1 day vs. 15 days).

Discovery of δ Opioid Receptor Full Inverse Agonists and Their Effects on Restraint Stress-Induced Cognitive Impairment in Mice.

The cyclopropylmethyl group in classical δ opioid receptor (DOR) antagonist NTI, BNTX, and NTB was replaced with various electron-withdrawing groups to develop DOR inverse agonists. N-Benzyl NTB derivative SYK-657 was a potent DOR full inverse agonist and its potency was over 10-fold potent than that of a reference compound ICI-174,864. Intraperitoneal administration of SYK-657 induced the short-term memory improving effect in mice without abnormal behaviors.

Microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 is a critical factor in dopaminergic neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder of uncertain pathogenesis characterized by the loss of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons. Although increased production of prostaglandin E (PGE) has been implicated in tissue damage in several pathological settings, the role of microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 (mPGES-1), an inducible terminal enzyme for PGE synthesis, in dopaminergic neurodegeneration remains unclear. Here we show that mPGES-1 is up-regulated in the dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra of postmortem brain tissue from PD patients and in neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced PD mice.

Electrophysiological evidence of increased glycine receptor-mediated phasic and tonic inhibition by blockade of glycine transporters in spinal superficial dorsal horn neurons of adult mice.

To understand the synaptic and/or extrasynaptic mechanisms underlying pain relief by blockade of glycine transporter subtypes GlyT1 and GlyT2, whole-cell recordings were made from dorsal horn neurons in spinal slices from adult mice, and the effects of NFPS and ALX-1393, selective GlyT1 and GlyT2 inhibitors, respectively, on phasic evoked or miniature glycinergic inhibitory postsynaptic currents (eIPSCs or mIPSCs) were examined. NFPS and ALX-1393 prolonged the decay phase of eIPSCs without affecting their amplitude. In the presence of tetrodotoxin to record mIPSCs, NFPS and ALX-1393 induced a tonic inward current that was reversed by strychnine.

Intraplantar injection of sialidase reduces mechanical allodynia during inflammatory pain.

Sialic acids are highly charged glycoresidues that are attached to glycoproteins or glycosphingolipids, and they are associated with various biological functions. Gangliosides, sialic acid-containing glycosphingolipids, are abundant in neural tissues and play important roles in the nervous system. Previous studies revealed that peripheral gangliosides are involved in nociceptive behavior and hyperalgesia.

Glucagon-like peptide-2-induced memory improvement and anxiolytic effects in mice.

We investigated the effectiveness of glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) on memory impairment in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated mice, and anxiety-like behavior in adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-treated mice. In the Y-maze test, LPS (10 µg/mouse, i.c.

Presynaptic inhibitory effects of fluvoxamine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, on nociceptive excitatory synaptic transmission in spinal superficial dorsal horn neurons of adult mice.

Fluvoxamine, a selective serotonin (5-HT) reuptake inhibitor, has been shown to exert analgesic effects in humans and laboratory animals. However, its effects on spinal nociceptive synaptic transmission have not been fully characterized. Here, whole-cell recordings were made from dorsal horn neurons in spinal slices with attached dorsal roots from adult mice, and the effects of fluvoxamine on monosynaptic A-fiber- and C-fiber-mediated excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) evoked in response to electrical stimulation of a dorsal root were studied.

[Electrophysiological evaluation of pathophysiological and pharmacological characteristics of chronic pain].

Recent studies have revealed considerable evidence for our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the development and maintenance of chronic pain including neuropathic and inflammatory pain. It is considered that plastic changes in the spinal dorsal horn contribute to the amplification of pain signaling. Moreover, persistent pain affects brain function and also the endogenous descending pain regulatory system.

N- and L-type voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels contribute to the generation of after-discharges in the spinal ventral root after cessation of noxious mechanical stimulation.

Voltage-dependent Ca(2+) channels (VDCCs) play a crucial role in the spinal pain transduction. We previously reported that nociceptive mechanical stimuli to the rat hindpaw evoked two types of ventral root discharges that increased during stimulation (during-discharges) and after cessation of stimulation (after-discharges). To explore the involvement of VDCCs in these ventral root discharges, several VDCC blockers were applied directly to the surface of the spinal cord.

MARCKS dephosphorylation is involved in bradykinin-induced neurite outgrowth in neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells.

Bradykinin (BK) plays a major role in producing peripheral sensitization in response to peripheral inflammation and in pain transmission in the central nerve system (CNS). Because BK activates protein kinase C (PKC) through phospholipase C (PLC)-β and myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate (MARCKS) has been found to be a substrate of PKC, we explored the possibility that BK could induce MARCKS phosphorylation and regulate its function. BK stimulation induced transient MARCKS phosphorylation on Ser159 with a peak at 1  min in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells.

Increased hippocampal glycine uptake and cognitive dysfunction after peripheral nerve injury.

Patients with chronic pain often have accompanying cognitive deficiency, which may reduce their quality of life and hamper efficient medical treatment. Alteration of extracellular glycine concentration may affect cognitive function and spinal pain signaling. In the present study, we assessed recognition memory by novel-object recognition and found that mice developing mechanical hypersensitivity after peripheral nerve injury exhibited impaired recognition ability for novelty, which was never observed in mice provided the selective glycine transporter 1 (GlyT1) inhibitor N-[3-(4'-fluorophenyl)-3-(4'-phenylphenoxy)propyl]sarcosine (NFPS) systemically.

Role of voltage-dependent calcium channel subtypes in spinal long-term potentiation of C-fiber-evoked field potentials.

Activity-dependent increases in the responsiveness of spinal neurons to their normal afferent input, termed central sensitization, have been suggested to play a key role in abnormal pain sensation. We investigated the role of distinct voltage-dependent calcium channel (VDCC) subtypes in the long-term potentiation (LTP) of C-fiber-evoked field potentials (FPs) recorded in the spinal dorsal horn of rats, that is, a synaptic model to describe central sensitization. When spinally applied, we observed that omega-conotoxin GVIA (ω-CgTx), an N-type VDCC antagonist, produced a dose-dependent and prolonged inhibition of basal C-fiber-evoked FPs in naïve animals.

Neuroprotection via strychnine-sensitive glycine receptors during post-ischemic recovery of excitatory synaptic transmission in the hippocampus.

Recent evidence indicates that strychnine-sensitive glycine receptors are located in upper brain regions including the hippocampus. Because of excitatory effects of glycine via facilitation of NMDA-receptor function, however, the net effects of increased extracellular glycine on neuronal excitability in either physiological or pathophysiological conditions are mostly unclear. Here, we addressed the potential neuroprotective effect of either exogenous application of glycine and taurine, which are both strychnine-sensitive glycine-receptor agonists, or an endogenous increase of glycine via blockade of glycine transporter 1 (GlyT1) by assessing their ability to facilitate the functional recovery of field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSPs) after termination of brief oxygen/glucose deprivation (OGD) in the CA1 region in mouse hippocampal slices.

Spinal hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated cation channels at primary afferent terminals contribute to chronic pain.

Hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated cation channels (HCN channels) have large influences upon neuronal excitability. However, the participation of spinal HCN channels in chronic pain states, where pathological conditions are related to altered neuronal excitability, has not been clarified. Intraperitoneally (i.