Divergent receptor utilization is necessary for phrenic long-term facilitation over the course of motor neuron loss following CTB-SAP intrapleural injections

Author(s):  
Lauren F. Borkowski ◽  
Catherine L. Smith ◽  
Amy N. Keilholz ◽  
Nicole L. Nichols

Intrapleural injection of cholera toxin B conjugated to saporin (CTB-SAP) mimics respiratory motor neuron death and respiratory deficits observed in rat models of neuromuscular diseases. 7d CTB-SAP rats elicit enhanced phrenic long-term facilitation (pLTF) primarily through TrkB and PI3K/Akt-dependent mechanisms (i.e., Gs-pathway, which can be initiated by adenosine 2A (A2A) receptors in naïve rats), while 28d CTB-SAP rats elicit moderate pLTF though BDNF and MEK/ERK-dependent mechanisms (i.e., Gq-pathway, which is typically initiated by serotonin (5-HT) receptors in naïve rats). Here, we tested the hypothesis that pLTF following CTB-SAP is: 1) A2A receptor-dependent at 7d; and 2) 5-HT receptor-dependent at 28d. Adult Sprague Dawley male rats were anesthetized, paralyzed, ventilated, and were exposed to acute intermittent hypoxia (AIH; 3, 5 min bouts of 10.5% O2) following bilateral, intrapleural injections at 7d and 28d of: 1) CTB-SAP (25 μg), or 2) un-conjugated CTB and SAP (control). Intrathecal C4 delivery included either the: 1) A2A receptor antagonist (MSX-3; 10 μM; 12 μl); or 2) 5-HT receptor antagonist (methysergide; 20 mM; 15 μl). pLTF was abolished with A2A receptor inhibition in 7d, not 28d, CTB-SAP rats vs. controls (p<0.05), while pLTF was abolished following 5-HT receptor inhibition in 28d, not 7d, CTB-SAP rats vs. controls (p<0.05). Additionally, 5-HT2A receptor expression was unchanged in CTB-SAP rats vs. controls, while 5-HT2B receptor expression was decreased in CTB-SAP rats vs. controls (p<0.05). This study furthers our understanding of the contribution of differential receptor activation to pLTF and its implications for breathing following respiratory motor neuron death.

2014 ◽  
Vol 116 (11) ◽  
pp. 1345-1352 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. G. Huxtable ◽  
P. M. MacFarlane ◽  
S. Vinit ◽  
N. L. Nichols ◽  
E. A. Dale ◽  
...  

Acute intermittent hypoxia (AIH; three 5-min hypoxic episodes) causes a form of phrenic motor facilitation (pMF) known as phrenic long-term facilitation (pLTF); pLTF is initiated by spinal activation of Gq protein-coupled 5-HT2 receptors. Because α1 adrenergic receptors are expressed in the phrenic motor nucleus and are also Gq protein-coupled, we hypothesized that α1 receptors are sufficient, but not necessary for AIH-induced pLTF. In anesthetized, paralyzed, and ventilated rats, episodic spinal application of the α1 receptor agonist phenylephrine (PE) elicited dose-dependent pMF (10 and 100 μM, P < 0.05; but not 1 μM). PE-induced pMF was blocked by the α1 receptor antagonist prazosin (1 mM; −20 ± 20% at 60 min, −5 ± 21% at 90 min; n = 6). Although α1 receptor activation is sufficient to induce pMF, it was not necessary for AIH-induced pLTF because intrathecal prazosin (1 mM) did not alter AIH-induced pLTF (56 ± 9% at 60 min, 78 ± 12% at 90 min; n = 9). Intravenous (iv) prazosin (150 μg/kg) appeared to reduce pLTF (21 ± 9% at 60 min, 26 ± 8% at 90 min), but this effect was not significant. Hypoglossal long-term facilitation was unaffected by intrathecal prazosin, but was blocked by iv prazosin (−4 ± 14% at 60 min, −13 ± 18% at 90 min), suggesting different LTF mechanisms in different motor neuron pools. In conclusion, Gq protein-coupled α1 adrenergic receptors evoke pMF, but they are not necessary for AIH-induced pLTF.


2001 ◽  
Vol 90 (5) ◽  
pp. 2001-2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. D. Fuller ◽  
A. G. Zabka ◽  
T. L. Baker ◽  
G. S. Mitchell

Episodic hypoxia evokes a sustained augmentation of respiratory motor output known as long-term facilitation (LTF). Phrenic LTF is prevented by pretreatment with the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptor antagonist ketanserin. We tested the hypothesis that 5-HT receptor activation is necessary for the induction but not maintenance of phrenic LTF. Peak integrated phrenic nerve activity (∫Phr) was monitored for 1 h after three 5-min episodes of isocapnic hypoxia (arterial Po 2 = 40 ± 2 Torr; 5-min hyperoxic intervals) in four groups of anesthetized, vagotomized, paralyzed, and ventilated Sprague-Dawley rats [ 1) control ( n = 11), 2) ketanserin pretreatment (2 mg/kg iv; n = 7), and ketanserin treatment 0 and 45 min after episodic hypoxia ( n = 7 each)]. Ketanserin transiently decreased ∫Phr, but it returned to baseline levels within 10 min. One hour after episodic hypoxia, ∫Phr was significantly elevated from baseline in control and in the 0- and 45-min posthypoxia ketanserin groups. Conversely, ketanserin pretreatment abolished phrenic LTF. We conclude that 5-HT receptor activation is necessary to initiate (during hypoxia) but not maintain (following hypoxia) phrenic LTF.


2019 ◽  
Vol 127 (2) ◽  
pp. 432-443 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arash Tadjalli ◽  
Gordon S. Mitchell

Serotonin (5-HT) is a key regulator of spinal respiratory motor plasticity. For example, spinal 5-HT receptor activation is necessary for the induction of phrenic long-term facilitation (pLTF), a form of respiratory motor plasticity triggered by moderate acute intermittent hypoxia (mAIH). mAIH-induced pLTF is blocked by cervical spinal application of the broad-spectrum 5-HT-receptor antagonist, methysergide. However, methysergide does not allow distinctions between the relative contributions of different 5-HT receptor subtypes. Intravenous administration of the Gq protein-coupled 5-HT2A/2C receptor antagonist ketanserin blocks mAIH-induced pLTF when administered before, but not after, mAIH; thus, 5-HT2 receptor activation is necessary for the induction but not maintenance of mAIH-induced pLTF. However, systemic ketanserin administration does not identify the site of the relevant 5-HT2A/2C receptors. Furthermore, this approach does not differentiate between the roles of 5-HT2A versus 5-HT2C receptors, nor does it preclude involvement of other Gq protein-coupled metabotropic 5-HT receptors capable of eliciting long-lasting phrenic motor facilitation, such as 5-HT2B receptors. Here we tested the hypothesis that mAIH-induced pLTF requires cervical spinal 5-HT2 receptor activation and determined which 5-HT2 receptor subtypes are involved. Anesthetized, paralyzed, and ventilated adult male Sprague Dawley rats were pretreated intrathecally with cervical (~C3-C5) spinal injections of subtype selective 5-HT2A/2C, 5-HT2B, or 5-HT2C receptor antagonists before mAIH. Whereas cervical spinal 5-HT2C receptor inhibition had no impact on mAIH-induced pLTF, pLTF was no longer observed after pretreatment with either 5-HT2A/2C or 5-HT2B receptor antagonists. Furthermore, spinal pretreatment with an MEK/ERK MAPK inhibitor blocked phrenic motor facilitation elicited by intrathecal injections of 5-HT2A but not 5-HT2B receptor agonists. Thus, mAIH-induced pLTF requires concurrent cervical spinal activation of both 5-HT2A and 5-HT2B receptors. However, these distinct receptor subtypes contribute to phrenic motor facilitation via distinct downstream signaling cascades that differ in their requirement for ERK MAPK signaling. The demonstration that both 5-HT2A and 5-HT2B receptors make unique contributions to mAIH-induced pLTF advances our understanding of mechanisms that underlie 5-HT-induced phrenic motor plasticity. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Moderate acute intermittent hypoxia (mAIH) triggers a persistent enhancement in phrenic motor output, an effect termed phrenic long-term facilitation (pLTF). mAIH-induced pLTF is blocked by cervical spinal application of the broad-spectrum serotonin (5-HT) receptor antagonist methysergide, demonstrating the need for spinal 5-HT receptor activation. However, the exact type of 5-HT receptors required for initiation of pLTF remains unknown. To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first to demonstrate that 1) spinal coactivation of two distinct Gq protein-coupled 5-HT2 receptor subtypes is necessary for mAIH-induced pLTF, and 2) these receptors contribute to pLTF via cascades that differ in their requirement for ERK MAPK signaling.


2019 ◽  
Vol 244 (11) ◽  
pp. 901-914
Author(s):  
Amy L Strayer ◽  
Cassandra N Dennys-Rivers ◽  
Karina C Ricart ◽  
Narae Bae ◽  
Joseph S Beckman ◽  
...  

Activation of the extracellular ATP ionotropic receptor P2X7 stimulates motor neuron apoptosis, whereas its inhibition in cell and animal models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis can be protective. These observations suggest that P2X7 receptor activation is relevant to motor neuron disease and that it could be targeted for therapeutic development. Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) is an integral regulatory component of the P2X7 receptor complex, antagonizing ligand-induced receptor activation. Here, we show that the repressive activity of Hsp90 on P2X7 receptor activation in primary motor neurons is highly sensitive to inhibition. Primary motor neurons in culture are 100-fold more sensitive to Hsp90 inhibition by geldanamycin than other neuronal populations. Pharmacological inhibition and down-regulation of the P2X7 receptor prevented motor neuron apoptosis triggered by Hsp90 inhibition, which occurred in the absence of extracellular ATP. These observations suggest that inhibition of a seemingly motor neuron specific pool of Hsp90 leads to ligand independent activation of P2X7 receptor and motor neuron death. Downstream of Hsp90 inhibition, P2X7 receptor activated the phosphatase and tensin homolog (TPEN), which in turn suppressed the pro-survival phosphatidyl inositol 3 kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway, leading to Fas-dependent motor neuron apoptosis. Conditions altering the interaction between P2X7 receptor and Hsp90, such as recruitment of Hsp90 to other subcellular compartments under stress conditions, or nitration following oxidative stress can induce motor neuron death. These findings may have broad implications in neurodegenerative disorders, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, in which activation of P2X7 receptor may be involved in both autonomous and non-autonomous motor neurons death. Impact statement Here we show that a motor neuron specific pool of Hsp90 that is highly sensitive to geldanamycin inhibition represses ligand-independent activation of P2X7 receptor and is critical to motor neuron survival. Activation of P2X7 receptor by Hsp90 inhibition triggers motor neuron apoptosis through the activation of PTEN, which in turn inhibits the PI3 kinase/Akt survival pathway. Thus, inhibition of Hsp90 for therapeutic applications may have the unexpected negative consequence of decreasing the activity of trophic pathways in motor neurons. The inhibition of Hsp90 as a therapeutic approach may require the identification of the Hsp90 complexes involved in pathogenic processes and the development of inhibitors selective for these complexes.


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