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Mesolimbic neuropeptide W coordinates stress responses under novel environments.
- Source :
-
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America [Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A] 2016 May 24; Vol. 113 (21), pp. 6023-8. Date of Electronic Publication: 2016 May 02. - Publication Year :
- 2016
-
Abstract
- Neuropeptide B (NPB) and neuropeptide W (NPW) are endogenous neuropeptide ligands for the G protein-coupled receptors NPBWR1 and NPBWR2. Here we report that the majority of NPW neurons in the mesolimbic region possess tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity, indicating that a small subset of dopaminergic neurons coexpress NPW. These NPW-containing neurons densely and exclusively innervate two limbic system nuclei in adult mouse brain: the lateral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and the lateral part of the central amygdala nucleus (CeAL). In the CeAL of wild-type mice, restraint stress resulted in an inhibition of cellular activity, but this stress-induced inhibition was attenuated in the CeAL neurons of NPW(-/-) mice. Moreover, the response of NPW(-/-) mice to either formalin-induced pain stimuli or a live rat (i.e., a potential predator) was abnormal only when they were placed in a novel environment: The mice failed to show the normal species-specific self-protective and aversive reactions. In contrast, the behavior of NPW(-/-) mice in a habituated environment was indistinguishable from that of wild-type mice. These results indicate that the NPW/NPBWR1 system could play a critical role in the gating of stressful stimuli during exposure to novel environments.
- Subjects :
- Animals
Central Amygdaloid Nucleus pathology
Dopaminergic Neurons pathology
Mice
Mice, Knockout
Neuropeptides genetics
Pain genetics
Pain pathology
Rats
Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled genetics
Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled metabolism
Receptors, Neuropeptide genetics
Receptors, Neuropeptide metabolism
Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase genetics
Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase metabolism
Avoidance Learning
Behavior, Animal
Central Amygdaloid Nucleus metabolism
Dopaminergic Neurons metabolism
Neuropeptides metabolism
Pain metabolism
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1091-6490
- Volume :
- 113
- Issue :
- 21
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 27140610
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1518658113