Neuroscience

The evolution of new traits enables expansion into new ecological and behavioural niches. Nonetheless, demonstrated connections between divergence in protein structure, function and lineage-specific behaviours remain rare. Here we show that both octopus and squid use cephalopod-specific chemotactile receptors (CRs) to sense their respective marine environments, but structural adaptations in these receptors support the sensation of specific molecules suited to distinct physiological roles.

Astrocytes and neurons extensively interact in the brain. Identifying astrocyte and neuron proteomes is essential for elucidating the protein networks that dictate their respective contributions to physiology and disease. Here we used cell-specific and subcompartment-specific proximity-dependent biotinylation1 to study the proteomes of striatal astrocytes and neurons in vivo. We evaluated cytosolic and plasma membrane compartments for astrocytes and neurons to discover how these cells differ at the protein level in their signalling machinery.

High-quality mouse dorsal root ganglion (DRG) cryostat sections are crucial for proper immunochemistry staining and RNAscope studies in the research of inflammatory and neuropathic pain, itch, as well as other peripheral neurological conditions. However, it remains a challenge to consistently obtain high-quality, intact, and flat cryostat sections onto glass slides because of the tiny sample size of the DRG tissue. So far, there is no article describing an optimal protocol for DRG cryosectioning.

Krabbe disease, an inherited leukodystrophy, is a sphingolipidosis caused by deficiency of β-galactocerebrosidase: it is characterized by myelin loss, and pathological activation of macrophage/microglia and astrocytes. To define driving pathogenic factors, we explored the expression repertoire of candidate neuroinflammatory genes: upregulation of receptor interacting protein kinase 1 (Ripk1) and disease-associated microglia (DAM) genes, including Cst7 and Ch25h, correlated with severity of Krabbe disease genetically modelled in the twitcher mouse.

特定のタンパク質や遺伝子発現の組織内局在・細胞 内局在を明らかにする組織学的手法は，生命科学・医 学における生体機能解析の基幹手法である．代表的な 組織学的手法の一つである in situ hybridization 法 （ISH）は，DNA・RNA 等核酸を標的にするという特 性から，遺伝子改変動物を用いた機能解析，AAV ウ イルスによる局所的機能調節など，近年大きく発展を 続けている分子生物学的な手法との併用に強みをもつ 手法である．特に神経系の研究分野では，近年のsinglecell RNA シーケンス解析により，単一神経核/領域内 で遺伝子発現プロファイルの異なる多数の細胞集団が 混在していることが明らかになりつつあり1,2，細胞レ ベルの分解能で mRNA 局在解析を行うことができる ISH はより重要性を増している3 ．また，より短いプ ローブ長での高感度化や手法の簡便化などを目標に手 法の改良が続いており，従来の感度では検出できな かった低発現量遺伝子の解析など，より応用の幅が広 がっている．本稿では，タンパク質を検出標的とする 免疫染色法と比較した ISH の特徴，近年の ISH 高感度 化の試みに加え，神経科学分野の未解明領域への応用 について概説する．

There is a significant overlap between HIV infection and substance use disorders. Dopamine (DA) is the most abundantly upregulated neurotransmitter in Methamphetamine abuse, with receptors (DRD1-5) that are expressed by neurons as well as by a large diversity of cell types, including innate immune cells that are targets of HIV infection, making them responsive to the hyperdopaminergic environment that is characteristic of stimulant drugs. Therefore, the presence of high levels of dopamine may affect the pathogenesis of HIV, particularly in the brain.

In regenerative species, retinal injury induces Müller glia to de-differentiate and proliferate to replace lost cells, whereas in mammals, an initial repair response is rapidly aborted. We found that _Plagl1_, a maternally-imprinted transcription factor gene that is dynamically expressed post-insult, sustains murine glial quiescence at early postnatal stages. _Plagl1_+/-pat null mutant Müller glia translocate, proliferate and differentiate into inner-retinal neurons and photoreceptors.

Advances have been made in recent years in using opioid receptor antagonists as an adjunct therapy to psychotropic medication to reduce debilitating weight gain and metabolic adverse effects associated with in particular second generation antipsychotics. However, it is unknown whether second generation antipsychotics produce a change in opioid receptor expression in the brain.

Food cues elicit the body’s responses and subsequent food consumption. The magnitude of the response to food cues is a crucial risk factor for obesity. However, the underlying neural mechanism of how the cues of edible food promote feeding remains unclear. Here we demonstrated that the peptidergic CRH neurons in the lateral hypothalamic area are the missing link that connects food cues to food consumption. We first established the activation of those neurons triggered by food cues with multiple assays.

Previous research has shown that a 5-day course of morphine enhances nociceptive sensitivity and allodynia when given 10 days after chronic constriction injury (CCI) as measured by the Von Frey test, a test where the hindpaw is poked with force (measured in grams) calibrated filament. This increased sensitivity to touch suggests that post trauma morphine makes second order sensory dorsal horn neurons more excitable. Therefore, it is hypothesized that during morphine enhanced allodynia, dorsal horn neurons will be more excitable to nociceptive stimulus.