Neuroscience

Proprioception, the perception of body and limb position, is mediated by proprioceptors, specialized mechanosensory neurons that convey information about the stretch and tension experienced by muscles, tendons, skin and joints. In mammals, the molecular identity of the stretch-sensitive channel that mediates proprioception is unknown. We found that the mechanically activated nonselective cation channel Piezo2 was expressed in sensory endings of proprioceptors innervating muscle spindles and Golgi tendon organs in mice.

Functional PNS regeneration requires injured axons to return to their original synaptic targets, yet the mechanisms underlying target-selective regeneration have remained elusive. Using live-cell imaging in zebrafish we find that regenerating motor axons exhibit a strong preference for their original muscle territory and that axons probe both correct and incorrect trajectories extensively before selecting their original path.

In the brain, CB1 cannabinoid receptors primarily mediate the effects of cannabinoids, but CB2 cannabinoid receptors (CB2Rs) have recently been discovered in the nervous system and also implicated in neuromodulatory roles. To understand the mechanisms of CB2R functions in the brain, it is essential to localize CB2Rs, but the types of cells expressing CB2Rs have been controversial. Unequivocal localization of CB2Rs in the brain has been impeded in part by the low expression levels of CB2Rs and poor specificity of detection methods.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that was originally identified as a regulator of peroxisome proliferation and adipocyte differentiation. Emerging evidence suggests that functional PPARγ signaling also occurs within the hypothalamus. However, the exact distribution and identities of PPARγ-expressing hypothalamic cells remains under debate. The present study systematically mapped PPARγ mRNA expression in the adult mouse brain using in situ hybridization histochemistry.

Acute glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness in East Asia. The mechanisms underlying retinal neuronal injury induced by a sudden rise in intraocular pressure (IOP) remain obscure. Here we demonstrate that the activation of CXCL10/CXCR3 axis, which mediates the recruitment and activation of inflammatory cells, has a critical role in a mouse model of acute glaucoma. The mRNA and protein expression levels of CXCL10 and CXCR3 were significantly increased after IOP-induced retinal ischemia.

Facial somatosensory input is relayed by trigeminal ganglion (TG) neurons and serially wired to brainstem, thalamus, and cortex. Spatially ordered sets of target neurons generate central topographic maps reproducing the spatial arrangement of peripheral receptors on the face. Facial patternprovides a template for map formation, but whether it is sufficient to impose a brain somatotopic pattern is unclear. In the mouse, lower jaw sensory information is relayed by the trigeminal nerve mandibular branch, whose axons target the brainstem dorsal principal sensory trigeminal nucleus (dPrV).

We undertook a comprehensive clinical and biological investigation of serial medulloblastoma biopsies obtained at diagnosis and relapse. Combined MYC family amplifications and P53 pathway defects commonly emerged at relapse, and all patients in this group died of rapidly progressive disease postrelapse. To study this interaction, we investigated a transgenic model of MYCN-driven medulloblastoma and found spontaneous development of Trp53 inactivating mutations.

The nucleus accumbens (NAc) and the dynorphinergic system are widely implicated in motivated behaviors. Prior studies have shown that activation of the dynorphin-kappa opioid receptor (KOR) system leads to aversive, dysphoria-like behavior. However, the endogenous sources of dynorphin in these circuits remain unknown. We investigated whether dynorphinergic neuronal firing in the NAc is sufficient to induce aversive behaviors.

Molecular and cellular processes in neurons are critical for sensing and responding to energy deficit states, such as during weight-loss. AGRP neurons are a key hypothalamic population that is activated during energy deficit and increases appetite and weight-gain. Cell type-specific transcriptomics can be used to identify pathways that counteract weight-loss, and here we report high-quality gene expression profiles of AGRP neurons from well-fed and food-deprived young adult mice.

Neuregulin 1 (NRG1) is a trophic factor that has been implicated in neural development, neurotransmission, and synaptic plasticity. NRG1 has multiple isoforms that are generated by usage of different promoters and alternative splicing of a single gene. However, little is known about NRG1 isoform composition profile, whether it changes during development, or the underlying mechanisms. We found that each of the six types of NRG1 has a distinct expression pattern in the brain at different ages, resulting in a change in NRG1 isoform composition.