Intranasal Oxytocin following Uncontrollable Stress Blocks Impairments in Hippocampal Plasticity and Recognition Memory in Stressed Rats.

Background: Nasal pretreatment with the neuropeptide oxytocin has been reported to prevent stress-induced impairments in hippocampal synaptic plasticity and spatial memory in rats. However, no study has asked if oxytocin application following a stress experience is effective in rescuing stress-induced impairments. Methods: Synaptic plasticity was measured in hippocampal Schaffer collateral-CA1 synapses of rats subjected to uncontrollable stress; their cognitive function was examined using an object recognition task. Results: Impaired induction of long-lasting, long-term potentiation by uncontrollable stress was rescued, as demonstrated both in rats and hippocampal slices. Intranasal oxytocin after experiencing uncontrollable stress blocked cognitive impairments in stressed rats and in stressed hippocampal slices treated with a perfused bath solution containing oxytocin. Conclusions: These results indicated that posttreatment with oxytocin after experiencing a stressful event can keep synaptic plasticity and cognition function intact, indicating the therapeutic potential of oxytocin for stress-related disorders, including posttraumatic stress disorder.

Oxytocin Protects Hippocampal Memory and Plasticity from Uncontrollable Stress.

The hippocampus is vulnerable to uncontrollable stress and is enriched with oxytocin receptors, but their interactive influences on hippocampal functioning are unknown. This study aimed to determine the effects of intranasal oxytocin administration on stress-induced alterations in synaptic plasticity and spatial memory in male rats. While vehicle-administered stressed rats showed impairment in long-term potentiation, enhancement in long-term depression, and weakened spatial memory, these changes were not observed in oxytocin-administered stressed rats. To reveal the potential signaling mechanism mediating these effects, levels of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinases (pERK) in the hippocampus was examined. Western blotting showed that oxytocin treatment blocked stress-induced alterations of pERK. Additionally, the oxytocin receptor antagonist L-368,899 inhibited the oxytocin's protective effects on hippocampal memory to stress. Thus, intranasal administration of oxytocin reduced stress effects on hippocampal synaptic plasticity and memory in rats via acting on oxytocin receptors and regulating ERK activity. This study suggests that exogenous oxytocin may be a therapeutically effective means to counter the detrimental neurocognitive effects of stress.

Histamine H1 receptor induces cytosolic calcium increase and aquaporin translocation in human salivary gland cells.

One of the common side effects of antihistamine medicines is xerostomia (dry mouth). The current consensus is that antihistamine-induced xerostomia comes from an antimuscarinic effect. Although the effect of antihistamines on salivary secretion is both obvious and significant, the cellular mechanism whereby this happens is still unclear because of the lack of knowledge of histamine signaling in human salivary glands. Here, we have studied histamine receptors and the effect of antihistamines on human submandibular acinar cells. In primary cultured human submandibular gland and a HSG cell line, histamine increased the intracellular Ca(2+) concentration. The histamine-induced cytosolic free Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) increase was inhibited by histamine H1 receptor-specific antagonists, and the expression of the functional histamine H1 receptor was confirmed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Interestingly, histamine pretreatment did not inhibit a subsequent carbachol-induced [Ca(2+)](i) rise without "heterologous desensitization." Chlorpheniramine inhibited a carbachol-induced [Ca(2+)](i) increase at a 100-fold greater concentration than histamine receptor antagonism, whereas astemizole and cetrizine showed more than 1000-fold difference, which in part explains the xerostomia-inducing potency among the antihistamines. Notably, histamine resulted in translocation of aquaporin-5 to the plasma membrane in human submandibular gland cells and green fluorescent protein-tagged aquaporin-5 expressing HSG cells. We found that histidine decarboxylase and the histamine H1 receptor are broadly distributed in submandibular gland cells, whereas choline acetyltransferase is localized only at the parasympathetic terminals. Our results suggest that human salivary gland cells express histamine H1 receptors and histamine-synthesizing enzymes, revealing the cellular mechanism of antihistamine-induced xerostomia.

Molecular basis of Ca(v)2.3 calcium channels in rat nociceptive neurons.

Ca(v)2.3 calcium channels play an important role in pain transmission in peripheral sensory neurons. Six Ca(v)2.3 isoforms resulting from different combinations of three inserts (inserts I and II in the II-III loop and insert III in the carboxyl-terminal region) have been identified in different mammalian tissues. To date, however, Ca(v)2.3 isoforms unique to primary sensory neurons have not been identified. In this study, we determined Ca(v)2.3 isoforms expressed in the rat trigeminal ganglion neurons. Whole tissue reverse transcription (RT)-PCR analyses revealed that only two isoforms, Ca(v)2.3a and Ca(v)2.3e, are present in TG neurons. Using single cell RT-PCR, we found that Ca(v)2.3e is the major isoform, whereas Ca(v)2.3e expression is highly restricted to small (<16 mum) isolectin B4-negative and tyrosine kinase A-positive neurons. Ca(v)2.3e was also preferentially detected in neurons expressing the nociceptive marker, transient receptor potential vanilloid 1. Single cell RT-PCR following calcium imaging and whole-cell patch clamp recordings provided evidence of an association between an R-type calcium channel component and Ca(v)2.3e expression. Our results suggest that Ca(v)2.3e in sensory neurons may be a potential target for the treatment of pain.

Systemic administration of minocycline inhibits formalin-induced inflammatory pain in rat.

It has been demonstrated that spinal microglial activation is involved in formalin-induced pain and that minocycline, an inhibitor of microglial activation, attenuate behavioral hypersensitivity in neuropathic pain models. We investigated whether minocycline could have any anti-nociceptive effect on inflammatory pain, after intraperitonial administration of minocycline, 1 h before formalin (5%, 50 microl) injection into the plantar surface of rat hindpaw. Minocycline (15, 30, and 45 mg/kg) significantly decreased formalin-induced nociceptive behavior during phase II, but not during phase I. The enhancement in the number of c-Fos-positive cells in the L4-5 spinal dorsal horn (DH) and the magnitude of paw edema induced by formalin injection during phase II were significantly reduced by minocycline. Minocycline inhibited synaptic currents of substantia gelatinosa (SG) neurons in the spinal DH, whereas membrane electrical properties of dorsal root ganglion neurons were not affected by minocycline. Analysis with OX-42 antibody revealed the inhibitory effect of minocycline on microglial activation 3 days after formalin injection. These results demonstrate the anti-nociceptive effect of minocycline on formalin-induced inflammatory pain. In addition to the well-known inhibitory action of minocycline on microglial activation, the anti-edematous action in peripheral tissue, as well as the inhibition of synaptic transmission in SG neurons, is likely to be associated with the anti-nociceptive effect of minocycline.