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The gut-brain axis mediates bacterial driven modulation of reward signaling
Kim JS, Williams KC, Kirkland RA, Schade R, Freeman KG, Cawthon CR, Rautmann AW, Smith JM, Edwards GL, Glenn TC, Holmes PV, de Lartigue G, de La Serre CB (2023) The gut-brain axis mediates bacterial driven modulation of reward signaling. Mol Metab 26:101764. doi: 10.1016/j.molmet.2023.101764 PMID: 37380023
Objective: To investigate the role of gut microbiota and vagal signaling in modulating brain dopamine reward pathways and appetitive feeding behavior.
Summary: The study found that high-fat diet and transfer of high-fat microbiota to germ-free rats reduced dopamine signaling and motivated feeding behavior compared to chow-fed and low-fat microbiota groups. Vagal deafferentation restored dopamine signaling and feeding motivation in high-fat microbiota rats, indicating gut bacteria signals that dampen reward are vagally mediated.
Usage: Animals were injected bilaterally into the nodose ganglion with either Saporin or CCK-SAP. A pulled glass micropipette containing either CCK-SAP (240 ng/ml in 0.1 M phosphate buffer) or SAP alone was inserted under the sheath of the cervical vagus and into the NG, the injection was done with a pressure-injector into two sites (one proximal and one distal, total volume, 1 µl).
Related Products: CCK-SAP (Cat. #IT-31), Saporin (Cat. #PR-01)
Gastric vagal afferent signaling to the basolateral amygdala mediates anxiety-like behaviors in experimental colitis mice
Chen CH, Tsai TC, Wu YJ, Hsu KS (2023) Gastric vagal afferent signaling to the basolateral amygdala mediates anxiety-like behaviors in experimental colitis mice. JCI Insight e161874. doi: 10.1172/jci.insight.161874 PMID: 37200091
Objective: This study aimed to characterize gut-to-brain signaling and brain circuitry responsible for anxiety-like behaviors in a mouse model of inflammatory bowel disease.
Summary: The researchers found that mice with experimental colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium administration displayed increased anxiety-like behaviors, which were prevented by cutting the vagus nerve connecting the gut to the brain. Further experiments showed that silencing brain cells in the locus coeruleus that project to the basolateral amygdala reduced anxiety behaviors in the colitis mice.
Usage: CCK-SAP (250 ng/µl) or Blank-SAP (250 ng/µl) were unilaterally or bilaterally injected to rostral (0.5 µl) and caudal (0.5 µl) parts of the nodose ganglia using a beveled injection pipette controlled by a microprocessor-controlled injector at the speed of 50 nl/sec.
Related Products: CCK-SAP (Cat. #IT-31), Blank-SAP (Cat. #IT-21)
Neural pathway for gut feelings: vagal interoceptive feedback from the gastrointestinal tract is a critical modulator of anxiety-like behavior
Krieger JP, Asker M, Van der Velden P, Börchers S, Richard JE, Maric I, Longo F, Singh A, De Larigue G, Skibicka KP (2022) Neural pathway for gut feelings: vagal interoceptive feedback from the gastrointestinal tract is a critical modulator of anxiety-like behavior. Biological Psychiatry in press. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.04.020
Objective: To determine how the sensing of gastrointestinal state affects anxiety.
Summary: Vagal sensory signals from the gastrointestinal tract are critical for baseline and feeding-induced tuning of anxiety via the central amygdala in rats. The article results suggest vagal gut-brain signaling as a target to normalize interoception in anxiety.
Usage: 1.5 ul of CCK-SAP or Blank-SAP were delivered into each nodose ganglion at 250 ng/ul.
Related Products: CCK-SAP (Cat. #IT-31), Blank-SAP (Cat. #IT-21)
Vagal afferent cholecystokinin receptor activation is required for glucagon-like peptide-1-induced satiation
Vana V, Laerke MK, Rehfeld JF, Arnold M, Dmytriyeva O, Langhans W, Schwartz TW, Hansen HS (2022) Vagal afferent cholecystokinin receptor activation is required for glucagon-like peptide-1-induced satiation. Diabetes Obes Metab 24(2):268-280. doi: 10.1111/dom.14575
Objective: To investigate the effect of peripheral GLP-1 on food-intake control.
Summary: Endogenous CCK interacts with GLP-1 to promote satiation and that activation of the FFA1 receptor can initiate this interaction by stimulating the release of CCK.
Usage: Utilized CCK-SAP to selectively ablate the CCK receptor-expressing gastrointestinal vagal afferent neurones (VANs).
Related Products: CCK-SAP (Cat. #IT-31)
Learning of food preferences: mechanisms and implications for obesity & metabolic diseases
Berthoud HR, Morrison CD, Ackroff K, Sclafani A (2021) Learning of food preferences: mechanisms and implications for obesity & metabolic diseases. Int J Obes (Lond) 45(10):2156-2168. doi: 10.1038/s41366-021-00894-3
Objective: This review focuses on postoral nutrient sensing and signaling as an essential part of the reward system that shapes preferences for the associated flavors of foods.
Summary: There is a critical role for the vagal gut-to-brain axis in motivation and reward. An implication for obesity treatment is that bariatric surgery may alter vagal function.
Usage: Han et al. injected 0.5 µl of CCK-SAP (250 ng/µl) into the R-NG of VGlut2-ires-Cre mice.
See: Han W et al. A Neural Circuit for Gut-Induced Reward. Cell 175:665-678, 2018.
Related Products: CCK-SAP (Cat. #IT-31)
Dissection and surgical approaches to the mouse jugular-nodose ganglia
Han W, de Araujo IE (2021) Dissection and surgical approaches to the mouse jugular-nodose ganglia. STAR Protocols 2(2):100474. doi: 10.1016/j.xpro.2021.100474
Usage: Injected 0.5 µl of CCK-SAP (250 ng/µl) into the R-NG of VGlut2-ires-Cre mice.
Related Products: CCK-SAP (Cat. #IT-31)
For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Han et al.
See Also: Han W et al. A neural circuit for gut-induced reward. Cell 175:665-678, 2018.
Vagotomy and insights into the microbiota-gut-brain axis
Liu Y, Forsythe P (2021) Vagotomy and insights into the microbiota-gut-brain axis. Neurosci Res 168:20-27. doi: 10.1016/j.neures.2021.04.001
Objective: To review the use of vagotomy as a tool to explore the role of the vagus nerve in gut to brain signaling.
Summary: This review article is a summary of the knowledge gained from vagotomy, a surgical procedure that involves removing part of the vagus nerve. The article discusses using CCK-SAP to specifically ablate afferent vagal nerves in the gastrointestinal tract.
Usage: The article references a study by Diepenbroek et al. that used CCK-SAP in the following dosages: In vitro: each well was treated with a different dose of saporin conjugates (0, 2.4, 24, or 240 ng) for 24 h. In vivo: An equal volume (rat: 1 µl; mouse: 0.5 µl) of CCK-SAP (250 ng/µl) or Saporin (250 ng/µl) was injected at two sites rostral and caudal to the laryngeal nerve branch.
Related Products: CCK-SAP (Cat. #IT-31), Saporin (Cat. #PR-01)
See Also:
Intact vagal gut-brain signalling prevents hyperphagia and excessive weight gain in response to high-fat high-sugar diet.
McDougle M, Quinn D, Diepenbroek C, Singh A, de la Serre C, de Lartigue G (2021) Intact vagal gut-brain signalling prevents hyperphagia and excessive weight gain in response to high-fat high-sugar diet. Acta Physiol (Oxf) 231(3):e13530. doi: 10.1111/apha.13530
Objective: To assess the function of the vagus nerve lack specificity.
Summary: Intact sensory vagal neurons prevent hyperphagia and exacerbation of weight gain in response to a HFHS diet by promoting lipid-mediated satiation.
Usage: Rat nodose ganglia were injected bilaterally with either CCK-SAP or unconjugated saporin as a control.
Related Products: CCK-SAP (Cat. #IT-31)
From obesity to hippocampal neurodegeneration: Pathogenesis and non-pharmacological interventions
Lee TH, Yau SY (2021) From obesity to hippocampal neurodegeneration: Pathogenesis and non-pharmacological interventions. Int J Mol Sci 22(1):201. doi: 10.3390/ijms22010201
Summary: This review provides insights into how chronic metabolic disorders, like obesity, could impair brain health and cognitive functions in later life. The authors reference the use of CCK-SAP into the nodose ganglia to impair spatial memory and contextual episodic memory.
Related Products: CCK-SAP (Cat. #IT-31)
OP11: Role of spinal cholecystokinin receptor 2 in alloknesis models.
Tominaga M, Kusube F, Honda K, Komiya E, Takahashi N, Naito H, Suga Y, Takamori K (2019) OP11: Role of spinal cholecystokinin receptor 2 in alloknesis models. Itch 4:1-62. doi: 10.1097/itx.0000000000000030
Objective: To determine the detailed molecular and cellular mechanisms that induce alloknesis via the spinal CCK2 receptor.
Summary: Ablation of spinal CCK receptor-expressing cells by i.t. injection of CCK-SAP attenuated CCK8S-induced alloknesis in comparison with Blank-SAP control mice.
Usage: Intrathecal injection
Related Products: CCK-SAP (Cat. #IT-31), Blank-SAP (Cat. #IT-21)