References

Jeffry J, Kim S, Chen ZF (2011) Itch signaling in the nervous system. Physiology (Bethesda) 26(4):286-92. doi: 10.1152/physiol.00007.2011

Summary: This review examines recent work done to elucidate the molecular mechanisms behind the sensation of itch. The progress of mouse genetics has allowed the field to move beyond clinical and physiological studies, toward a better understanding of the signaling involved in nonhistaminergic itch. One study discussed used bombesin-SAP (Cat. #IT-40) in mice to ablate GRPR-positive neurons in the dorsal horn. This lesion reduced scratching in response to pruritogens, but did not affect pain behavior‚ indicating that pain and itch use entirely different pathways.

Related Products: Bombesin-SAP (Cat. #IT-40)

Burke PG, Neale J, Korim WS, McMullan S, Goodchild AK (2011) Patterning of somatosympathetic reflexes reveals nonuniform organization of presympathetic drive from C1 and non-C1 RVLM neurons. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 301(4):R1112-R1122. doi: 10.1152/ajpregu.00131.2011

Summary: Some neurons in the rostral ventrolateral medulla are part of the circuitry that helps maintain blood pressure. This control is exerted through both feed-forward and reflex adjustment mechanisms. The authors used bilateral injections of anti-DBH-SAP (Cat. #IT-03, 24 ng per side) into the spinal cord of rats between T1 and T2 to better understand the organization of this circuitry. Mouse IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-18) was used as a control. The results suggest that myelinated neurons may control baseline tone, while stressor response uses unmyelinated neurons.

Related Products: Anti-DBH-SAP (Cat. #IT-03), Mouse IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-18)

Chen S, Badea T, Hattar S (2011) Photoentrainment and pupillary light reflex are mediated by distinct populations of ipRGCs. Nature 476:92-95. doi: 10.1038/nature10206 PMID: 21765429

Summary: Intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) express the photopigment Melanopsin and regulate a wide array of light dependent physiological processes. Genetic ablation of ipRGCs eliminates circadian photoentrainment and severely disrupts the pupillary light reflex (PLR). Scientists showed that ipRGCs consist of distinct subpopulation that differentially express the Brn3b transcription factor, and can be functionally distinguished. Brn3b-negative M1 ipRGCs innervate the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus, whereas Brn3b-positive ipRGCs innervate all other known brain targets. Selective ablation of Brn3b-postive ipRGCs severly disrupts the PLR, but does not impair circadian photoentrainment. The scientists concluded that molecularly distinct subpopulations of M1 ipRGCs, which are morphologically and electrophysiologically similar, innervate different brain regions to execute light-induced functions. A dilution of 1:1000 of Anti-Melanopsin (Cat. #AB-N38) was used for immunohistochemical analysis of retina sections.

Related Products: Melanopsin Rabbit Polyclonal (Cat. #AB-N38)

Bajo Lorenzana VM Leach ND, Cordery PM, Nodal FR, King AJ (2011) The cholinergic basal forebrain in the ferret and its inputs to the auditory cortex. IBRO 2011 Abstracts International Brain Research Organization, Florence, Italy.

Summary: Projections from the NB to the auditory cortex were investigated by injecting tracers into the NB itself (n=5), or by applying tracer deposits to the surface of the auditory cortex (n=4). Tracers included Rhodamine, Fluorescein, Cascade Blue, as well as the cholinergic immunotoxin ME20.4-SAP. Both ME20.4-SAP injections in the auditory cortex and epipial tracer deposits revealed that NB provides the main cholinergic input to the cortex, and that this projection is predominantly ipsilateral.

Related Products: ME20.4-SAP (Cat. #IT-15)

Gulino R, Gulisano M (2011) A central role for BDNF and Sonic Hedgehog in controlling synaptic plasticity in motoneuron-depleted spinal cord. IBRO 2011 Abstracts International Brain Research Organization, Florence, Italy.

Summary: Here, we measured the expression levels of several proteins involved in synaptic plasticity and motoneuronal function (ChAT, Synapsin-I, Shh, Notch-1, AMPA receptor subunits, NMDA receptor and BDNF) in a mouse SC lesion model obtained by intramuscular injection of Cholera toxin-B-saporin, which selectively kills motoneurons

Related Products: CTB-SAP (Cat. #IT-14)

Roach EB, Hussain Shuler MG (2011) Cholinergic denervation disrupts temporal learning in rodent visual cortex. IBRO 2011 Abstracts International Brain Research Organization, Florence, Italy.

Summary: Local cholinergic terminals were removed using the selective neurotoxin 192 IgG-saporin between contingency reversal. This manipulation tested the necessity of cholinergic innervation in two key processes: expressing previously learned reward timing and shifting reward timing to new behaviorally relevant intervals.

Related Products: 192-IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-01)

Ljubojevic V, Luu P, De Rosa E (2011) The role of cholinergic cortical modulation in visual and olfactory attention using the 5-Choice serial reaction time task. IBRO 2011 Abstracts International Brain Research Organization, Florence, Italy.

Summary: After successful acquisition of both visual and olfactory task, the rats were subjected to either a cholinergic immunotoxic or sham lesion surgery of the NBM. Cholinergic deafferentation of the neocortical mantle was induced by bilaterally infusing the cholinergic immunotoxin, 192 IgG-saporin, into the NBM (0.2 μl of 0.2 μg/μl per site; two sites per hemisphere).

Related Products: 192-IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-01)

Facciabene A, Peng X, Hagemann IS, Balint K, Barchetti A, Wang L-P, Gimotty PA, Gilks CB, Lal P, Zhang L, Coukos G (2011) Tumour hypoxia promotes tolerance and angiogenesis via CCL28 and Treg cells. Nature 475:226-230. doi: 10.1038/nature10169 PMID: 21753853

Objective: To investigate whether a direct link between tumor hypoxia and tolerance occurs through the recruitment of regulatory cells.

Summary: Tumor hypoxia promotes the recruitment of regulatory T (Treg) cells through induction of expression of the chemokine CC-chemokine ligand 28 (CCL28), which, in turn, promotes tumor tolerance and angiogenesis.

Usage: In vivo depletion of CD4+ CD25+ cells was achieved by intraperitoneal administration of anti-CD25 or an immunotoxin consisting of anti-mouse CCR10 or anti-mouse CCR3 antibody conjugated at an equimolar ratio to Streptavidin–ZAP. Anti-CCR10–SAP depleted 90% of CCR101 or CCR31 cells. Anti-CCR10–SAP suppressed tumour growth and abrogated the effects of CCL28 overexpression, whereas anti-CCR3–SAP had no effect on tumor growth.

Related Products: Streptavidin-ZAP (Cat. #IT-27)

Reynolds J, Bilsky EJ, Meng ID (2011) Selective ablation of mu-opioid receptor expressing neurons in the rostral ventromedial medulla attenuates stress-induced mechanical hypersensitivity. Life Sci 89(9-10):313-9. doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2011.06.024

Summary: Animals have been shown to develop hyperalgesia in response to chronic stress. Recent data has implicated the rostroventromedial medulla (RVM) in this process. In order to clarify what role mu-opioid receptor expressing neurons in the RVM play in rat, the authors injected 1.8 pmol of dermorphin-SAP (Cat. #IT-12) into the RVM. The rats were then subjected to a model designed to produce hypersensitivity in the hind paw. Stress-induced behavior did not change in the lesioned animals, but mechanical hypersensitivity was reduced.

Related Products: Dermorphin-SAP / MOR-SAP (Cat. #IT-12)

Luo T, Leung LS (2011) Involvement of tuberomamillary histaminergic neurons in isoflurane anesthesia. Anesthesiology 115(1):36-43. doi: 10.1097/ALN.0b013e3182207655

Summary: Although previous studies indicate that histaminergic neurotransmission may mediate reaction to general anesthesia, it is not clear whether the histominergic tuberomammilary nucleus (TMN) is involved. Rats received 250-ng infusions of orexin-SAP (Cat. #IT-20) into the TMN after which the righting reflex was assessed for several anesthetics. Loss of histaminergic neurons in the TMN only altered the effect of isoflurane – suggesting that the neural circuits involved in isoflurane anesthesia are different than circuits affected by propofol, pentobarbital, and ketamine.

Related Products: Orexin-B-SAP (Cat. #IT-20)