2009 Targeting Trends Review

Lujan HL, Palani G, Chen Y, Peduzzi JD, Dicarlo SE (2009) Targeted ablation of cardiac sympathetic neurons reduces resting, reflex and exercise-induced sympathetic activation in conscious rats. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 296:H1305-H1311. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00095.2009

Summary: This work examines the capability of CTB-SAP (Cat. #IT-14) to eliminate cardiac sympathetic neurons. The right and left stellate ganglia of rats were each injected with 10 µg of CTB-SAP. Lesioned animals displayed physiolo-gical differences from controls, as well as specific reduction of numbers of neurons in the stellate ganglion and spinal cord.

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

Tronson NC, Schrick C, Guzman YF, Huh KH, Srivastava DP, Penzes P, Guedea AL, Gao C, Radulovic J (2009) Segregated populations of hippocampal principal CA1 neurons mediating conditioning and extinction of contextual fear. J Neurosci 29:3387-3394. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5619-08.2009

Summary: This work examines what cell groups are responsible for controlling contextual fear. 180 ng of mu p75-SAP (Cat. #IT-16) was injected into the medial septum of mice. Saporin (Cat. #PR-01) was used as a control. In lesioned animals, fear extinction was lost along with the cholinergic input from the medial septum, while fear conditioning was left intact.

Related Products: mu p75-SAP (Cat. #IT-16), Saporin (Cat. #PR-01)

Bogen O, Dina OA, Gear RW, Levine JD (2009) Dependence of monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 induced hyperalgesia on the isolectin B4-binding protein versican. Neuroscience 159:780-786. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2008.12.049

Summary: Monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) is involved in generation of inflammatory and neuropathic pain, but the mechanisms underlying this involvement are not understood. Rats received 3.2 µg intrathecal injections of IB4-SAP (Cat. #IT-10). Ten days later the rats received intradermal MCP-1. Animals treated with IB4-SAP did not exhibit the mechanical hyperalgesia normally seen when treated with MCP-1.

Related Products: IB4-SAP (Cat. #IT-10)

Paban V, Chambon C, Manrique C, Touzet C, Alescio-Lautier B (2011) Neurotrophic signaling molecules associated with cholinergic damage in young and aged rats: environmental enrichment as potential therapeutic agent. Neurobiol Aging 32(3):470-485. doi: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2009.03.010

Summary: This study examined the potential of long-term environmental enrichment as a therapeutic agent for cholinergic damage. Rats received bilateral injections of 192-IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-01) into the medial septum (37.5 ng per side) and nucleus basalis magnocellularis (75 ng per side). Through the use of cDNA macroarrays the authors associated the therapeutic effects of environmental enrichment with downregulation of gene expression associated with certain cell processes, and upregulation of gene expression associated with signal transduction.

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

Young B, Coolen L, McKenna K (2009) Neural regulation of ejaculation. J Sex Med 6(Suppl 3):229-233. doi: 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2008.01181.x

Summary: This review summarizes that a specific population of lumbar spinothalamic (LSt) cells plays in regulation of the ejaculatory response. One method to study these cells is the injection of SSP-SAP (Cat. #IT-11) into the LSt cells surrounding the central canal. Over 90% of these cells express the NK-1 receptor. This lesion significantly disrupts ejaculation without affecting mounts or intromissions.

Related Products: SSP-SAP (Cat. #IT-11)

Antonini V, Prezzavento O, Coradazzi M, Marrazzo A, Ronsisvalle S, Arena E, Leanza G (2009) Anti-amnesic properties of (+/-)-PPCC, a novel sigma receptor ligand, on cognitive dysfunction induced by selective cholinergic lesion in rats. J Neurochem 109:744-754. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2009.06000.x

Summary: Sigma-1 receptors are found throughout the central nervous system, and are thought to be a target for regenerative therapy in Alzheimer’s disease. Rats received 3.0 µg or 5.0 µg of 192-IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-01) injected intracerebroventricularly. The lesioned animals displayed dose-dependent deficits in water maze performance. Treatment with the sigma-1 receptor agonist (±)-PPCC significantly improved both reference and working memory performance in treated animals, indicating that (±)-PPCC-mediated positive effects are probably a function of the sigma-1 receptor.

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

Cutuli D, Foti F, Mandolesi L, De Bartolo P, Gelfo F, Federico F, Petrosini L (2009) Cognitive performances of cholinergically depleted rats following chronic donepezil administration. J Alzheimers Dis 17(1):161-176. doi: 10.3233/JAD-2009-1040 PMID: 19221411

Summary: The authors examined whether donepezil could improve cognitive functions in rats with lesions of the cholinergic cells in the forebrain. Treated animals received 4 µg bilateral intracerebroventricular injections of 192-IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-01), followed by treatment with donepezil or a control. Donepezil-treated animals performed significantly better than control animals.

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

Rivat C, Vera-Portocarrero LP, Ibrahim MM, Mata HP, Stagg NJ, De Felice M, Porreca F, Malan TP (2009) Spinal NK-1 receptor-expressing neurons and descending pathways support fentanyl-induced pain hypersensitivity in a rat model of postoperative pain. Eur J Neurosci 29:727-737. doi: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2009.06616.x

Summary: Opioids activate hyperalgesia and allodynia. The authors test the hypothesis that NK-1 receptor-containing ascending pathways play a role in sensitivity to fentanyl. Rats received an intrathecal injection of SP-SAP (Cat. #IT-07), and controls received saporin (Cat. #PR-01). The data indicate that these ascending pathways have a role in fentanyl-induced hyperalgesia.

Related Products: SP-SAP (Cat. #IT-07), Saporin (Cat. #PR-01)

Frechette M, Rennie K, Pappas BA (2009) Developmental forebrain cholinergic lesion and environmental enrichment: behaviour, CA1 cytoarchitecture and neurogenesis. Brain Res 1252:172-182. doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2008.11.082

Summary: The authors investigated the effect of neonatal cholinergic lesions on plasticity in the presence or absence of enrichment. Each lateral ventricle of 7 day-old rats received 300 ng of 192-IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-01). Although the lesions did not attenuate neurobehavioral plasticity, there were several physiological changes that occurred despite the environmental enrichment.

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

Little CM, Coons KD, Sengelaub DR (2009) Neuroprotective effects of testosterone on the morphology and function of somatic motoneurons following the death of neighboring motoneurons. J Comp Neurol 512:359-372. doi: 10.1002/cne.21885

Summary: Atrophy of androgen-sensitive motoneurons due to proximity to damaged motoneurons can be attenuated by testosterone. This work examined whether typical motoneurons respond in the same way. Rats received 5-ng injections of CTB-SAP (Cat. #IT-14) that eliminated motoneurons innervating the vastus medialis muscle. Partial motoneuron depletion resulted in atrophy of the remaining quadriceps motoneurons; this was attenuated by the administration of testosterone.

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