2011 Targeting Trends Review

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)

Mitra N, Banda K, Altheide TK, Schaffer L, Johnson-Pais TL, Beuten J, Leach RJ, Angata T, Varki N, Varki A (2011) SIGLEC12, a human-specific segregating (pseudo)gene, encodes a signaling molecule expressed in prostate carcinomas. J Biol Chem 286(26):23003-23011. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M111.244152

Summary: Siglec 12 (sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-like lectin 12) is a sugar molecule that has mutated in humans to be inactive, but is active in other primates. The human version is found on some macrophages, various epithelial cell surfaces, and some human carcinoma cell lines. Using Mab-ZAP (Cat. #IT-04) and monoclonal antibodies against Siglec 12, the researchers demonstrated binding and internalization in a prostate cancer cell line, indicating that Siglec 12 may be a target for some cancer therapies.

Related Products: Mab-ZAP (Cat. #IT-04)

Radley JJ, Sawchenko PE (2011) A common substrate for prefrontal and hippocampal inhibition of the neuroendocrine stress response. J Neurosci 31(26):9683-95. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.6040-10.2011

Summary: In order to better understand how response to emotional stress is regulated, the authors injected 114 ng of GAT-1-SAP (Cat. #IT-32) into each side of the anterior bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. Mouse IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-18) was used as a control. The results suggest that medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampal formation influences on stress regulation use the same access to modulate emotional stress rather than having parallel networks.

Related Products: GAT1-SAP (Cat. #IT-32), Mouse IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-18)

St Peters M, Demeter E, Lustig C, Bruno JP, Sarter M (2011) Enhanced control of attention by stimulating mesolimbic-corticopetal cholinergic circuitry. J Neurosci 31(26):9760-9771. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1902-11.2011

Summary: Motivation and attention interact to preserve cognitive performance under challenging conditions. In order to better define the circuitry connecting these two processes, the authors lesioned the prefrontal cortex (200 ng of 192-IgG-SAP, Cat. #IT-01) and the posterior parietal cortex (280 ng of 192-IgG-SAP). Mouse IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-18) was used as a control. The data indicate that cholinergic projections to the cortex modulate detection of clues and filtering of distractors during attentional tasks, accentuating cognitive control.

Related Products: 192-IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-01), Mouse IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-18)

Read the featured article in Targeting Trends.

Bartness TJ, Keen-Rhinehart E, Dailey MJ, Teubner BJ (2011) Neural and hormonal control of food hoarding. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 301(3):R641-R655. doi: 10.1152/ajpregu.00137.2011

Summary: Hoarding of food is a commonly found behavior in humans and animals. This review discusses the neuronal and hormonal processes involved in the control of food hoarding. Several aspects of food hoarding are examined, including the role of food deprivation, environment, levels of hormones like leptin, ghrelin, and levels of peptides such as cholecystokinin. One experiment discussed injected NPY-SAP (Cat. #IT-28) into the arcuate nucleus of rats, which changed food hoarding responses to deprivation.

Related Products: NPY-SAP (Cat. #IT-28)

Angelucci F, Gelfo F, De Bartolo P, Caltagirone C, Petrosini L (2011) BDNF concentrations are decreased in serum and parietal cortex in immunotoxin 192 IgG-Saporin rat model of cholinergic degeneration. Neurochem Int 59(1):1-4. doi: 10.1016/j.neuint.2011.04.010

Summary: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays a role in neuronal function during the degeneration of neurons caused by pathological conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. In order to investigate the relationship between brain and serum BDNF levels the authors administered 2 µg of 192-IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-01) into each lateral ventricle of rats and measured brain and serum BDNF levels by ELISA. It was found that BDNF levels dropped in lesioned animals, but not until 15 days post surgery.

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

Lee S, Craddock Z, Rivier C (2011) Brain stem catecholamines circuitry: Activation by alcohol and role in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal response to this drug. J Neuroendocrinol 23(6):531-541. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2826.2011.02131.x

Summary: In this work the authors investigated mechanisms underlying the stimulatory effect of alcohol on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA). One method used was 33-ng injections of anti-DBH-SAP (Cat. #IT-03) into the A2/C2/C3 and A1/C1 regions. The data generated show that catecholamines, especially in the brainstem, regulate the HPA response to alcohol. This regulation utilizes α1-adrenergic receptors. Administration of anti-DBH-SAP to the A1-A2/C1-C3 regions disrupted the catecholaminergic input to the paraventricular nucleus.

Related Products: Anti-DBH-SAP (Cat. #IT-03)

I’anson H, Jethwa PH, Warner A, Ebling FJ (2011) Histaminergic regulation of seasonal metabolic rhythms in Siberian hamsters. Physiol Behav 103(3-4):268-278. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2011.02.035

Summary: The role of central histaminergic mechanisms on seasonal catabolic state was investigated in hamsters. Siberian hamsters received bilateral 3.8-ng injections of orexin-SAP (Cat. #IT-20) into the tuberomammillary posterior hypothalamic region. Saporin (Cat. #PR-01) was used as a control. During long days, lesioned animals displayed higher locomotor activity, greater oxygen intake, and no net weight gain. During shorter days (hibernation) with less activity, lesioned animals did not lose weight. The data indicate that histaminergic neurons are involved in body weight regulation.

Related Products: Orexin-B-SAP (Cat. #IT-20), Saporin (Cat. #PR-01)

King T, Qu C, Okun A, Mercado R, Ren J, Brion T, Lai J, Porreca F (2011) Contribution of afferent pathways to nerve injury-induced spontaneous pain and evoked hypersensitivity. Pain 152(9):1997-2005. doi: 10.1016/j.pain.2011.04.020

Summary: Whether exaggerated pain response to a normally innocuous tactile stimulus should be defined as allodynia has been debated. Through the use of several techniques, one of which was intrathecal injection of SSP-SAP (Cat. #IT-11, 16.5 pg), the authors examined which pathways were utilized in this type of pain. Blank-SAP (Cat. #IT-21) was used as a control. The data indicate that tactile stimulation may reflect a different pain state than allodynia.

Related Products: SSP-SAP (Cat. #IT-11), Blank-SAP (Cat. #IT-21)

Read the featured article in Targeting Trends.