2012 Targeting Trends Review

Alvarez P, Gear RW, Green PG, Levine JD (2012) IB4-saporin attenuates acute and eliminates chronic muscle pain in the rat. Exp Neurol 233(2):859-865. doi: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2011.12.019

Summary: In order to clarify the roles of isolectin B4-positive and IB4-negative nociceptors in inflammatory and ergonomic muscle pain, the authors administered 3.2 µg of IB4-SAP (Cat. #IT-10) into the intrathecal space of rats. Although the baseline mechanical nociceptive threshold was not affected in the lesioned animals, mechanical hyperalgesia had a shorter duration. In the ergonomic models peak hyperalgesia was attenuated, and prolongation of PGE2-induced mechanical hyperalgesia was completely prevented.

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

Staudt MD, Truitt WA, McKenna KE, de Oliveira CV, Lehman MN, Coolen LM (2012) A pivotal role of lumbar spinothalamic cells in the regulation of ejaculation via intraspinal connections. J Sex Med 9(9):2256-2265. doi: 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2011.02574.x

Summary: The authors examined the hypothesis that specific lumbar spinothalamic (LSt) cells control ejaculation through intraspinal connections. Rats received six bilateral injections of SSP-SAP (Cat. #IT-11) into the spinal cord, 48 ng in total. Saporin (Cat. #PR-01) was used as a control. It was found that while erectile function and emission were not affected, the usual rhythmic contractions of the bulbocaveronosus muscle during ejaculation were prevented.

Related Products: SSP-SAP (Cat. #IT-11), Saporin (Cat. #PR-01)

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Khan AM KKL, Sanchez-Watts, Ponzio TA, Kuzmiski JB, Bains JS, Watts AG (2011) MAP kinases couple hindbrain-derived catecholamine signals to hypothalamic adrenocortical control mechanisms during glycemia-related challenges. J Neurosci 31(50):18479-18491. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4785-11.2011

Summary: This work uses in vivo and ex vivo techniques to clarify how hypothalamic afferent pathways use intracellular mechanisms to modulate glycemia related adrenocortical responses. Rats received 42 ng injections of anti-DBH-SAP (Cat. #IT-03) into the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. Mouse IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-18) was used as a control. The results establish a relationship between neurons from nutrient-sensing regions and intracellular mechanisms in hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing hormone neuroendocrine neurons.

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

Hayashida K, Peters CM, Gutierrez S, Eisenach JC (2012) Depletion of endogenous noradrenaline does not prevent spinal cord plasticity following peripheral nerve injury. J Pain 13(1):49-57. doi: 10.1016/j.jpain.2011.09.009

Summary: The authors examined what involvement noradrenergic fibers in the spinal cord have in neuronal and glial plasticity associated with neuropathic pain states. Rats received 5 μg intrathecal injections of anti-DBH-SAP (Cat. #IT-03). Lesioned animals did not display altered mechanical withdrawal thresholds, but L5-L6 spinal nerve ligation in these animals caused enhanced mechanical hypersensitivity and analgesia induced by intrathecal clonidine. The data suggest that endogenous noradrenaline may play an inhibitory role on glial activation.

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

Janiesch PC, Kruger HS, Poschel B, Hanganu-Opatz IL (2011) Cholinergic control in developing prefrontal-hippocampal networks. J Neurosci 31(49):17955-17970. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2644-11.2011

Summary: In this work the authors examined the role of acetylcholine in the maturation of cognitive processing due to oscillatory rhythms entraining neuronal networks. Rats received 50 ng of 192-IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-01) into each lateral ventricle, or 25 ng directly into the medial septum. Among other results, cholinergic input was shown to reach the prefrontal cortex toward the end of the first postnatal week, initially targeting GABAergic neurons. Reduction of this activity by lesioning cholinergic neurons may cause global diminishment of neocortical activity.

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

Huckstepp RT, Dale N (2011) Redefining the components of central CO2 chemosensitivity – towards a better understanding of mechanism. J Physiol 589(Pt 23):5561-5579. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.2011.214759

Summary: This review discusses advances in the field of CO2 chemosensitivity over the past few years. Discussion of the role that locus coeruleus (LC) neurons play in this process describe the use of anti-DBH-SAP (Cat. #IT-03) to reduce the hypercapnic ventilatory response. Data from these and other experiments support a role of the LC in modulation of the ventilatory response to hypercapnia.

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

Asano Y (2012) Age-related accumulation of non-heme ferric and ferrous iron in mouse ovarian stroma visualized by sensitive non-heme iron histochemistry. J Histochem Cytochem 60(3):229-242. doi: 10.1369/0022155411431734 PMID: 22108647

Summary: The mammalian ovary engages in continuous growth and cellular differentiation as long as the animal is capable of reproduction. During these processes iron ions are released from heme structures; these ions are capable of generating free radicals. The purpose of this study was to investigate non-heme iron distribution in ovarian tissue, and how this distribution changes during aging. Lipid peroxidation was monitored by immunohistochemistry using anti-conjugated malondialdehyde (Cat. #AB-T090). The data indicate that increasing oxidative stress, non-heme iron accumulation in ovarian stromal tissue, and aging are related.

Related Products: Malondialdehyde Rabbit Polyclonal, Conjugated (Cat. #AB-T090)

Botly LC, De Rosa E (2012) Impaired visual search in rats reveals cholinergic contributions to feature binding in visuospatial attention. Cereb Cortex 22(10):2441-2453. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhr331

Summary: Previous work established the role of acetylcholine from the nucleus basalis magnocellularis in attentional processing and visuospatial attention. In order to investigate the necessity of cortical cholinergic input for support of feature binding in visuospatial attention the authors administered bilateral intraparenchymal injections of 192-IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-01, 4 injections, 40 ng per injection). Lesioned animals took longer to locate targets during type-specific search trials, demonstrating that cholinergic input influences feature binding during visuospatial attention tasks.

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

Abbott SB, Stornetta RL, Coates MB, Guyenet PG (2011) Phox2b-expressing neurons of the parafacial region regulate breathing rate, inspiration, and expiration in conscious rats. J Neurosci 31(45):16410-16422. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3280-11.2011

Summary: Neurons in the retrotrapezoid nucleus (RTN) are involved in the CO2-dependent control of breathing in conscious and anesthetized rats. In this work the authors specifically examined Phox2b-expressing glutaminergic neurons in the RTN. Rats received 44 ng of DBH-SAP (Cat. #IT-03) into the lateral horn of the second thoracic segment in order to eliminate C1 neurons that project to the spinal cord. The data demonstrate regulation of lung ventilation by RTN-Phox2b neurons, and also that these neurons are not rhythmogenic in adults.

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

Croxson PL, Kyriazis DA, Baxter MG (2011) Cholinergic modulation of a specific memory function of prefrontal cortex. Nat Neurosci 14(12):1510-1512. doi: 10.1038/nn.2971

Summary: The authors investigated loss of acetylcholine in the large and highly differentiated PFC’s of rhesus monkeys. The monkeys received 80-92 20-ng injections of ME20.4-SAP (Cat. #IT-15) per hemisphere. Lesioned animals were severely impaired on tasks involving spatial working memory.

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