Biology subjects

Irie, S.

Publications and source records attributed to Irie, S..

6 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2024

Vasopressin-to-Oxytocin Receptor Crosstalk in the Preoptic Area Underlying Parental Behaviors in Male Mice

The transition to parenthood brings significant changes in behavior toward offspring. For instance, in anticipation of their offspring, male mice shift from infanticidal to caregiving behaviors. While the release of oxytocin from the paraventricular hypothalamus (PVH) plays a critical role in paternal caregiving, it does not fully account for the entire behavioral shift. The specific downstream neurons and signaling mechanisms involved in this process remain obscure. Here, we demonstrate that PVH vasopressin neurons also essentially contribute to a paternal behavioral shift. This vasopressin signal is partially transmitted through oxytocin receptors (OTRs) expressed in the anterior commissure and medial nuclei of the preoptic area. These OTR-expressing neurons receive inputs from both PVH oxytocin and vasopressin neurons and are responsible for expressing paternal caregiving behaviors. Collectively, this non-canonical vasopressin-to-OTR crosstalk within specific limbic circuits acts as a pivotal regulator of paternal behavioral changes in mice. HighlightsO_LIPVH vasopressin neurons are required for and can trigger paternal caregiving behaviors. C_LIO_LIVasopressin-induced paternal behaviors are mediated in part by OTRs in the preoptic area (POA). C_LIO_LIPOA OTR neurons receive inputs from both PVH oxytocin and vasopressin neurons. C_LIO_LIPOA OTR neurons play a critical and facilitative role in promoting paternal caregiving behaviors. C_LI

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2024

Parallel Labeled-Line Organization of Sympathetic Outflow for Selective Organ Regulation in Mice

The sympathetic nervous system is vital in maintaining homeostasis and responding to environmental changes1-3. This regulation is coordinated by the spinal sympathetic preganglionic neurons (SPNs), which influence various organs both through neuronal pathways via postganglionic neurons and through endocrine processes by innervating the adrenal gland. Despite decades of research supporting the concept of selective control within this system1,4-9, the neural circuit organization responsible for the specificity of sympathetic outflow remains poorly understood. Notably, classical anatomical studies in rats have not revealed a definitive molecular code governing SPNs, nor have they confirmed the existence of SPNs strictly corresponding to specific output targets1,6,10,11. To reconcile this discrepancy, we aim to integrate recent transcriptome data of SPNs12,13 in mice with viral-genetic toolkits14 to map axonal projections and manipulate the functions of SPNs governing the gastrointestinal tract and adrenal gland. Here, we have identified two subtypes of SPNs in the lower thoracic spinal cord, defined at the molecular level, exhibiting non-overlapping patterns of innervation. Chemogenetic manipulations on these distinct SPN subtypes revealed selective impacts on the digestive functions in the gastrointestinal tracts or glucose metabolism mediated by the adrenal gland, respectively. This molecularly delineated parallel labeled-line organization in sympathetic outflows presents a potential avenue for selectively manipulating organ functions.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2023

Selective Vulnerability of Parvocellular Oxytocin Neurons in Social Dysfunction

Selective vulnerability offers a conceptual framework for understanding neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinsons disease, where specific neuronal types are selectively affected while adjacent ones are spared. The applicability of this framework to neurodevelopmental disorders remains uncertain, particularly those characterized by atypical social behaviors such as autism spectrum disorder. Here, employing a single-cell transcriptome analysis in mice, we show that an embryonic disturbance known to induce social dysfunction preferentially impairs gene expressions crucial for neural functions in parvocellular oxytocin (OT) neurons--a subtype linked to social rewards--while neighboring cell types experience a lesser impact. Chemogenetic stimulation of OT neurons at the neonatal stage ameliorated social deficits in early adulthood, concurrent with a cell-type-specific sustained recovery of the pivotal gene expressions within parvocellular OT neurons. Collectively, our data shed light on the transcriptomic selective vulnerability within the hypothalamic social behavioral center and provide a potential therapeutic target through specific neonatal neurostimulation.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2023

Dietary Availability Acutely Governs Puberty Onset via Hypothalamic Neural Circuit

Reproduction poses a substantial burden, especially for mammalian females. Puberty onset serves as a vital checkpoint, regulated based on the bodys energy state, to prevent inappropriate reproductive activity under malnutrition. However, the neural basis of this puberty checkpoint remains poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that peripubertal malnutrition in female mice reduces the synchronous activity episodes of arcuate kisspeptin neurons (SEskiss), which are critical regulators of the gonadotropin axis. Improved dietary availability boosts SEskiss frequency, facilitating puberty onset. Using a viral-genetic approach, we show that the activating agouti-related protein neurons in the arcuate nucleus (ARCAgrp neurons), a hunger center, suppresses SEskiss, even with enough food. Conversely, loss-of-function of ARCAgrp neurons enhances SEskiss during malnutrition, partly promoting irregular sexual maturation. Collectively, a neural circuit connecting feeding to reproductive centers is responsible for disinhibiting SEskiss frequency based on dietary availability, which sheds light on the neural basis of puberty checkpoint. HighlightsO_LIThe pulsatile activity of arcuate kisspeptin neurons emerges and grows before vaginal opening. C_LIO_LIPubertal impairment resulting from malnutrition is associated with a reduction in the pulsatile activity of kisspeptin neurons. C_LIO_LIPubertal recovery by food availability follows the elevated pulsatile activity of kisspeptin neurons during catch-up growth. C_LIO_LIThe arcuate Agrp neurons suppress the frequency of pulsatile activity of kisspeptin neurons under negative energy balance. C_LI

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2023

A Prefrontal Neural Circuit for Maternal Behavioural Leaning in Mice

Maternal behaviors, which are crucial for the survival of mammalian infants, require the coordinated operation of multiple brain regions to process infant cues, make decisions, and execute motor plans. Although these processes likely demand higher cognitive functions, the prefrontal areas that regulate limbic parental programs remains poorly understood. Here, we show that the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) excitatory projection neurons promote alloparental caregiving behaviors in female mice. By chronic microendoscopy, we observed robust yet adaptable representations of pup-directed anticipatory and motor-related activities within the OFC. Some of these plastic responses were significantly overlapped with those related to nonsocial reward signals. The inactivation of OFC output reduced the phasic activities of midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons specifically tied to pup retrieval and impaired the modulation of DA release to the ventral striatum during the acquisition of alloparental behaviors. These findings suggest that the OFC transiently boosts DA activity during the acquisition phase, thereby facilitating the manifestation of alloparental behaviors.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2020

Injectable prevascularized mature adipose tissues (iPAT) to achieve long-term survival in soft tissues regeneration

Soft tissue regeneration remains a challenge in reconstructive surgery. Current autologous fat implantations lead to high fat absorption ratios, while artificial implants can be associated with lymphoma occurrence. To overcome these limitations, our aim was to reproduce adipose tissue vasculature structure before implantation. Here, we developed injectable prevascularized adipose tissues (iPAT), using physiological collagen microfibers (CMF) mixed with human mature adipocytes, adipose-derived stem cells (ADSC) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). Following murine subcutaneous implantation, higher cell survival (84{+/-}6% viability) and volume maintenance were shown after 3 months for the iPAT (up to twice heavier than the non-prevascularized balls). This higher survival can be explained by the greater amount of blood vessels (up to 1.6 folds increase), with balanced host anastomosis (51{+/-}1% of human/mouse lumens), also involving infiltration by the lymphatic and neural vasculature networks. These iPAT tissues allowed non-invasive soft tissue reconstruction for long-term outcomes, and the ability to cryopreserve them with maintained viability and functionality also enables a later reinjection usually required before reaching the final patient desired graft volume.

bioengineering↗