Specific loss of neural sensitivity to interaural time difference of unmodulated noise stimuli following noise-induced hearing loss.

Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) causes an overall deficit in binaural hearing, including the abilities to localize sound sources, discriminate interaural time and level differences (ITDs and ILDs, respectively), and utilize binaural cues to aid signal detection and comprehension in noisy environments. Few studies have examined the effect of SNHL on binaural coding in the central auditory system, and those that have focused on age-related hearing loss. We induced hearing loss in male and female Dutch-belted rabbits via noise overexposure and compared unanesthetized single-unit responses of their inferior colliculi [hearing loss (HL) neurons] with those of unexposed rabbits. Sound-level thresholds of HL neurons to diotic noise were elevated by 75 dB, on average. Sensitivity of firing rates of HL neurons to the azimuth of a broadband noise stimulus was reduced, on average, but was confounded by differences in sound level with respect to detection threshold between groups. We independently manipulated ITD and ILD in virtual acoustic space and found directional sensitivity in binaurally sensitive HL neurons was entirely due to ILD sensitivity and no different than that for unexposed rabbits. However, ITD sensitivity was completely absent in binaurally sensitive HL neurons for noise stimuli both in virtual acoustic space and with ITDs extending to ±3 ms. HL neurons also had weaker spike-timing precision and slightly increased spontaneous rates. Overall, ILD sensitivity was uncompromised, whereas ITD sensitivity was completely lost, implying a specific inability to use information in the timing or correlation of acoustic noise waveforms between the two ears following severe SNHL.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Sensorineural hearing loss compromises perceptual abilities that arise from hearing with two ears, yet its effects on binaural aspects of neural responses are largely unknown. We found that, following severe hearing loss because of acoustic trauma, auditory midbrain neurons specifically lost the ability to encode time differences between the arrival of a broadband noise stimulus to the two ears, whereas the encoding of sound level differences between the two ears remained uncompromised.

Zinc modulates synaptic transmission by differentially regulating synaptic glutamate homeostasis in hippocampus.

A subset of presynaptic glutamatergic vesicles in the brain co-releases zinc (Zn2+ ) with glutamate into the synapse. However, the role of synaptically released Zn2+ is still under investigation. Here, we studied the effect of Zn2+ on glutamate homeostasis by measuring the evoked extracellular glutamate level (EGL) and the probability of evoked action potential (PEAP ) at the Zn2+ -containing or zincergic mossy fiber-CA3 synapses of the rat hippocampus. We found that the application of Zn2+ (ZnCl2 ) exerted bidirectional effects on both EGL and PEAP : facilitatory at low concentration (~1 µM) while repressive at high concentration (~50 µM). To determine the action of endogenous Zn2+ , we also used extracellular Zn2+ chelator to remove the synaptically released Zn2+ . Zn2+ chelation reduced both EGL and PEAP , suggesting that endogenous Zn2+ has mainly a facilitative role in glutamate secretion on physiological condition. We revealed that calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II was integral to the mechanism by which Zn2+ facilitated the release of glutamate. Moreover, a glutamate transporter was the molecular entity for the action of Zn2+ on glutamate uptake by which Zn2+ decreases glutamate availability. Taken together, we show a novel action of Zn2+ , which is to biphasically regulate glutamate homeostasis via Zn2+ concentration-dependent synaptic facilitation and depression. Thus, co-released Zn2+ is physiologically important for enhancing weak stimulation, but potentially mitigates excessive stimulation to keep synaptic transmission within optimal physiological range.

Alleviation of chronic pain following rat spinal cord compression injury with multimodal actions of huperzine A.

Diverse mechanisms including activation of NMDA receptors, microglial activation, reactive astrogliosis, loss of descending inhibition, and spasticity are responsible for ∼40% of cases of intractable neuropathic pain after spinal cord injury (SCI). Because conventional treatments blocking individual mechanisms elicit only short-term effectiveness, a multimodal approach with simultaneous actions against major pain-related pathways may have value for clinical management of chronic pain. We hypothesize that [-]-huperzine A (HUP-A), an alkaloid isolated from the club moss Huperzia serrata, that is a potent reversible inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase and NMDA receptors, could mitigate pain without invoking drug tolerance or dependence by stimulating cholinergic interneurons to impede pain signaling, inhibiting inflammation via microglial cholinergic activation, and blocking NMDA-mediated central hypersensitization. We tested our hypothesis by administering HUP-A i.p. or intrathecally to female Sprague-Dawley rats (200-235 g body weight) after moderate static compression (35 g for 5 min) of T10 spinal cord. Compared with controls, HUP-A treatment demonstrates significant analgesic effects in both regimens. SCI rats manifested no drug tolerance following repeated bolus i.p. or chronic intrathecal HUP-A dosing. The pain-ameliorating effect of HUP-A is cholinergic dependent. Relative to vehicle treatment, HUP-A administration also reduced neural inflammation, retained higher numbers of calcium-impermeable GluR2-containing AMPA receptors, and prevented Homer1a up-regulation in dorsal horn sensory neurons. Therefore, HUP-A may provide safe and effective management for chronic postneurotrauma pain by reestablishing homeostasis of sensory circuits.

Principal neuron diversity in the murine lateral superior olive supports multiple sound localization strategies and segregation of information in higher processing centers.

Principal neurons (PNs) of the lateral superior olive nucleus (LSO) in the brainstem of mammals compare information between the two ears and enable sound localization on the horizontal plane. The classical view of the LSO is that it extracts ongoing interaural level differences (ILDs). Although it has been known for some time that LSO PNs have intrinsic relative timing sensitivity, recent reports further challenge conventional thinking, suggesting the major function of the LSO is detection of interaural time differences (ITDs). LSO PNs include inhibitory (glycinergic) and excitatory (glutamatergic) neurons which differ in their projection patterns to higher processing centers. Despite these distinctions, intrinsic property differences between LSO PN types have not been explored. The intrinsic cellular properties of LSO PNs are fundamental to how they process and encode information, and ILD/ITD extraction places disparate demands on neuronal properties. Here we examine the ex vivo electrophysiology and cell morphology of inhibitory and excitatory LSO PNs in mice. Although overlapping, properties of inhibitory LSO PNs favor time coding functions while those of excitatory LSO PNs favor integrative level coding. Inhibitory and excitatory LSO PNs exhibit different activation thresholds, potentially providing further means to segregate information in higher processing centers. Near activation threshold, which may be physiologically similar to the sensitive transition point in sound source location for LSO, all LSO PNs exhibit single-spike onset responses that can provide optimal time encoding ability. As stimulus intensity increases, LSO PN firing patterns diverge into onset-burst cells, which can continue to encode timing effectively regardless of stimulus duration, and multi-spiking cells, which can provide robust individually integrable level information. This bimodal response pattern may produce a multi-functional LSO which can encode timing with maximum sensitivity and respond effectively to a wide range of sound durations and relative levels.

Tonotopic distribution and inferior colliculus projection pattern of inhibitory and excitatory cell types in the lateral superior olive of mice.

The principal neurons (PNs) of the lateral superior olive nucleus (LSO) are an important component of mammalian brainstem circuits that compare activity between the two ears and extract intensity and timing differences used for sound localization. There are two LSO PN transmitter types, glycinergic and glutamatergic, which also have different ascending projection patterns to the inferior colliculus (IC). Glycinergic LSO PNs project ipsilaterally while glutamatergic one's projections vary in laterality by species. In animals with good low-frequency hearing (<3 kHz) such as cats and gerbils, glutamatergic LSO PNs have both ipsilateral and contralateral projections; however, rats that lack this ability only have the contralateral pathway. Additionally, in gerbils, the glutamatergic ipsilateral projecting LSO PNs are biased to the low-frequency limb of the LSO suggesting this pathway may be an adaptation for low-frequency hearing. To further test this premise, we examined the distribution and IC projection pattern of LSO PNs in another high-frequency specialized species using mice by combining in situ hybridization and retrograde tracer injections. We observed no overlap between glycinergic and glutamatergic LSO PNs confirming they are distinct cell populations in mice as well. We found that mice also lack the ipsilateral glutamatergic projection from LSO to IC and that their LSO PN types do not exhibit pronounced tonotopic biases. These data provide insights into the cellular organization of the superior olivary complex and its output to higher processing centers that may underlie functional segregation of information.

Paired measurements of cochlear function and hair cell count in Dutch-belted rabbits with noise-induced hearing loss.

The effects of noise-induced hearing loss have yet to be studied for the Dutch-belted strain of rabbits, which is the only strain that has been used in studies of the central auditory system. We measured auditory brainstem responses (ABRs), 2f1-f2 distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs), and counts of cochlear inner and outer hair cells (IHCs and OHCs, respectively) from confocal images of Myo7a-stained cochlear whole-mounts in unexposed and noise-overexposed, Dutch-belted, male and female rabbits in order to characterize cochlear function and structure under normal-hearing and hearing-loss conditions. Using an octave-band noise exposure centered at 750 Hz presented under isoflurane anesthesia, we found that a sound level of 133 dB SPL for 60 min was minimally sufficient to produce permanent ABR threshold shifts. Overexposure durations of 60 and 90 min caused median click-evoked ABR threshold shifts of 10 and 50 dB, respectively. Susceptibility to overexposure was highly variable across ears, but less variable across test frequencies within the same ear. ABR and DPOAE threshold shifts were smaller, on average, and more variable in male than female ears. Similarly, post-exposure survival of OHCs was higher, on average, and more variable in male than female ears. We paired post-exposure ABR and DPOAE threshold shift data with hair cell count data measured in the same ear at the same frequency and cochlear frequency location. ABR and DPOAE threshold shifts exhibited critical values of 46 and 18 dB, respectively, below which the majority of OHCs and IHCs survived and above which OHCs were wiped out while IHC survival was variable. Our data may be of use to researchers who wish to use Dutch-belted rabbits as a model for the effects of noise-induced hearing loss on the central auditory system.

Intracellular zinc distribution in mitochondria, ER and the Golgi apparatus.

Zinc (Zn(2+)) is required for numerous cellular functions. As such, the homeostasis and distribution of intracellular zinc can influence cellular metabolism and signaling. However, the exact distribution of free zinc within live cells remains elusive. Previously we showed the release of zinc from thapsigargin/IP3-sensitive endoplasmic reticulum (ER) storage in cortical neurons. In the present study, we investigated if other cellular organelles also contain free chelatable zinc and function as organelle storage for zinc. To identify free zinc within the organelles, live cells were co-stained with Zinpyr-1, a zinc fluorescent dye, and organelle-specific fluorescent dyes (MitoFluor Red 589: mitochondria; ER Tracker Red: endoplasmic reticulum; BODIPY TR ceramide: Golgi apparatus; Syto Red 64: nucleus). We examined organelles that represent potential storing sites for intracellular zinc. We showed that zinc fluorescence staining was co-localized with MitoFluor Red 589, ER Tracker Red, and BODIPY TR ceramide respectively, suggesting the presence of free zinc in mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, and the Golgi apparatus. On the other hand, cytosol and nucleus had nearly no detectable zinc fluorescence. It is known that nucleus contains high amount of zinc binding proteins that have high zinc binding affinity. The absence of zinc fluorescence suggests that there is little free zinc in these two regions. It also indicates that the zinc fluorescence detected in mitochondria, ER and Golgi apparatus represents free chelatable zinc. Taken together, our results support that these organelles are potential zinc storing organelles during cellular zinc homeostasis.

Targeted Treatment of Experimental Spinal Cord Glioma With Dual Gene-Engineered Human Neural Stem Cells.

BACKGROUND: There are currently no satisfactory treatments or experimental models showing autonomic dysfunction for intramedullary spinal cord gliomas (ISCG). OBJECTIVE: To develop a rat model of ISCG and investigate whether genetically engineered human neural stem cells (F3.hNSCs) could be developed into effective therapies for ISCG. METHODS: Immunodeficient/Rowett Nude rats received C6 implantation of G55 human glioblastoma cells (10K/each). F3.hNSCs engineered to express either cytosine deaminase gene only (i.e., F3.CD) or dual genes of CD and thymidine kinase (i.e., F3.CD-TK) converted benign 5-fluorocytosine and ganciclovir into oncolytic 5-fluorouracil and ganciclovir-triphosphate, respectively. ISCG rats received injection of F3.CD-TK, F3.CD, or F3.CD-TK debris near the tumor epicenter 7 days after G55 seeding, followed with 5-FC (500 mg/kg/5 mL) and ganciclovir administrations (25 mg/kg/1 mL/day × 5/each repeat, intraperitoneal injection). Per humane standards for animals, loss of weight-bearing stepping in the hindlimb was used to determine post-tumor survival. Also evaluated were autonomic functions and tumor growth rate in vivo. RESULTS: ISCG rats with F3.CD-TK treatment survived significantly longer (37.5 ± 4.78 days) than those receiving F3.CD (21.5 ± 1.75 days) or F3.CD-TK debris (19.3 ± 0.85 days; n = 4/group; P < .05, median rank test), with significantly improved autonomic function and reduced tumor growth rate. F3.DC-TK cells migrated diffusively into ISCG clusters to mediate oncolytic effect. CONCLUSION: Dual gene-engineered human neural stem cell regimen markedly prolonged survival in a rat model that emulates somatomotor and autonomic dysfunctions of human cervical ISCG. F3.CD-TK may provide a novel approach to treating clinical ISCG. ABBREVIATIONS: 5FC, 5-fluorocytosineBBB, Basso, Beattie, and BresnahanCD, cytosine deaminaseDP, diastolic blood pressureGCV, ganciclovir; hNSCs, human neural stem cellsISCG, intramedullary spinal cord gliomasMAP, mean arterial blood pressureNSCs, neural stem cellsSP, systolic blood pressureTK, thymidine kinase.

Stemness enhancement of human neural stem cells following bone marrow MSC coculture.

Rapid loss of stemness capacity in purified prototype neural stem cells (NSCs) remains a serious challenge to basic and clinical studies aiming to repair the central nervous system. Based on the essential role of mesodermal guidance in the process of neurulation, we hypothesized that coculture of human NSCs (hNSCs) with human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal stem cells (hMSCs) could enhance the stemness of hNSCs through Notch-1 signaling. We have now tested the hypothesis by assessing behaviors of hNSCs and hMSCs under systematically designed coculture conditions relative to monocultures, with or without Notch-1 manipulation in vitro. Our data demonstrate that expression levels of Notch-1 and Hes-1 as determined by immunocytochemistry are significantly higher in hNSCs cocultured with hMSCs than those of controls. Furthermore, coculturing significantly increases immunoreactivity of CD15, a neural stemness marker, but decreases CD24, a marker of neural/neuronal commitment in hNSCs. The effect is independent from the physical status of cell growth since coculture and notch signaling actually promotes hNSC adhesion. Importantly, coculture with hMSCs markedly augments hNSC proliferation rate (e.g., higher yield in G2/M phase subpopulation in a notch-dependent manner detected by flow cytometry) without diminishing their lineage differentiation capabilities. The results suggest that coculture of hNSCs with hMSCs enhances stemness biology of hNSCs partially via activation of Notch-1 signal transduction. Our finding sheds new light on mesoderm-ectoderm cell fate determination via contact-based hMSC-hNSC interactions and provides mechanistic leads for devising effective regimens to sustain and augment stemness of in vitro established hNSC and hMSC lines for basic science, translational and clinical applications.

An efficient device to experimentally model compression injury of mammalian spinal cord.

We report an efficient and effective device to reproducibly model clinically relevant spinal cord injury (SCI) via controlled mechanical compression. In the present study, following skin incision, dorsal laminectomy was performed to expose T10 spinal cord of adult female Sprague-Dawley rats (230-250 g). The vertebral column was suspended and stabilized by Allis clamps at T8 and 12 spinous processes. A metal impounder was then gently loaded onto T10 dura (20, 35 or 50 g × 5 min; n=7/group), resulting in acute mild, moderate, or severe standing weight compression, respectively. Neurobehavioral outcomes were evaluated using the BBB locomotor scale and inclined plane test for coordinated hindlimb function, and a battery of spinal reflex tests for sensorimotor functions, at 1 day following SCI and weekly thereafter for 7 weeks. Quantitative histopathology was used to assess injury-triggered loss of white matter, gray matter and ventral horn motor neurons. Immunocytochemical levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and ß-amyloid precursor protein (APP) at the cervical and lumbar regions were measured to determine the distal segment impact of T10 compression. The data demonstrates that the standardized protocol generates weight-dependent hindlimb motosensory deficits and neurodegeneration primarily at and near the lesion epicenter. Importantly, there are significantly increased GFAP and APP expressions in spinal cord segments involved in eliciting post-SCI allodynia. Therefore, the described system reliably produces compression trauma in manners partially emulating clinical quasi-static insults to the spinal cord, providing a pragmatic model to investigate pathophysiological events and potential therapeutics for compression SCI.