Serotonergic 5-HT7 Receptors as Modulators of the Nociceptive System.

The biogenic amine serotonin modulates pain perception by activating several types of serotonergic receptors, including the 5-HT7 type. These receptors are widely expressed along the pain axis, both peripherally, on primary nociceptors, and centrally, in the spinal cord and the brain. The role of 5-HT7 receptors in modulating pain has been explored in vivo in different models of inflammatory and neuropathic pain. While most studies have reported an antinociceptive effect of 5-HT7 receptor activation, some authors have suggested a pronociceptive action. Differences in pain models, animal species and gender, receptor types, agonists, and route of administration could explain these discrepancies. In this mini-review, some of the main findings concerning the function of 5-HT7 receptors in the pain system have been presented. The expression patterns of the receptors at the different levels of the pain axis, along with the cellular mechanisms involved in their activity, have been described. Alterations in receptor expression and/or function in different pain models and the role of 5-HT7 receptors in controlling pain transmission have also been discussed. Finally, some of the future perspectives in this field have been outlined.

Modulation of NMDA receptor activity by CR4056, an imidazoline-2 receptor ligand with analgesic properties.

CR4056 is an imidazoline-2 receptor ligand having potent analgesic activity and synergistic effect with opioids. Very recently it has been found that CR4056 can revert the cognitive impairment in animal models of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Since several lines of evidence highlight the importance of NMDAR modulators in nociceptive signaling and in AD progression, we considered as important to investigate the effects of CR4056 on NMDAR activity. In primary culture of cortical neurons, application of NMDA and glycine elicits a current that is decreased in a dose-dependent fashion by CR4056 (IC50 5.3 ± 0.1 µM). CR4056 antagonism is reversible, not competitive and voltage-independent and it is not blocked by pertussis toxin. CR4056 interacts with the co-agonist glycine site in a competitive way, indeed high glycine concentrations diminish its effect. Fibroblasts expressing different recombinant NMDA receptors are differently modulated by CR4056: the potency and the efficacy of the compound are higher in GluN1- GluN2B than in GluN1-GluN2A containing receptors. In lamina II neurons of spinal cord slices, single stimulation of afferent fibers evokes an NMDA-mediated current that is inhibited by 10 µM CR4056. Repetitive stimulation of the dorsal root at high frequency and high intensity produces a firing activity that is significatively depressed by CR4056. Taken together, our results broad the understanding of the molecular mechanisms of CR4056 analgesic activity, involving the modulation of NMDAR activity. Therefore, we propose that the analgesic action of CR4056 and the neuroprotective effects in AD models may be mediated also by NMDAR inhibition.

Osteoporosis in Light of a New Mechanism Theory of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness and Non-Contact Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury.

Osteoporosis is a disorder, with a largely unknown pathomechanism, that is often marked as a "silent thief", because it usually only becomes undisguised when fractures occur. This implies that the pathological damage occurs earlier than the sensation of pain. The current authors put forward a non-contact injury model in which the chronic overloading of an earlier autologously microinjured Piezo2 ion channel of the spinal proprioceptor terminals could lead the way to re-injury and earlier aging in a dose-limiting and threshold-driven way. As a result, the aging process could eventually lead the way to the metabolic imbalance of primary osteoporosis in a quad-phasic non-contact injury pathway. Furthermore, it is emphasised that delayed onset muscle soreness, non-contact anterior cruciate injury and osteoporosis could have the same initiating proprioceptive non-contact Piezo2 channelopathy, at different locations, however, with different environmental risk factors and a different genetic predisposition, therefore producing different outcomes longitudinally. The current injury model does not intend to challenge any running pathogenic theories or findings, but rather to highlight a principal injury mechanism.

5-HT7 Receptors Regulate Excitatory-Inhibitory Balance in Mouse Spinal Cord Dorsal Horn.

Serotonergic receptors of the 5-HT7 type (5-HT7Rs) are widely expressed in the central nervous system (CNS), where they modulate several functions, such as pain. Behavioral experiments in vivo have shown both anti- and pro-nociceptive actions of 5-HT7Rs, although an analgesic effect seems to be prevalent. In the spinal cord dorsal horn, the mechanisms involved in 5-HT7R-mediated synaptic modulation are still poorly understood, especially those regarding the control of synaptic inhibition. The present study investigated the modulation exerted by 5-HT7Rs on dorsal horn excitatory and inhibitory synaptic circuits, by performing patch-clamp recordings from lamina II neurons in mouse spinal cord slices. Our results show that applying the selective 5-HT7 agonist LP-211 facilitates glutamatergic release by enhancing the frequency of spontaneous postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs) and increasing the peak amplitude of excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) evoked by dorsal root stimulation. The effects on sEPSCs were still observed in the presence of the 5-HT1A antagonist WAY-100635, while the 5-HT7 antagonist SB-269970 blocked them. LP-211 was also able to increase the release of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glycine, as shown by the increase of spontaneous inhibitory currents (sIPSC) frequency and evoked inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSC) amplitude. LP-211 was proved to be more effective in potentiating synaptic inhibition as compared to excitation: consistently, 5-HT7R activation significantly enhanced the excitability of tonic firing neurons, mainly corresponding to inhibitory interneurons. Our data bring new insights into the mechanisms of synaptic modulation mediated by 5-HT7Rs in the dorsal horn. Stronger impact on synaptic inhibition supports the hypothesis that these receptors may play an anti-nociceptive role in the spinal cord of naïve animals.

Experimental Protocols and Analytical Procedures for Studying Synaptic Transmission in Rodent Spinal Cord Dorsal Horn.

Synaptic modulation and plasticity are key mechanisms underlying pain transmission in the spinal cord and supra-spinal centers. The study and understanding of these phenomena are fundamental to investigating both acute nociception and maladaptive changes occurring in chronic pain. This article describes experimental protocols and analytical methods utilized in electrophysiological studies to investigate synaptic modulation and plasticity at the first station of somatosensory processing, the spinal cord dorsal horn. Protocols useful for characterizing the nature of synaptic inputs, the site of modulation (pre- versus postsynaptic), and the presence of short-term synaptic plasticity are presented. These methods can be employed to study the physiology of acute nociception, the pathological mechanisms of persistent inflammatory and neuropathic pain, and the pharmacology of receptors and channels involved in pain transmission. © 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Spinal cord dissection and acute slice preparation Basic Protocol 2: Stimulation of the dorsal root and extracellular recording (compound action potentials and field potentials) Basic Protocol 3: Patch-clamp recording from dorsal horn neurons: action potential firing patterns and evoked synaptic inputs Basic Protocol 4: Analysis of parameters responsible for changes in synaptic efficacy Basic Protocol 5: Recording and analysis of currents mediated by astrocytic glutamate.

Murine cerebral organoids develop network of functional neurons and hippocampal brain region identity.

Brain organoids are in vitro three-dimensional (3D) self-organized neural structures, which can enable disease modeling and drug screening. However, their use for standardized large-scale drug screening studies is limited by their high batch-to-batch variability, long differentiation time (10-20 weeks), and high production costs. This is particularly relevant when brain organoids are obtained from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Here, we developed, for the first time, a highly standardized, reproducible, and fast (5 weeks) murine brain organoid model starting from embryonic neural stem cells. We obtained brain organoids, which progressively differentiated and self-organized into 3D networks of functional neurons with dorsal forebrain phenotype. Furthermore, by adding the morphogen WNT3a, we generated brain organoids with specific hippocampal region identity. Overall, our results showed the establishment of a fast, robust and reproducible murine 3D in vitro brain model that may represent a useful tool for high-throughput drug screening and disease modeling.

Mechanisms of Peripheral and Central Pain Sensitization: Focus on Ocular Pain.

Persistent ocular pain caused by corneal inflammation and/or nerve injury is accompanied by significant alterations along the pain axis. Both primary sensory neurons in the trigeminal nerves and secondary neurons in the spinal trigeminal nucleus are subjected to profound morphological and functional changes, leading to peripheral and central pain sensitization. Several studies using animal models of inflammatory and neuropathic ocular pain have provided insight about the mechanisms involved in these maladaptive changes. Recently, the advent of new techniques such as optogenetics or genetic neuronal labelling has allowed the investigation of identified circuits involved in nociception, both at the spinal and trigeminal level. In this review, we will describe some of the mechanisms that contribute to the perception of ocular pain at the periphery and at the spinal trigeminal nucleus. Recent advances in the discovery of molecular and cellular mechanisms contributing to peripheral and central pain sensitization of the trigeminal pathways will be also presented.

Does Compression Sensory Axonopathy in the Proximal Tibia Contribute to Noncontact Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury in a Causative Way?-A New Theory for the Injury Mechanism.

Anterior cruciate ligament injury occurs when the ligament fibers are stretched, partially torn, or completely torn. The authors propose a new injury mechanism for non-contact anterior cruciate ligament injury of the knee. Accordingly, non-contact anterior cruciate ligament injury could not happen without the acute compression microinjury of the entrapped peripheral proprioceptive sensory axons of the proximal tibia. This would occur under an acute stress response when concomitant microcracks-fractures in the proximal tibia evolve due to the same excessive and repetitive compression forces. The primary damage may occur during eccentric contractions of the acceleration and deceleration moments of strenuous or unaccustomed fatiguing exercise bouts. This primary damage is suggested to be an acute compression/crush axonopathy of the proprioceptive sensory neurons in the proximal tibia. As a result, impaired proprioception could lead to injury of the anterior cruciate ligament as a secondary damage, which is suggested to occur during the deceleration phase. Elevated prostaglandin E2, nitric oxide and glutamate may have a critical neuro-modulatory role in the damage signaling in this dichotomous neuronal injury hypothesis that could lead to mechano-energetic failure, lesion and a cascade of inflammatory events. The presynaptic modulation of the primary sensory axons by the fatigued and microdamaged proprioceptive sensory fibers in the proximal tibia induces the activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord, through a process that could have long term relevance due to its contribution to synaptic plasticity. Luteinizing hormone, through interleukin-1ß, stimulates the nerve growth factor-tropomyosin receptor kinase A axis in the ovarian cells and promotes tropomyosin receptor kinase A and nerve growth factor gene expression and prostaglandin E2 release. This luteinizing hormone induced mechanism could further elevate prostaglandin E2 in excess of the levels generated by osteocytes, due to mechanical stress during strenuous athletic moments in the pre-ovulatory phase. This may explain why non-contact anterior cruciate ligament injury is at least three-times more prevalent among female athletes.

Presynaptic Inhibition of Pain and Touch in the Spinal Cord: From Receptors to Circuits.

Sensory primary afferent fibers, conveying touch, pain, itch, and proprioception, synapse onto spinal cord dorsal horn neurons. Primary afferent central terminals express a wide variety of receptors that modulate glutamate and peptide release. Regulation of the amount and timing of neurotransmitter release critically affects the integration of postsynaptic responses and the coding of sensory information. The role of GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid) receptors expressed on afferent central terminals is particularly important in sensory processing, both in physiological conditions and in sensitized states induced by chronic pain. During the last decade, techniques of opto- and chemogenetic stimulation and neuronal selective labeling have provided interesting insights on this topic. This review focused on the recent advances about the modulatory effects of presynaptic GABAergic receptors in spinal cord dorsal horn and the neural circuits involved in these mechanisms.

Identification of a Potent and Selective 5-HT1A Receptor Agonist with In Vitro and In Vivo Antinociceptive Activity.

Opioids are the gold standard drugs for the treatment of acute and chronic severe pain, although their serious side effects constitute a big limitation. In the search for new and safer drugs, 5-HT1AR agonists are emerging as potential candidates in pain relief therapy. In this work, we evaluated the affinity and activity of enantiomers of the two newly synthesized, potent 5-HT1AR agonists N-[(2,2-diphenyl-1,3-dioxolan-4-yl)methyl]-2-[2-(pyridin-4-yl)phenoxy]ethan-1-ammonium hydrogenoxalate (rac-1) and N-((2,2-diphenyl-1,3-dioxolan-4-yl)methyl)-2-(2-(1-methyl-1H-imidazol-5-yl)phenoxy)ethan-1-ammonium hydrogenoxalate (rac-2) in vitro and in vivo. The role of chirality in the interaction with 5-HT1AR was evaluated by molecular docking. The activity of the rac-1 was tested in mouse models of acute pain (hot plate) and severe tonic nociceptive stimulation (intraplantar formalin test). Rac-1 was active in the formalin test with a reduction in paw licking in both phases at 10 mg/kg, and its effect was abolished by the selective 5-HT1AR antagonist, WAY-100635. The eutomer (S)-1, but not the racemate, was active during the hot plate test at 10 and 20 mg/kg, and this effect was abolished by 30 min treatment with WAY-100635 at 30 min. Similarly to 8-OH-DPAT, (S)-1 evoked a slow outward current and depressed spontaneous glutamatergic transmission in superficial dorsal horn neurons, more effectively than rac-1. The eutomer (S)-1 showed promising developability properties, such as high selectivity over 5-HT subtypes, no interaction with the µ receptors, and low hepato- and cardiotoxicity. Therefore, (S)-1 may represent a potential candidate for the treatment of acute and chronic pain without having the adverse effects that are commonly associated with the classic opioid drugs.

A spinal neural circuitry for converting touch to itch sensation.

Touch and itch sensations are crucial for evoking defensive and emotional responses, and light tactile touch may induce unpleasant itch sensations (mechanical itch or alloknesis). The neural substrate for touch-to-itch conversion in the spinal cord remains elusive. We report that spinal interneurons expressing Tachykinin 2-Cre (Tac2Cre) receive direct Aß low threshold mechanoreceptor (LTMR) input and form monosynaptic connections with GRPR neurons. Ablation or inhibition markedly reduces mechanical but not acute chemical itch nor noxious touch information. Chemogenetic inhibition of Tac2Cre neurons also displays pronounced deficit in chronic dry skin itch, a type of chemical itch in mice. Consistently, ablation of gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR) neurons, which are essential for transmitting chemical itch, also abolishes mechanical itch. Together, these results suggest that innocuous touch and chemical itch information converge on GRPR neurons and thus map an exquisite spinal circuitry hard-wired for converting innocuous touch to irritating itch.

Pain Inhibits GRPR Neurons via GABAergic Signaling in the Spinal Cord.

It has been known that algogens and cooling could inhibit itch sensation; however, the underlying molecular and neural mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we show that the spinal neurons expressing gastrin releasing peptide receptor (GRPR) primarily comprise excitatory interneurons that receive direct and indirect inputs from C and Aδ fibers and form contacts with projection neurons expressing the neurokinin 1 receptor (NK1R). Importantly, we show that noxious or cooling agents inhibit the activity of GRPR neurons via GABAergic signaling. By contrast, capsaicin, which evokes a mix of itch and pain sensations, enhances both excitatory and inhibitory spontaneous synaptic transmission onto GRPR neurons. These data strengthen the role of GRPR neurons as a key circuit for itch transmission and illustrate a spinal mechanism whereby pain inhibits itch by suppressing the function of GRPR neurons.

Serotonergic Modulation of Nociceptive Circuits in Spinal Cord Dorsal Horn.

BACKGROUND: Despite the extensive number of studies performed in the last 50 years, aimed at describing the role of serotonin and its receptors in pain modulation at the spinal cord level, several aspects are still not entirely understood. The interpretation of these results is often complicated by the use of different pain models and animal species, together with the lack of highly selective agonists and antagonists binding to serotonin receptors. METHOD: In this review, a search has been conducted on studies investigating the modulatory action exerted by serotonin on specific neurons and circuits in the spinal cord dorsal horn. Particular attention has been paid to studies employing electrophysiological techniques, both in vivo and in vitro. CONCLUSION: The effects of serotonin on pain transmission in dorsal horn depend on several factors, including the type of receptors activated and the populations of neurons involved. Recently, studies performed by activating and/or recording from identified neurons have importantly contributed to the understanding of serotonergic modulation on dorsal horn circuits.

Non-canonical Opioid Signaling Inhibits Itch Transmission in the Spinal Cord of Mice.

Chronic itch or pruritus is a debilitating disorder that is refractory to conventional anti-histamine treatment. Kappa opioid receptor (KOR) agonists have been used to treat chronic itch, but the underlying mechanism remains elusive. Here, we find that KOR and gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR) overlap in the spinal cord, and KOR activation attenuated GRPR-mediated histamine-independent acute and chronic itch in mice. Notably, canonical KOR-mediated Gαi signaling is not required for desensitizing GRPR function. In vivo and in vitro studies suggest that KOR activation results in the translocation of Ca2+-independent protein kinase C (PKC)δ from the cytosol to the plasma membrane, which in turn phosphorylates and inhibits GRPR activity. A blockade of phospholipase C (PLC) in HEK293 cells prevented KOR-agonist-induced PKCδ translocation and GRPR phosphorylation, suggesting a role of PLC signaling in KOR-mediated GRPR desensitization. These data suggest that a KOR-PLC-PKCδ-GRPR signaling pathway in the spinal cord may underlie KOR-agonists-induced anti-pruritus therapies.

Distinct roles of NMB and GRP in itch transmission.

A key question in our understanding of itch coding mechanisms is whether itch is relayed by dedicated molecular and neuronal pathways. Previous studies suggested that gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) is an itch-specific neurotransmitter. Neuromedin B (NMB) is a mammalian member of the bombesin family of peptides closely related to GRP, but its role in itch is unclear. Here, we show that itch deficits in mice lacking NMB or GRP are non-redundant and Nmb/Grp double KO (DKO) mice displayed additive deficits. Furthermore, both Nmb/Grp and Nmbr/Grpr DKO mice responded normally to a wide array of noxious stimuli. Ablation of NMBR neurons partially attenuated peripherally induced itch without compromising nociceptive processing. Importantly, electrophysiological studies suggested that GRPR neurons receive glutamatergic input from NMBR neurons. Thus, we propose that NMB and GRP may transmit discrete itch information and NMBR neurons are an integral part of neural circuits for itch in the spinal cord.

GABAB receptors-mediated tonic inhibition of glutamate release from Aß fibers in rat laminae III/IV of the spinal cord dorsal horn.

Presynaptic GABAB receptors (GABABRs) are highly expressed in dorsal root ganglion neurons and spinal cord dorsal horn. GABABRs located in superficial dorsal horn play an important antinociceptive role, by acting at both pre- and postsynaptic sites. GABABRs expressed in deep dorsal horn could be involved in the processing of touch sensation and possibly in the generation of tactile allodynia in chronic pain. The objective of this study was to characterize the morphological and functional properties of GABABRs expressed on Aß fibers projecting to lamina III/IV and to understand their role in modulating excitatory synaptic transmission. We performed high-resolution electron microscopic analysis, showing that GABAB2 subunit is expressed on 71.9% of terminals in rat lamina III-IV. These terminals were engaged in axodendritic synapses and, for the 46%, also expressed glutamate immunoreactivity. Monosynaptic excitatory postsynaptic currents, evoked by Aß fiber stimulation and recorded from lamina III/IV neurons in spinal cord slices, were strongly depressed by application of baclofen (0.1-2.5 µM), acting as a presynaptic modulator. Application of the GABABR antagonist CGP 55845 caused, in a subpopulation of neurons, the potentiation of the first of two excitatory postsynaptic currents recorded with the paired-pulse protocol, showing that GABABRs are endogenously activated. A decrease in the paired-pulse ratio accompanied the effect of CGP 55845, implying the involvement of presynaptic GABABRs. CGP 55845 facilitated only the first excitatory postsynaptic current also during a train of four consecutive stimuli applied to Aß fibers. These results suggest that GABABRs tonically inhibit glutamate release from Aß fibers at a subset of synapses in deep dorsal horn. This modulation specifically affects only the early phase of synaptic excitation in lamina III-IV neurons.

Transient, activity dependent inhibition of transmitter release from low threshold afferents mediated by GABAA receptors in spinal cord lamina III/IV.

BACKGROUND: Presynaptic GABAA receptors (GABAARs) located on central terminals of low threshold afferent fibers are thought to be involved in the processing of touch and possibly in the generation of tactile allodynia in chronic pain. These GABAARs mediate primary afferent depolarization (PAD) and modulate transmitter release. The objective of this study was to expand our understanding of the presynaptic inhibitory action of GABA released onto primary afferent central terminals following afferent stimulation. RESULTS: We recorded evoked postsynaptic excitatory responses (eEPSCs and eEPSPs) from lamina III/IV neurons in spinal cord slices from juvenile rats (P17-P23, either sex), while stimulating dorsal roots. We investigated time and activity dependent changes in glutamate release from low threshold A fibers and the impact of these changes on excitatory drive. Blockade of GABAARs by gabazine potentiated the second eEPSC during a train of four afferent stimuli in a large subset of synapses. This resulted in a corresponding increase of action potential firing after the second stimulus. The potentiating effect of gabazine was due to inhibition of endogenously activated presynaptic GABAARs, because it was not prevented by the blockade of postsynaptic GABAARs through intracellular perfusion of CsF. Exogenous activation of presynaptic GABAARs by muscimol depressed evoked glutamate release at all synapses and increased paired pulse ratio (PPR). CONCLUSIONS: These observations suggest that afferent driven release of GABA onto low threshold afferent terminals is most effective following the first action potential in a train and serves to suppress the initial strong excitatory drive onto dorsal horn circuitry.

Delta opioid receptors presynaptically regulate cutaneous mechanosensory neuron input to the spinal cord dorsal horn.

Cutaneous mechanosensory neurons detect mechanical stimuli that generate touch and pain sensation. Although opioids are generally associated only with the control of pain, here we report that the opioid system in fact broadly regulates cutaneous mechanosensation, including touch. This function is predominantly subserved by the delta opioid receptor (DOR), which is expressed by myelinated mechanoreceptors that form Meissner corpuscles, Merkel cell-neurite complexes, and circumferential hair follicle endings. These afferents also include a small population of CGRP-expressing myelinated nociceptors that we now identify as the somatosensory neurons that coexpress mu and delta opioid receptors. We further demonstrate that DOR activation at the central terminals of myelinated mechanoreceptors depresses synaptic input to the spinal dorsal horn, via the inhibition of voltage-gated calcium channels. Collectively our results uncover a molecular mechanism by which opioids modulate cutaneous mechanosensation and provide a rationale for targeting DOR to alleviate injury-induced mechanical hypersensitivity.

Pre- and postsynaptic inhibitory control in the spinal cord dorsal horn.

Sensory information transmitted to the spinal cord dorsal horn is modulated by a complex network of excitatory and inhibitory interneurons. The two main inhibitory transmitters, GABA and glycine, control the flow of sensory information mainly by regulating the excitability of dorsal horn neurons. A presynaptic action of GABA has also been proposed as an important modulatory mechanism of transmitter release from sensory primary afferent terminals. By inhibiting the release of glutamate from primary afferent terminals, activation of presynaptic GABA receptors could play an important role in nociceptive and tactile sensory coding, while changes in their expression or function could be involved in pathological pain conditions, such as allodynia.