Region-specific involvement of ventral striatal dopamine D2 receptor-expressing medium spiny neurons in nociception. (June 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Natsubori, Akiyo; Miyazawa, Momoka; Kojima, Takashi; Honda, Makoto
• Is Part Of: Neuroscience research. Volume 191(2023)
• Page Start: 48
• Page End: 56
• Publication Date: 2023-06
• Subjects: ANOVA Analysis of variance -- AP anteroposterior -- CFP cyan fluorescent protein -- D2-MSNs dopamine D2 receptor-expressing medium spiny neurons -- DV dorsoventral from the skull surface -- FRET fluorescence resonance energy transfer -- LED light-emitting diode -- ML mediolateral from bregma -- NAc nucleus accumbens -- TTL transistor-transistor logic -- VLS ventrolateral striatum -- VMS ventromedial striatum -- VS ventral striatum -- VTA ventral tegmental areas -- YC Yellow Cameleon -- YFP yellow fluorescent protein; Pain -- Nociception -- Ventral striatum -- Medium spiny neuron -- Fiber photometry -- Optogenetics; Neurosciences -- Research -- Periodicals; Neurosciences -- Research -- Japan -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Neurosciences -- Periodicals; Neurosciences -- Recherche -- Périodiques; Neurosciences -- Recherche -- Japon -- Périodiques; Neurosciences -- Research; Japan; Periodicals; 612.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2022.12.008
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0168-0102

Abstract

Abstract: The ventrolateral striatum (VLS), a subregion of the ventral striatum (VS), possesses distinct neuronal Ca 2+ activities and functions in reward-oriented behavior, compared with the ventromedial striatum (VMS) based on the anatomical feature. We hypothesized that the VLS exhibits unique neuronal activity and function in nociceptive processing, a part of aversive processing. Using fiber photometry to monitor the neuronal Ca 2+ activities, we demonstrated that acute noxious mechanical stimuli like tail-pinch increased the Ca 2+ activity of dopamine D2 receptor-expressing medium spiny neurons (D2-MSNs) in the VLS in correlation with the stimulus intensities in mice, whereas mechanical stimuli increased the VMS D2-MSN activity independent of the stimulus intensities. Likewise, thermal stimuli decreased the VLS and VMS D2-MSN Ca 2+ activities during nociceptive behaviors in the hot plate test. Furthermore, the VLS D2-MSNs increased their Ca 2+ activity accompanied by formalin-induced nociceptive behaviors in mice, whereas the VMS D2-MSNs decreased it. The optogenetic inhibition of VLS D2-MSN activity increased the formalin-induced pain-related behavior in mice, thus suggesting the inhibitory effect of VLS D2-MSN activity on chemical nociceptive behavior, in contrast to previous reports that the VMS D2-MSNs could not involve the behavior. Therefore, the VLS D2-MSNs exhibited region-specific roles in nociception. Highlights: VLS/VMS D2-MSNs show region-specific Ca 2+ activities depending on pain stimulus type. VLS D2-MSNs encode intensity of acute noxious mechanical stimuli but not VMS D2-MSNs. Noxious thermal stimuli reduces both VLS/VMS D2-MSNs Ca 2+ activities. VLS/VMS D2-MSNs show opposite Ca 2+ activity patterns during pain behavior by formalin. Photoinhibition of VLS D2-MSNs increases total time of formalin-induced pain behavior.