Miranda-Barrientos Jorge, Chambers Ian, Mongia Smriti, Liu Bing, Wang Hui-Ling, Mateo-Semidey Gabriel E, Margolis Elyssa B, Zhang Shiliang, Morales Marisela
Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD, USA.
UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Eur J Neurosci. 2021 Feb 22. doi: 10.1111/ejn.15156.
The ventral tegmental area (VTA) contains dopamine neurons intermixed with GABA-releasing (expressing vesicular GABA transporter, VGaT), glutamate-releasing (expressing vesicular glutamate transporter 2, VGluT2), and glutamate-GABA co-releasing (co-expressing VGluT2 and VGaT) neurons. By delivering INTRSECT viral vectors into the VTA of double vglut2-Cre/vgat-Flp transgenic mice, we targeted specific VTA cell populations for ex vivo recordings. We found that VGluT2 VGaT and VGluT2 VGaT neurons on average had relatively hyperpolarized resting membrane potential, greater rheobase, and lower spontaneous firing frequency compared to VGluT2 VGaT neurons, suggesting that VTA glutamate-releasing and glutamate-GABA co-releasing neurons require stronger excitatory drive to fire than GABA-releasing neurons. In addition, we detected expression of Oprm1mRNA (encoding µ opioid receptors, MOR) in VGluT2 VGaT and VGluT2 VGaT neurons, and that the MOR agonist DAMGO hyperpolarized neurons with these phenotypes. Collectively, we demonstrate the utility of the double transgenic mouse to access VTA glutamate, glutamate-GABA, and GABA neurons to determine their electrophysiological properties. SIGNIFICANT STATEMENT: Some physiological properties of VTA glutamate-releasing and glutamate-GABA co-releasing neurons are distinct from those of VTA GABA-releasing neurons. µ-opioid receptor activation hyperpolarizes some VTA glutamate-releasing and some GABA-releasing neurons.
腹侧被盖区(VTA)包含多巴胺能神经元,这些神经元与释放γ-氨基丁酸(GABA)的神经元(表达囊泡GABA转运体,VGAT)、释放谷氨酸的神经元(表达囊泡谷氨酸转运体2,VGluT2)以及共同释放谷氨酸和GABA的神经元(共表达VGluT2和VGAT)相互混合。通过将INTRSECT病毒载体导入双vglut2-Cre/vgat-Flp转基因小鼠的VTA中,我们针对特定的VTA细胞群体进行离体记录。我们发现,与仅释放VGluT2的神经元相比,VGluT2+VGAT和VGluT2+VGAT神经元平均具有相对超极化的静息膜电位、更大的基强度以及更低的自发放电频率,这表明VTA中释放谷氨酸和共同释放谷氨酸与GABA的神经元比释放GABA的神经元需要更强的兴奋性驱动才能放电。此外,我们在VGluT2+VGAT和VGluT2+VGAT神经元中检测到了Oprm1mRNA(编码μ阿片受体,MOR)的表达,并且MOR激动剂DAMGO使具有这些表型的神经元超极化。总体而言,我们证明了双转基因小鼠在研究VTA中谷氨酸能、谷氨酸-γ-氨基丁酸能和γ-氨基丁酸能神经元以确定其电生理特性方面的实用性。重要声明:VTA中释放谷氨酸和共同释放谷氨酸与GABA的神经元的一些生理特性与VTA中释放GABA的神经元不同。μ-阿片受体激活使一些VTA中释放谷氨酸的神经元和一些释放GABA的神经元超极化。
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