The obese gene product leptin is an important signaling protein that regulates food intake and body weight via activation of the hypothalamic leptin receptor (Ob-Rb; Jacob et al., 1997). However, there is growing evidence that Ob-Rb is also expressed in CNS regions, not directly associated with energy homeostasis (Mercer et al., 1996; Hakansson et al., 1998). In the hippocampus, an area of the brain involved in learning and memory, we have found that leptin facilitates the induction of synaptic plasticity. Leptin converts short-term potentiation of synaptic transmission induced by primed burst stimulation of the Schaffer collateral commissural pathway into long-term potentiation. The mechanism underlying this effect involves facilitation of NMDA receptor function because leptin rapidly enhances NMDA-induced increases in intracellular Ca(2+) levels ([Ca(2+)](i)) and facilitates NMDA, but not AMPA, receptor-mediated synaptic transmission. The signaling mechanism underlying these effects involves activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase, mitogen-activated protein kinase, and Src tyrosine kinases. These data indicate that a novel action of leptin in the CNS is to facilitate hippocampal synaptic plasticity via enhanced NMDA receptor-mediated Ca(2+) influx. Impairment of this process may contribute to the cognitive deficits associated with diabetes mellitus.

Journal of Physiologyleptin activates BK channels in hippocampal neurones (Shanley et al. 2002), we hypothesised that leptin, via BK channel stimulation, could modulate aberrant synaptic activity in hippocampal neurones. In this study we show, using hippocampal slices and cultured neurones, that leptin inhibits epileptiform-like activity via PI 3-kinasedriven BK channel activation. This process represents a novel mechanism for controlling hippocampal excitability. Some of these data have been published previously in abstract form (Shanley et al. 2000). METHODS MaterialsRecombinant human leptin (Sigma, St Louis, MO, USA) prepared in 0.01-0.02 % bovine serum albumin as a carrier was used in all experiments. LY 294002, wortmannin, (Calbiochem, La Jolla, CA, USA); tetrodotoxin, PD 98059 (Tocris Cookson, Baldwin, MO, USA); NS-1619 (Biomol); nifedipine, D-APV, diazoxide, glipizide (Sigma); and iberiotoxin and charybdotoxin (Alomone Labs, Israel) were all obtained commercially. Cell cultureCultures of hippocampal neurones were prepared using standard procedures as described previously (Irving & Collingridge, 1998), but were maintained in serum replacement medium (SR2, Sigma). In brief, rat pups 1-3 days old were killed by cervical dislocation and hippocampi removed. The hippocampi were washed in standard Hepes-buffered saline (HBS) comprising (mM): NaCl 135; KCl 5; CaCl 2 1; MgCl 2 1; Hepes 10; D-glucose 25; at pH 7.4. The hippocampi were then treated with a mixture of protease type XIV and type X (both at 0.5 mg ml _1 ; Sigma) for 25 min at room temperature. Dissociated cells were plated onto sterile culture dishes, pretreated with poly-L-lysine (20 mg ml _1 for 1-2 h). Cultures were maintained in a humidified atmosphere of 5 % CO 2 at 37°C for up to 2 weeks. ImmunocytochemistryA goat polyclonal antibody directed against the C-terminal domain of the leptin receptor (Santa Cruz Biotechnology; Hakansson et al. 1998) was used. All immunocytochemical procedures were carried out in HBS. Prior to labelling, hippocampal cultures were fixed with 4 % paraformaldehyde and permeabilised with 0.1 % triton X-100. Cells were then exposed to 10 % blocking milk for 15 min. Hippocampal cultures were incubated with the leptin receptor antibody overnight at 4°C. Immunostaining was visualised by the addition of an Alexa 488-conjugated donkey anti-goat secondary antibody (Molecular Probes). In dual labelling experiments, monoclonal markers for MAP2, GAP43 and synapsin 1 (all from Sigma) were visualised with a Cy3-conjugated donkey anti-mouse secondary antibody (Jackson ImmunoResearch). In the absence of primary antibody, no labelling was observed following incubation with any of the secondary antibodies. In control experiments, leptin receptor immunoreactivity was blocked by prior incubation of primary antibody with control peptide (200 mg ml _1 ). A laser scanning confocal imaging system (Bio-Rad Microradiance or Zeiss LSM 510) was used for image acquistion. Laser lines of 488 and 543 nm were used to excite Alexa 488 and Cy3, respectivel...

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Effectively directed neuron migration is critical for development and repair in the central nervous system (CNS). Endogenous electric fields (EFs) are widespread in developing and regenerating tissues and regulate a variety of cell behaviors including directed cell migration. Electrically-directed neuronal migration has not been tested previously and we show that an applied EF directs migration of hippocampal neurons toward the cathode at a field strength of 120 mV/mm, close to the physiological range. Reversal of the field polarity reversed the direction of neuron migration. Neuron migration from an explant also was directed by an applied EF. Mechanistically, EF-guided migration was transduced by activation of the second messenger molecules ROCK (Rho-associated protein kinase) and PI3 kinase (phosphoinositide-3 kinase) since their pharmacological inhibition decreased the directedness and speed of neuron migration. This work demonstrates that rat hippocampal neurons respond to applied EFs with directional migration and raises the possibility that EFs may be used as a cue to direct neuronal migration in novel strategies to repair the CNS.

The expression of the galanin gene (GAL) in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and in the amygdala of higher vertebrates suggests the requirement for highly conserved, but unidentified, regulatory sequences that are critical to allow the galanin gene to control alcohol and fat intake and modulate mood. We used comparative genomics to identify a highly conserved sequence that lay 42 kb 5' of the human GAL transcriptional start site that we called GAL5.1. GAL5.1 activated promoter activity in neurones of the PVN, arcuate nucleus and amygdala that also expressed the galanin peptide. Analysis in neuroblastoma cells demonstrated that GAL5.1 acted as an enhancer of promoter activity after PKC activation. GAL5.1 contained two polymorphisms; rs2513280(C/G) and rs2513281(A/G), that occurred in two allelic combinations (GG or CA) where the dominant GG alelle occurred in 70-83 % of the human population. Intriguingly, both SNPs were found to be in LD (R(2) of 0.687) with another SNP (rs2156464) previously associated with major depressive disorder (MDD). Recreation of these alleles in reporter constructs and subsequent magnetofection into primary rat hypothalamic neurones showed that the CA allele was 40 % less active than the GG allele. This is consistent with the hypothesis that the weaker allele may affect food and alcohol preference. The linkage of the SNPs analysed in this study with a SNP previously associated with MDD together with the functioning of GAL5.1 as a PVN and amygdala specific enhancer represent a significant advance in our ability to understand alcoholism, obesity and major depressive disorder.

Intracellular free Ca2+ ([Ca2+](i)) is a pivotal signalling element in cell migration and is thought to be required for chemotaxis of Dictyostelium. Ca2+ signalling may also be important for electrotaxis. However this suggestion has been controversial. We show that electric fields direct Dictyostelium cells to migrate cathodally and increase [Ca2+] i in Dictyostelium cells, as determined by Fluo-3 AM imaging and Ca-45(2+) uptake. Omission of extracellular Ca2+([Ca2+](e)) and incubation with EGTA abolished the electric-field-stimulated [Ca2+](i) rise and directional cell migration. This suggests a requirement for [Ca2+](e) in the electrotactic response. Deletion of iplA, a gene responsible for chemoattractant-induced [ Ca2+](i) increase, had only a minor effect on the electric-field-induced [Ca2+](i) rise. Moreover, iplA-null Dictyostelium cells showed the same electrotactic response as wild-type cells. Therefore, iplA-independent Ca2+ influx is necessary for electrotactic cell migration. These results suggest that the [ Ca2+](i) regulatory mechanisms induced by electric fields are different from those induced by cAMP and folic acid in Dictyostelium cells. Different roles of the iplA gene in chemoattractant-induced and electrically induced Ca2+ signalling, and different effects of [ Ca2+](i) elevation on chemotaxis and electrotaxis indicate that the chemoattractant and electric cues activate distinctive initial signalling elements

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Exposure of corneal epithelium to insulin facilitated closure of in vitro small wounds through enhanced cell migration instead of proliferation, which depended on ERK 1/2 and PI3-kinase signaling. These data suggest a mechanism by which insulin may influence corneal wound healing in vitro. In vivo, disruptions to the insulin signaling pathway observed in diseases such as diabetes might account for the delayed wound healing and corneal defects.