Recording and manipulation of the maternal oxytocin neural activities in mice

Yukinaga, Hiroko; Hagihara, Mitsue; Tsujimoto, Kazuko; Chiang, Hsiao-Ling; Kato, Shigeki; Kobayashi, Kazuto; Miyamichi, Kazunari

doi:10.1016/j.cub.2022.06.083

Cited by 17 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 54 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The continuous 6-h photometry trace shown in Fig. 1f contained 30 clear photometric peaks that highly resembled those observed in previous Cre-based strategies [18,21]. A high-magnification view of peri-event traces (Fig.…”

Section: An Aav Vector For Ot Promoter-driving Gcamp6ssupporting

confidence: 70%

“…This analysis revealed that 96.7% ± 0.37% (mean ± standard error of the mean) of GCaMP6s+ neurons were OT + (Fig. 1b, c), supporting high specificity comparable to or better than the Cre-based strategy [18]. To test whether this expression of GCaMP6s is sufficient to monitor the pulsatile activities of OT neurons selectively in lactating wild-type mice by fiber photometry, we next implanted an optic fiber just above the PVH of GCaMP6s-targeted female mice (Fig.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 77%

“…Lastly, our method of AAV OTp-GCaMP6s -based imaging of OT neurons is broadly applicable to various mouse strains, natural mutant mice, and genetically modified mice, unlike our previous strategy, which relied on the complex genetic regulation of GCaMP6s [18]. As a proof-of-concept, without genetic crossing, we compared the temporal structure of pulsatile activities of OT neurons in two mouse strains in the early lactation stage (Fig.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Fiber photometry recordings were conducted as described previously [18]. Briefly, a 400-m core, 0.5 NA optical fiber (Thorlabs, cat#FP400URT) was implanted immediately above the PVH of the AAV-injected wild-type adult female mice (age 2-5 months).…”

Section: Fiber Photometrymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The milk ejection reflex is initiated when sucking stimuli to the nipple of mothers are transmitted to activate the central OT neurons via the afferent neural circuitry [1]. Indeed, our previous study showed that the photometric peaks of OT neurons were not observed in the absence of pups; simultaneous suckling by three pups was required for the initiation of the pulsatile activities of OT neurons [18]. However, given that plasma OT levels are increased without physical suckling in experienced lactating women [23] and livestock animals [24], it is interesting to ask whether experienced mother mice can exhibit pulsatile activities of OT neurons when pups cannot make direct contact with their nipples.…”

Section: Characterization Of Pulsatile Activities Of Ot Neurons Upon ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

Dynamic Modulation of Pulsatile Activities of Oxytocin Neurons in Lactating Wild-type Mice

Yaguchi

Hagihara

Konno

et al. 2022

Preprint

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Breastfeeding, which is essential for the survival of mammalian infants, is critically mediated by pulsatile secretion of the pituitary hormone oxytocin from the central oxytocin neurons located in the paraventricular and supraoptic hypothalamic nuclei of mothers. Despite its importance, the molecular and neural circuit mechanisms of the milk ejection reflex remain poorly understood, in part because a mouse model to study lactation was only recently established. In our previous study, we successfully introduced fiber photometry-based chronic imaging of the pulsatile activities of oxytocin neurons during lactation. However, the necessity of Cre recombinase-based double knock-in mice substantially compromised the use of various Cre-dependent neuroscience toolkits. To overcome this obstacle, we developed a simple Cre-free method for monitoring oxytocin neurons by an adeno-associated virus vector driving GCaMP6s under a 2.6 kb mouse oxytocin mini-promoter. Using this method, we monitored calcium ion transients of oxytocin neurons in the paraventricular nucleus in wild-type C57BL/6N and ICR mothers without genetic crossing. By combining this method with video recordings of mothers and pups, we found that the pulsatile activities of oxytocin neurons require physical mother-pup contact for the milk ejection reflex. Notably, the intensities and/or frequencies of photometric signals were dynamically modulated by mother-pup reunions after isolation and during natural weaning stages. Collectively, the present study illuminates the temporal dynamics of pulsatile activities of oxytocin neurons in wild-type mice and provides a tool to characterize maternal oxytocin functions.

show abstract

Section: An Aav Vector For Ot Promoter-driving Gcamp6ssupporting

confidence: 70%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 77%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Fiber Photometrymentioning

confidence: 99%