Intranasally administered neuropeptide S (NPS) exerts anxiolytic effects following internalization into NPS receptor-expressing neurons.

ABSTRACT: Experiments in rodents revealed neuropeptide S (NPS) to constitute a potential novel treatment option for anxiety diseases such as panic and post-traumatic stress disorder. However, both its cerebral target sites and the molecular underpinnings of NPS-mediated effects still remain elusive. By administration of fluorophore-conjugated NPS, we pinpointed NPS target neurons in distinct regions throughout the entire brain. We demonstrated their functional relevance in the hippocampus. In the CA1 region, NPS modulates synaptic transmission and plasticity. NPS is taken up into NPS receptor-expressing neurons by internalization of the receptor-ligand complex as we confirmed by subsequent cell culture studies. Furthermore, we tracked internalization of intranasally applied NPS at the single-neuron

SUBMITTER: Ionescu IA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3327839 | biostudies-literature | 2012 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature