Project description:Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is an endogenous modulator of neuronal activity by regulating GABA and glutamate release. Previously, we found that estradiol modulates NPY expression in the hippocampal dentate gyrus. Here we investigated which estrogen receptor type activation is required for the NPY expression. Further, we determined effects of estrogen receptor activation on NPY release. Finally, we determined the contribution of estrogen-mediated remodeling of the GABAergic and glutamatergic network in relation to changes in coupling with NPY in ovariectomized rats. We found that activation of either estrogen receptor type increases NPY expression as well as NPY release in the dentate gyrus. We also found that compared to OVX rats, estrogen replacement increases the likeness of synergistic/antagonistic coupling between the NPY and GABAergic synapse genes while the glutamatergic synapse genes are less likely coupled with NPY. The data together suggest that estrogen plays a critical role in regulation of activity of the NPY system and its coupling to GABAergic and glutamatergic synapses in female rat dentate gyrus. Two-conditions (E = beta-estradiol replacement vs O = oil) experiment. Biological replicates: 4E, 4O.
Project description:Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is an endogenous modulator of neuronal activity by regulating GABA and glutamate release. Previously, we found that estradiol modulates NPY expression in the hippocampal dentate gyrus. Here we investigated which estrogen receptor type activation is required for the NPY expression. Further, we determined effects of estrogen receptor activation on NPY release. Finally, we determined the contribution of estrogen-mediated remodeling of the GABAergic and glutamatergic network in relation to changes in coupling with NPY in ovariectomized rats. We found that activation of either estrogen receptor type increases NPY expression as well as NPY release in the dentate gyrus. We also found that compared to OVX rats, estrogen replacement increases the likeness of synergistic/antagonistic coupling between the NPY and GABAergic synapse genes while the glutamatergic synapse genes are less likely coupled with NPY. The data together suggest that estrogen plays a critical role in regulation of activity of the NPY system and its coupling to GABAergic and glutamatergic synapses in female rat dentate gyrus.
Project description:Inflammation is a key component of pathological angiogenesis. Here we induce cornea neovascularisation using sutures placed into the cornea, and sutures are removed to induce a regression phase. We used whole transcriptome microarray to monitor gene expression profies of several genes
Project description:A microarray analysis (transcriptome analysis) was conducted to examine estrogen-mediated gene expression in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) and paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus, as well as the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) in female rats (Rattus norvegicus). All procedures were approved by the Oklahoma State University - Center for Health Sciences IACUC (protocol #2021-1278). Rats underwent ovariectomy, recovered, and were then treated with either 17β-estradiol (EB) or an oil vehicle (Oil). Following euthanasia, mRNA was extracted and submitted to Thermo Fisher Scientific for microarray analysis using the Clariom S Rat Pico Assay.
Project description:Knee osteoarthritis (KOA), as a degenerative multifactorial disease, affects the quality of life and mental health of patients, and also brings a huge socioeconomic burden. Treating synovitis have shown promise as anti-inflammatory therapeutics in mitigating OA symptoms and disease progression. Here, by analysing synovial single-cell sequencing (scRNA-seq) data from KOA, we found that synovial fibroblasts (FLS) in OA synovium showed a distinct pro-inflammatory phenotype. We collected synovial tissue from patients with clinical OA as well as from healthy donors, and histological examination was consistent with findings in scRNA-seq. Inspired by recent cross-tissue fibroblast lineage studies, we identified by sequencing that healthy FLS in synovial tissues share transcriptome-level similarities with dermal fibroblasts (DFb). Subsequently, we revealed the local as well as systemic distribution of intra-articular injected DFbs by constructing/extracting two types of rat fibroblasts (luciferase DFbs as well as GFP DFbs). The results demonstrate that DFbs can be locally retained in the synovium for up to three weeks following targeted engrafting on it. And intra-articular injection does not result in DFbs migration to vital organs or the occurrence of histological changes in these organs. A rat model of KOA was constructed by anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) in order to study the therapeutic effect of DFbs on KOA. After injection, the rats showed improvement in painful gait. In addition, histological as well as imaging results showed reduced synovitis and improvement in articular cartilage. Finally we verified the protective effect of DFbs on cytokine-stimulated chondrocytes in a co-culture system.