viral vectors containing cre-dependent excitatory gq designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (dreadds)  (Addgene inc)

Journal: eNeuro

Article Title: Sex-Specific Timelines for Adaptations of Prefrontal Parvalbumin Neurons in Response to Stress and Changes in Anxiety- and Depressive-Like Behaviors

doi: 10.1523/ENEURO.0300-22.2023

Figure Lengend Snippet: Activation of prefrontal PV + neurons in male mice affects the expression of anxiety-like and depressive-like behaviors under baseline and stressful conditions. Top left, Representative image of mCherry-DREADD virus expression in the PrL and IL regions of the PFC. Top right, Schematic representation of experimental design. a–d , In the EPM test, UCMS interacted with the chronic activation of prefrontal PV + neurons to modulate the time spent in the open arms ( a ; * p = 0.0441; ** p = 0.0052), but no other significant interactions were observed. e – h , In the OF test, UCMS decreased time in the center ( e ; * p = 0.011), increased thigmotaxis ratio ( g ; * p = 0.0244), and increased overall activity ( h ; ** p = 0.0019). i , j , In the marble-burying test, a significant UCMS effect was driven by a higher number of marbles buried by UCMS/hM3DGq mice compared with their nonstressed controls (** p = 0.0038; i ); a similar effect was observed in the splash test ( j ), with decreased time spent grooming by UCMS/hM3DGq mice compared with their nonstressed controls (** p = 0.0088). k , In the CPA test, significant effects of stress and virus were detected; Tukey’s post hoc analyses revealed that the aversion score of mice from the UCMS/hM3DGq was lower than that of control mice (* p = 0.021). N = 8–11/group (C/mCherry, N = 8; UCMS/mCherry, N = 11; C/hM3DGq, N = 8; UCMS/hM3DGq, N = 9). Data are presented as the mean ± SEM.

Article Snippet: Adeno-associated virus (AAV) designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drug (DREADD) vectors (Addgene) were stereotaxically infused in the ventromedial PFC (including the central part of the PrL and IL cortices) of male PV:Cre mice.

Techniques: Activation Assay, Expressing, Virus, Activity Assay, Control

Journal: The Journal of Neuroscience

Article Title: Convergent Inputs from the Hippocampus and Thalamus to the Nucleus Accumbens Regulate Dopamine Neuron Activity

doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2629-16.2018

Figure Lengend Snippet: Chemogenetic activation of the PVT to the NAc, but not the PVT-mPFC, pathway increases VTA dopamine neuron population activity. Three parameters of activity were recorded: (A) population activity (average number of spontaneously firing dopamine neurons per electrode track), (B) average firing rate, and (C) average percentage spikes firing in a burst. Chemogenetic activation of the PVT-NAc pathway causes a significant increase in VTA dopamine neuron population activity. In contrast, activation of the PVT-mPFC pathway did not affect VTA dopamine neuron population activity. D, Schematic representation of the viral injection (AAV-Gq-DREADD) to the PVT and stainless steel cannula used to target the mPFC or NAc (for CNO administration). E, Histological verification of viral reporter expression demonstrating cell bodies in the PVT (left) and terminals in afferent targets in the mPFC (right). *p < 0.05 compared with control.

Article Snippet: Rats were unilaterally injected (∼0.5 μl per min) in the PVT (A/P −2.0; M/L +0.4 mm from bregma; D/V −5.2 mm ventral of the brain surface) with adeno-associated virus (AAV) expressing the Gq-DREADD receptor vectors driven by the human synuclein promotor (AAV2-hSyn-HA-hM3D(Gq)-mCherry; Addgene: 50474-AAV2; titer- 3.48 × 10e12 vg/ml; 0.75 μl).

Techniques: Activation Assay, Activity Assay, Injection, Expressing

Journal: The Journal of Neuroscience

Article Title: Convergent Inputs from the Hippocampus and Thalamus to the Nucleus Accumbens Regulate Dopamine Neuron Activity

doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2629-16.2018

Figure Lengend Snippet: Chemogenetic activation of the pathways from the vHipp and the PVT to the NAc produce increases in VTA dopamine neuron population activity. Three parameters of activity were recorded: (A) population activity (average number of spontaneously firing dopamine neurons per electrode track), (B) average firing rate, and (C) average percentage spikes firing in a burst. Consistent with previous reports, activation of the vHipp-NAc pathway produces a significant increase in VTA dopamine neuron population activity. Here we demonstrate that activation of the PVT-NAc pathway produces a similar effect on dopamine neuron activity. D, Schematic representation of the bilateral viral injections to the vHipp or PVT (AAV-DIO-Gq-DREADD) and NAc (HSV-Cre). E, Histological verification of viral reported expression demonstrating a NAc-projecting neuron in the PVT. *p < 0.05 compared with control.

Article Snippet: Rats were unilaterally injected (∼0.5 μl per min) in the PVT (A/P −2.0; M/L +0.4 mm from bregma; D/V −5.2 mm ventral of the brain surface) with adeno-associated virus (AAV) expressing the Gq-DREADD receptor vectors driven by the human synuclein promotor (AAV2-hSyn-HA-hM3D(Gq)-mCherry; Addgene: 50474-AAV2; titer- 3.48 × 10e12 vg/ml; 0.75 μl).

Techniques: Activation Assay, Activity Assay, Expressing