Expression Patterns of the Neuropeptide Urocortin 3 and Its Receptor CRFR2 in the Mouse Central Auditory System
Sensory systems have to be malleable to context-dependent modulations occurring over different time scales, in order to serve their evolutionary function of informing about the external world while also eliciting survival-promoting behaviors. Stress is a major context-dependent signal that can have...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-11-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Neural Circuits |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fncir.2021.747472/full |
| _version_ | 1819038677759688704 |
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| author | Sara Pagella Jan M. Deussing Conny Kopp-Scheinpflug |
| author_facet | Sara Pagella Jan M. Deussing Conny Kopp-Scheinpflug |
| author_sort | Sara Pagella |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Sensory systems have to be malleable to context-dependent modulations occurring over different time scales, in order to serve their evolutionary function of informing about the external world while also eliciting survival-promoting behaviors. Stress is a major context-dependent signal that can have fast and delayed effects on sensory systems, especially on the auditory system. Urocortin 3 (UCN3) is a member of the corticotropin-releasing factor family. As a neuropeptide, UCN3 regulates synaptic activity much faster than the classic steroid hormones of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Moreover, due to the lack of synaptic re-uptake mechanisms, UCN3 can have more long-lasting and far-reaching effects. To date, a modest number of studies have reported the presence of UCN3 or its receptor CRFR2 in the auditory system, particularly in the cochlea and the superior olivary complex, and have highlighted the importance of this stress neuropeptide for protecting auditory function. However, a comprehensive map of all neurons synthesizing UCN3 or CRFR2 within the auditory pathway is lacking. Here, we utilize two reporter mouse lines to elucidate the expression patterns of UCN3 and CRFR2 in the auditory system. Additional immunolabelling enables further characterization of the neurons that synthesize UCN3 or CRFR2. Surprisingly, our results indicate that within the auditory system, UCN3 is expressed predominantly in principal cells, whereas CRFR2 expression is strongest in non-principal, presumably multisensory, cell types. Based on the presence or absence of overlap between UCN3 and CRFR2 labeling, our data suggest unusual modes of neuromodulation by UCN3, involving volume transmission and autocrine signaling. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T08:41:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a593ecf1ae644e6eb6e9473a8df3cf0f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1662-5110 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T08:41:07Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Neural Circuits |
| spelling | doaj.art-a593ecf1ae644e6eb6e9473a8df3cf0f2022-12-21T19:09:57ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Neural Circuits1662-51102021-11-011510.3389/fncir.2021.747472747472Expression Patterns of the Neuropeptide Urocortin 3 and Its Receptor CRFR2 in the Mouse Central Auditory SystemSara Pagella0Jan M. Deussing1Conny Kopp-Scheinpflug2Division of Neurobiology, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, GermanyResearch Group Molecular Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, GermanyDivision of Neurobiology, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, GermanySensory systems have to be malleable to context-dependent modulations occurring over different time scales, in order to serve their evolutionary function of informing about the external world while also eliciting survival-promoting behaviors. Stress is a major context-dependent signal that can have fast and delayed effects on sensory systems, especially on the auditory system. Urocortin 3 (UCN3) is a member of the corticotropin-releasing factor family. As a neuropeptide, UCN3 regulates synaptic activity much faster than the classic steroid hormones of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Moreover, due to the lack of synaptic re-uptake mechanisms, UCN3 can have more long-lasting and far-reaching effects. To date, a modest number of studies have reported the presence of UCN3 or its receptor CRFR2 in the auditory system, particularly in the cochlea and the superior olivary complex, and have highlighted the importance of this stress neuropeptide for protecting auditory function. However, a comprehensive map of all neurons synthesizing UCN3 or CRFR2 within the auditory pathway is lacking. Here, we utilize two reporter mouse lines to elucidate the expression patterns of UCN3 and CRFR2 in the auditory system. Additional immunolabelling enables further characterization of the neurons that synthesize UCN3 or CRFR2. Surprisingly, our results indicate that within the auditory system, UCN3 is expressed predominantly in principal cells, whereas CRFR2 expression is strongest in non-principal, presumably multisensory, cell types. Based on the presence or absence of overlap between UCN3 and CRFR2 labeling, our data suggest unusual modes of neuromodulation by UCN3, involving volume transmission and autocrine signaling.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fncir.2021.747472/fullurocortinCRFR2auditorystress signalingmultimodalvolume transmission |
| spellingShingle | Sara Pagella Jan M. Deussing Conny Kopp-Scheinpflug Expression Patterns of the Neuropeptide Urocortin 3 and Its Receptor CRFR2 in the Mouse Central Auditory System Frontiers in Neural Circuits urocortin CRFR2 auditory stress signaling multimodal volume transmission |
| title | Expression Patterns of the Neuropeptide Urocortin 3 and Its Receptor CRFR2 in the Mouse Central Auditory System |
| title_full | Expression Patterns of the Neuropeptide Urocortin 3 and Its Receptor CRFR2 in the Mouse Central Auditory System |
| title_fullStr | Expression Patterns of the Neuropeptide Urocortin 3 and Its Receptor CRFR2 in the Mouse Central Auditory System |
| title_full_unstemmed | Expression Patterns of the Neuropeptide Urocortin 3 and Its Receptor CRFR2 in the Mouse Central Auditory System |
| title_short | Expression Patterns of the Neuropeptide Urocortin 3 and Its Receptor CRFR2 in the Mouse Central Auditory System |
| title_sort | expression patterns of the neuropeptide urocortin 3 and its receptor crfr2 in the mouse central auditory system |
| topic | urocortin CRFR2 auditory stress signaling multimodal volume transmission |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fncir.2021.747472/full |
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