What is the role of ART+ neurons?
The researchers here use a very interesting method called DREADD. Simply put, it is to inject a special genetically engineered virus into the intestine, and then use specific drugs to stimulate and inhibit neurons.
Through this method, the researchers found that stimulating CART+ neurons will cause mice to decrease insulin levels, increase blood sugar, and eat less food.
In the tracking of CART+ neurons, the researchers also noticed that CART+ neurons can directly interact with some CART-organ neurons, including the pancreas and liver.
The pancreatic islet sympathetic nerve can act on α cells and β cells through adrenergic receptors to stimulate the release of glucagon and inhibit the secretion of insulin respectively[4]; while the sympathetic nerve of the liver can drive gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis by activating adrenergic receptors in liver cells[5].
The researchers used pseudorabies virus backtracking to inject fluorescently labeled viruses into the liver and pancreas. On the fourth day of injection, fluorescence was observed in the ileum and colon.
Fluorescence observed on day 4
It seems that the intestinal bacteria stretched their hands far longer than we thought!
Reference material:
[1] https://science.sciencemag.org/content/370/6514/314
[2] E. A. Mayer, Gut feelings: The emerging biology of gut-brain communication. Nat.
Rev. Neurosci. 12, 453–466 (2011). doi:10.1038/nrn3071 Medline
[3] JB Furness, LR Rivera, HJ Cho, DM Bravo, B. Callaghan, The gut as a sensory organ. Nat. Rev. Gastroenterol. Hepatol. 10, 729 –740 (2013).doi:10.1038/nrgastro.2013.180 Medline
[4] JA Love, E. Yi, TG Smith, Autonomic pathways regulating pancreatic exocrine secretion. Auton. Neurosci. 133, 19–34 (2007).doi:10.1016/ j.autneu.2006.10.001 Medline
[5] K. Mizuno, Y. Ueno, Autonomic nervous system and the liver. Hepatol. Res. 47, 160–165 (2017). doi:10.1111/hepr. 12760 Medline
This article is from WeChat official account:Geekheal_com (ID: geekheal_com) , author: Generation Siyu