Analysis of projection targets of AVP neurons for each nucleus

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K20930
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0904:Internal medicine of the bio-information integration and related fields
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: Kawaguchi Yohei 名古屋大学, 医学部附属病院, 医員 (50907847)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-08-30 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: AVP / 神経回路

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Vasopressin (AVP) has multiple actions, but its projections to individual nuclei are unclear. In this study, we injected an adeno-associated virus that expresses a Cre-dependent fluorescent protein into AVP-Cre mice that express Cre specifically in AVP neurons, and clarified the projection target of each AVP neuron in each nucleus.
Using AVP-Venus mice, which express Venus protein specifically for AVP neurons, we confirmed the location of AVP neurons. On the other hand, in the AVP-Cre mice used in this study, Cre was also expressed in cells other than AVP neurons. This made accurate evaluation of AVP neurons difficult. In the future, we are considering experiments using mice with more specific expression.

Free Research Field

神経内分泌

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

バソプレシン（AVP）は抗利尿ホルモンとしてだけでなく、概日リズムや社会性、不安、認知、記憶、行動など様々な影響を与えていることが分かっているが、その神経核ごとの投射については明らかにされていない。本研究では神経核特異的にAVPニューロンを標識し、それぞれの神経核に存在するAVPニューロンごとにその投射先を明らかにすることを目的とした。本研究ではAVPニューロンの分布のみで、投射先の確認はできなかったが、神経核ごとのAVPニューロンの投射先が確認できれば、感情・情緒、発達障害や精神疾患の病態への理解、さらには新たな治療法に繋がる可能性もある。