Characterisation of NPFF-expressing neurons in the superficial dorsal horn of the mouse spinal cord

Quillet, R., Dickie, A. C., Polgár, E., Gutierrez-Mecinas, M. , Bell, A. M. , Goffin, L., Watanabe, M. and Todd, A. J. (2023) Characterisation of NPFF-expressing neurons in the superficial dorsal horn of the mouse spinal cord. Scientific Reports, 13, 5891. (doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-32720-3) (PMID:37041197) (PMCID:PMC10090074)

Abstract

Excitatory interneurons in the superficial dorsal horn (SDH) are heterogeneous, and include a class known as vertical cells, which convey information to lamina I projection neurons. We recently used pro-NPFF antibody to reveal a discrete population of excitatory interneurons that express neuropeptide FF (NPFF). Here, we generated a new mouse line (NPFFCre) in which Cre is knocked into the Npff locus, and used Cre-dependent viruses and reporter mice to characterise NPFF cell properties. Both viral and reporter strategies labelled many cells in the SDH, and captured most pro-NPFF-immunoreactive neurons (75–80%). However, the majority of labelled cells lacked pro-NPFF, and we found considerable overlap with a population of neurons that express the gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR). Morphological reconstruction revealed that most pro-NPFF-containing neurons were vertical cells, but these differed from GRPR neurons (which are also vertical cells) in having a far higher dendritic spine density. Electrophysiological recording showed that NPFF cells also differed from GRPR cells in having a higher frequency of miniature EPSCs, being more electrically excitable and responding to a NPY Y1 receptor agonist. Together, these findings indicate that there are at least two distinct classes of vertical cells, which may have differing roles in somatosensory processing.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: Financial support from the Wellcome Trust (Grant numbers 102645/Z/13/Z and 219433/Z/19/Z) and the Medical Research Council (Grant number MR/S002987/1) is gratefully acknowledged.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Bell, Mr Andrew and Beresford-Polgar, Dr Erika and Dickie, Dr Allen and Todd, Professor Andrew and Gutierrez-Mecinas, Dr Maria and Quillet, Dr Raphaelle
• Authors: Quillet, R., Dickie, A. C., Polgár, E., Gutierrez-Mecinas, M., Bell, A. M., Goffin, L., Watanabe, M., and Todd, A. J.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Psychology & Neuroscience
• Journal Name: Scientific Reports
• Publisher: Nature Research
• ISSN: 2045-2322
• ISSN (Online): 2045-2322
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2023 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Scientific Reports 13: 5891
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License
• Data DOI: 10.5525/gla.researchdata.1418

Project Code	Award No	Project Name	Principal Investigator	Funder's Name	Funder Ref	Lead Dept
308174		Spinal circuits underlying pathological pain	Andrew Todd	Wellcome Trust (WELLCOTR)	219433/Z/19/Z	Centre for Neuroscience
302893		Neuronal circuits for itch in the spinal dorsal horn	Andrew Todd	Medical Research Council (MRC)	MR/S002987/1	Centre for Neuroscience