Cited by 23Pain Mechanisms and TreatmentsNeuroscience and Neuropharmacology ResearchNeonatal and fetal brain pathology

Neonatal Injury Evokes Persistent Deficits in Dynorphin Inhibitory Circuits within the Adult Mouse Superficial Dorsal Horn

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Brewer, Chelsie L., Li, Jie, O'Conor, Keith, Serafin, Elizabeth K., Baccei, Mark L.·2020·The Journal of Neuroscience

Abstract

Neonatal tissue damage induces long-term deficits in inhibitory synaptic transmission within the spinal superficial dorsal horn (SDH) that include a reduction in primary afferent-evoked, feedforward inhibition onto adult projection neurons. However, the subpopulations of mature GABAergic interneurons which are compromised by early-life injury have yet to be identified. The present research illuminates the persistent effects of neonatal surgical injury on the function of inhibitory SDH interneurons derived from the prodynorphin (DYN) lineage, a population that synapses directly onto lamina I spinoparabrachial neurons and is known to suppress mechanical pain and itch in adults. The results demonstrate that hindpaw incision at postnatal day 3 (P3) significantly decreased the strength of primary afferent-evoked glutamatergic drive onto DYN neurons within the adult mouse SDH while increasing the appearance of afferent-evoked inhibition onto the same population. Neonatal injury also dampened the intrinsic membrane excitability of mature DYN neurons, and reduced their action potential discharge in response to sensory input, compared with naive littermate controls. Furthermore, P3 incision decreased the efficacy of inhibitory DYN synapses onto adult spinoparabrachial neurons, which reflected a prolonged reduction in the probability of GABA release. Collectively, the data suggest that early-life tissue damage may persistently constrain the ability of spinal DYN interneurons to limit ascending nociceptive transmission to the adult brain. This is predicted to contribute to the loss of feedforward inhibition onto mature projection neurons, and the “priming” of nociceptive circuits in the developing spinal cord, following injuries during the neonatal period. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Neonatal injury has lasting effects on pain processing in the adult CNS, including a reduction in feedforward inhibition onto ascending projection neurons in the spinal dorsal horn. While it is clear that spinal GABAergic interneurons are comprised of multiple subpopulations that play distinct roles in somatosensation, the identity of those interneurons which are compromised by tissue damage during early life remains unknown. Here we document persistent deficits in spinal inhibitory circuits involving dynorphin-lineage interneurons previously implicated in gating mechanical pain and itch. Notably, neonatal injury reduced the strength of dynorphin-lineage inhibitory synapses onto mature lamina I spinoparabrachial neurons, a major output of the spinal nociceptive network, which could contribute to the priming of pain pathways by early tissue damage.

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  • The Pdyn dorsal inhibitory family comprised Inhib-9, Inhib-10, and Inhib-11 and expressed markers suggestive of a role in chemical itch.

    “The Pdyn dorsal, inhibitory family was comprised of Inhib-9, Inhib-10, and Inhib-11 and expressed markers suggestive of a role in chemical itch52,61,73–77.”

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  1. Brewer, Li et al. Neonatal Injury Weakens Spinal Dynorphin Networks J. Neurosci., May 13, 2020 • 40(20):3882-3895 • 3893

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Authors
Brewer, C. L., Li, J., O'Conor, K., Serafin, E. K., & Baccei, M. L.
Affiliations
University of Cincinnati (US)
Venue
The Journal of Neuroscience
Published
2020-04-14
Volume
40
Issue
20
Pages
3882-3895
ISSN
  • 0270-6474 (ISSN-L)
  • 1529-2401
OpenAlex
W3015928541
Cited by
23
References
65
Citations by year
2025: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 2
FWCI
2.71
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Neuroscience (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (T35DK060444)
  • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (R01NS080889)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Pain Mechanisms and Treatments
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Neonatal and fetal brain pathology
Keywords
neonatal injury, superficial dorsal horn, feedforward inhibition, GABAergic interneurons, pain transmission, primary afferent input, GABA release, pain processing, pruritus, mechanical pain, spinal cord development
MeSH terms
Action Potentials, Animals, Animals, Newborn, Dynorphins, Female, Glutamates, Hindlimb, Interneurons, Neural Inhibition, Neural Pathways, Neurons, Afferent, Spinal Cord, Cluster Analysis, Patch-Clamp Techniques, Mice, Nociception, Spinal Cord Dorsal Horn

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