The Anterior Insula and its Projection to the Prelimbic Cortex are Involved in the Regulation of 5-HT-Induced Itch  

作　　者：Juan Yao Xuan Li Guang-Yan Wu Bing Wu Jun-Hui Long Pu-Jun Wang Shu-Lei Liu Jie Gao Jian-Feng Sui 

机构地区：[1]Experimental Center of Basic Medicine,Army Medical University,Chongqing,400038,China [2]Department of Physiology,College of Basic Medical Sciences,Army Medical University,Chongqing,400038,China [3]Department of Dermatology,The 958th Army Hospital of the People’s Liberation Army,Chongqing,400020,China [4]State Key Laboratory of Trauma,Burns and Combined Injury,Army Medical Centre of the PLA,Institute of Surgery Research,Daping Hospital,Army Medical University,Chongqing,400042,China

出　　处：《Neuroscience Bulletin》2023年第12期1807-1822,共16页神经科学通报（英文版）

基　　金：supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(82271542);the Natural Science Foundation of Chongqing(cstc2020jcyj-msxm X0391 and cstc2019jcyj-msxm X0269);the Chongqing Medical Scientific Research Project(Joint project of Chongqing Health Commission and Science and Technology Bureau)(2023ZDXM001).

摘　　要：Itch is an unpleasant sensation that urges people and animals to scratch.Neuroimaging studies on itch have yielded extensive correlations with diverse cortical and subcortical regions,including the insular lobe.However,the role and functional specificity of the insular cortex(IC)and its subdivisions in itch mediation remains unclear.Here,we demonstrated by immunohistochemistry and fiber photometry tests,that neurons in both the anterior insular cortex(AIC)and the posterior insular cortex(PIC)are activated during acute itch processes.Pharmacogenetic experiments revealed that nonselective inhibition of global AIC neurons,or selective inhibition of the activity of glutaminergic neurons in the AIC,reduced the scratching behaviors induced by intradermal injection of 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT),but not those induced by compound 48/80.However,both nonselective inhibition of global PIC neurons and selective inhibition of glutaminergic neurons in the PIC failed to affect the itching-scratching behaviors induced by either 5-HT or compound 48/80.In addition,pharmacogenetic inhibition of AIC glutaminergic neurons effectively blocked itch-associated conditioned place aversion behavior,and inhibition of AIC glutaminergic neurons projecting to the prelimbic cortex significantly suppressed 5-HT-evoked scratching.These findings provide preliminary evidence that the AIC is involved,at least partially via aversive emotion mediation,in the regulation of 5-HT-,but not compound 48/80-induced itch.

关 键 词：Itch-Insular cortex Prelimbic cortex Conditioned place aversion Pharmacogenetic inhibition 

分 类 号：B845.1[哲学宗教—心理学]