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The neurotransmitters in the periaqueductal grey matter, involved in bladder function
32nd Annual EAU Congress, 24-28 March 2017, London, United Kingdom
316
The neurotransmitters in the periaqueductal grey matter, involved in bladder function Eur Urol Suppl 2017; 16(3);e545
Zare A.2, Jahanshahi A.2, Rahnama'i M.S.1, Celine M.2, Van Koeveringe G.1 1
Maastricht UMC+, Dept. of Urology, Maastricht, The Netherlands, 2Maastricht University, Dept. of Neuroscience, Maastricht, The Netherlands INTRODUCTION & OBJECTIVES: The periaqueductal grey matter (PAG) of the midbrain is involved in various important functions including autonomic, behavioural, pain and micturition control. The PAG has been shown to have functionally separate columns. The ventrolateral PAG (vlPAG) was shown to be the area influenced by electrical stimulation of the urinary bladder. In this study we aimed to characterize the neurotransmitter systems in vlPAG that are possibly involved in bladder function. MATERIAL & METHODS: Male rats were assigned to control, sham and stimulated groups. In the sham and stimulated group a bipolar stimulation electrode was implanted surgically in the bladder wall. After a 2 weeks recovery period, electrical stimulation of the bladder in the stimulation group was administered. The brain tissues were removed and dissected. A total of 6 rats of the stimulated group and 4 rats of the sham group were studied for cell type characterization using fluorescence immunohistochemistry. The sections were incubated with primary antibodies against tyrosine hydroxylase (a dopaminergic cell marker), vesicular glutamate transporter (vGLUT, glutamatergic cell marker), serotonin, GAD67 (GABA cell marker) and neuronal nitric oxide synthase, all colocalized with anti c-FOS and thereafter stained with appropriate secondary fluorescent antibodies. The data were analysed statistically using t-test and presented as mean +/- S.E.M. values. RESULTS: We examined the ratio of the estimated total number of cells colocalized with c-FOS and one of the neurotransmitter markers to the estimated total number of c-FOS+ cells in the appropriate volume of each rat PAG and compared between the stimulated group and the sham group. Our findings show a significant increase in cells colocalized for vGLUT in the vlPAG region in the stimulated versus sham group. 56% of c-FOS+ cells in the stimulated group in contrast to 12% in the sham group were colocalized by vGLUT. The colocalization of the other markers did not show a significant difference.
Eur Urol Suppl 2017; 16(3);e545
32nd Annual EAU Congress, 24-28 March 2017, London, United Kingdom
316
The neurotransmitters in the periaqueductal grey matter, involved in bladder function Eur Urol Suppl 2017; 16(3);e546
CONCLUSIONS: Glutamatergic cells of the vlPAG were the most common neurons to be activated after electrical bladder stimulation. The effect of other neurotransmitters in the vlPAG may be either indirect via synaptic afferents or non-existent in this specific situation. Thus glutamate is likely to be the front line of the cascade of neurotransmitters activated in the vlPAG after receiving sensory signals from the bladder.
Eur Urol Suppl 2017; 16(3);e546 Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)
316
The neurotransmitters in the periaqueductal grey matter, involved in bladder function Eur Urol Suppl 2017; 16(3);e545
Zare A.2, Jahanshahi A.2, Rahnama'i M.S.1, Celine M.2, Van Koeveringe G.1 1
Maastricht UMC+, Dept. of Urology, Maastricht, The Netherlands, 2Maastricht University, Dept. of Neuroscience, Maastricht, The Netherlands INTRODUCTION & OBJECTIVES: The periaqueductal grey matter (PAG) of the midbrain is involved in various important functions including autonomic, behavioural, pain and micturition control. The PAG has been shown to have functionally separate columns. The ventrolateral PAG (vlPAG) was shown to be the area influenced by electrical stimulation of the urinary bladder. In this study we aimed to characterize the neurotransmitter systems in vlPAG that are possibly involved in bladder function. MATERIAL & METHODS: Male rats were assigned to control, sham and stimulated groups. In the sham and stimulated group a bipolar stimulation electrode was implanted surgically in the bladder wall. After a 2 weeks recovery period, electrical stimulation of the bladder in the stimulation group was administered. The brain tissues were removed and dissected. A total of 6 rats of the stimulated group and 4 rats of the sham group were studied for cell type characterization using fluorescence immunohistochemistry. The sections were incubated with primary antibodies against tyrosine hydroxylase (a dopaminergic cell marker), vesicular glutamate transporter (vGLUT, glutamatergic cell marker), serotonin, GAD67 (GABA cell marker) and neuronal nitric oxide synthase, all colocalized with anti c-FOS and thereafter stained with appropriate secondary fluorescent antibodies. The data were analysed statistically using t-test and presented as mean +/- S.E.M. values. RESULTS: We examined the ratio of the estimated total number of cells colocalized with c-FOS and one of the neurotransmitter markers to the estimated total number of c-FOS+ cells in the appropriate volume of each rat PAG and compared between the stimulated group and the sham group. Our findings show a significant increase in cells colocalized for vGLUT in the vlPAG region in the stimulated versus sham group. 56% of c-FOS+ cells in the stimulated group in contrast to 12% in the sham group were colocalized by vGLUT. The colocalization of the other markers did not show a significant difference.
Eur Urol Suppl 2017; 16(3);e545
32nd Annual EAU Congress, 24-28 March 2017, London, United Kingdom
316
The neurotransmitters in the periaqueductal grey matter, involved in bladder function Eur Urol Suppl 2017; 16(3);e546
CONCLUSIONS: Glutamatergic cells of the vlPAG were the most common neurons to be activated after electrical bladder stimulation. The effect of other neurotransmitters in the vlPAG may be either indirect via synaptic afferents or non-existent in this specific situation. Thus glutamate is likely to be the front line of the cascade of neurotransmitters activated in the vlPAG after receiving sensory signals from the bladder.
Eur Urol Suppl 2017; 16(3);e546 Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)