Inhibitory Kcnip2 neurons of the spinal dorsal horn control behavioral sensitivity to environmental cold
OPEN ACCESS
Loading...
Author / Producer
Date
2023-01-04
Publication Type
Journal Article
ETH Bibliography
yes
Citations
Altmetric
OPEN ACCESS
Data
Rights / License
Abstract
Proper sensing of ambient temperature is of utmost importance for the survival of euthermic animals, including humans. While considerable progress has been made in our understanding of temperature sensors and transduction mechanisms, the higher-order neural circuits processing such information are still only incompletely understood. Using intersectional genetics in combination with circuit tracing and functional neuron manipulation, we identified Kcnip2-expressing inhibitory (Kcnip2GlyT2) interneurons of the mouse spinal dorsal horn as critical elements of a neural circuit that tunes sensitivity to cold. Diphtheria toxin-mediated ablation of these neurons increased cold sensitivity without affecting responses to other somatosensory modalities, while their chemogenetic activation reduced cold and also heat sensitivity. We also show that Kcnip2GlyT2 neurons become activated preferentially upon exposure to cold temperatures and subsequently inhibit spinal nociceptive output neurons that project to the lateral parabrachial nucleus. Our results thus identify a hitherto unknown spinal circuit that tunes cold sensitivity.
Permanent link
Publication status
published
External links
Editor
Book title
Journal / series
Volume
111 (1)
Pages / Article No.
92 - 10500000
Publisher
Cell Press
Event
Edition / version
Methods
Software
Geographic location
Date collected
Date created
Subject
Organisational unit
03742 - Zeilhofer, Hanns U. / Zeilhofer, Hanns U.