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. 2020 Jul;26(7):730-740.
doi: 10.1111/cns.13293. Epub 2020 Feb 3.

The amygdala via the paraventricular nucleus regulates asthma attack in rats

Zhe Chen  1 , Ni-Na Liu  2 , Jian Xiao  2 , Yue-Han Wang  2 , Rong Dong  2
Affiliations

The amygdala via the paraventricular nucleus regulates asthma attack in rats

Zhe Chen et al. CNS Neurosci Ther. 2020 Jul.

Abstract

Aims: This study aimed to investigate the functions of the amygdala in rat asthma model.

Main methods: Wheat germ agglutinin-horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP) was used for tracing from the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) to the amygdala, and nuclear lesions were performed to observe changes in respiratory function and airway inflammation.

Results: This study showed that the extracellular neuronal discharged in the medial amygdala (MeA) and central amygdala (CeA), and the expression of Fos significantly increased in asthmatic rat compared to control group. The distribution of Fos- and oxytocin (OT)-positive neurons and Fos/OT dual-positive neurons evidently increased in the PVN. WGA-HRP was injected into the PVN for tracing, and Fos/HRP-dual-positive neurons were observed to be distributed in the MeA. By using kainic acid (KA) to injure the MeA and CeA in asthmatic rats, expiratory and inspiratory times (TE/TI) and airway resistance (Raw) decreased, and minute ventilation volume (MVV) and dynamic pulmonary compliance (Cdyn) increased accordingly. In the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), the number of eosinophils and the concentration of IL-4 were lower than those of the control group, and the ratio of Th1/Th2 cells was higher than that of the control group. In the PVN, the distribution of Fos-, OT-positive cells and Fos/OT double-positive cells decreased compared with those of the control group. The activities of the MeA and CeA and of OT neurons in the PVN of the rats were correlated with the occurrence of asthma.

Conclusions: Asthma attack could induce neural activities in the MeA and CeA, and OT neurons in the PVN may be involved in the process of asthma attack.

Keywords: amygdala; asthma; oxytocin; paraventricular nucleus.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
A, HE staining in the lung tissue. B, Eosinophil in BALF. C, D, E, The respiratory rate, tidal volume, and the minute ventilation volume before and after challenge. F, Cell counts in BALF. G, Percentage of cells in BALF. H, Concentrations of IFN‐γ and IL‐4. I, Ratio of Th1/Th2. BALF, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. *P < .05, **P < .01, and #P > .05, respectively
Figure 2
Figure 2
A, C, Locations of MeA and CeA. Black Arrows. B, D, E, The frequency of discharge in MeA and CeA before and after OVA challenge in asthmatic rats. *P < .05 and **P < .01, respectively
Figure 3
Figure 3
A, Fos expressions in the MeA, CeA, and PVN in the control, sham, saline, and asthma group rats. Fos‐positive neurons were brown staining. B, Fos‐positive neurons in the asthma group rats were more than that in the each other group. **P < .01
Figure 4
Figure 4
A, Oxytocin expressions in the PVN in the control, sham, saline, and asthma group rats. OT‐positive neurons were yellow staining. B, The number of OT‐positive neurons in the asthma group rats was more than that in the each other group. **P < .01
Figure 5
Figure 5
A, Horseradish peroxidase single‐labeled neurons (blue staining) were distributed in the MeA. B, WGA‐HRP microinjection zone in the PVN. C, Three kind of labeled neurons were distributed in the MeA. Fos labeled neuron was yellow staining (red arrow), and HRP‐labeled neuron was black staining (red circle), and HRP/Fos double‐labeled neuron was yellow and black staining (red triangle)
Figure 6
Figure 6
A, HE staining of MeA or CeA neurons after KA injection or sham operation. B, Fos/OT labeled neurons in the PVN in each group. Results in S‐CeA and S‐MeA were not shown. C, Fos, OT‐positive neurons, and Fos/OT double‐labeled‐positive neurons counts in each group. **P < .01 and #P > .05, respectively
Figure 7
Figure 7
A, Changes of TE/TI, Raw, MVV, and Cdyn in each group. B, Eosinophil counts and percentage in BALF in each group. C, IFN‐γ and IL‐4 concentrations and Th1/Th2 ratio in each group. TE/TI, expiratory time course/inspiratory time course ratio. BALF, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid; Cdyn, dynamic pulmonary compliance; MVV, minute ventilation volume; Raw, airway resistance. *P < .05, **P < .01, and #P > .05, respectively
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