2. Academic Validation
  3. Insulin potentiates inhibitory synaptic currents between fast-spiking and pyramidal neurons in the rat insular cortex

Insulin potentiates inhibitory synaptic currents between fast-spiking and pyramidal neurons in the rat insular cortex

  • Neuropharmacology. 2023 Jun 30;109649. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109649.
Yuka Nakaya 1,  Satoshi Kosukegawa 2,  Satomi Kobayashi 3,  Kensuke Hirose 4,  Kouhei Kitano 5,  Kotoe Mayahara 6,  Hiroki Takei 7,  Mitsuru Motoyoshi 6,  Masayuki Kobayashi 8
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Pharmacology, Nihon University School of Dentistry, 1-8-13 Kanda-Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 101-8310, Japan; Division of Oral and Craniomaxillofacial Research, Dental Research Center, Nihon University School of Dentistry, 1-8-13 Kanda-Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 101-8310, Japan.
  • 2 Department of Pharmacology, Nihon University School of Dentistry, 1-8-13 Kanda-Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 101-8310, Japan; Department of Orthodontics, Nihon University School of Dentistry, 1-8-13 Kanda-Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 101-8310, Japan.
  • 3 Department of Pharmacology, Nihon University School of Dentistry, 1-8-13 Kanda-Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 101-8310, Japan; Division of Oral and Craniomaxillofacial Research, Dental Research Center, Nihon University School of Dentistry, 1-8-13 Kanda-Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 101-8310, Japan; Department of Biology, Nihon University School of Dentistry, 1-8-13 Kanda-Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 101-8310, Japan.
  • 4 Department of Pharmacology, Nihon University School of Dentistry, 1-8-13 Kanda-Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 101-8310, Japan; Department of Pedodontics, Nihon University School of Dentistry, 1-8-13 Kanda-Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 101-8310, Japan.
  • 5 Department of Pharmacology, Nihon University School of Dentistry, 1-8-13 Kanda-Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 101-8310, Japan.
  • 6 Division of Oral and Craniomaxillofacial Research, Dental Research Center, Nihon University School of Dentistry, 1-8-13 Kanda-Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 101-8310, Japan; Department of Orthodontics, Nihon University School of Dentistry, 1-8-13 Kanda-Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 101-8310, Japan.
  • 7 Department of Dentistry, Saitama Prefectural Children's Medical Center, 1-2, Shintoshin, Chuo-ku, Saitama-shi, 3330-8777, Japan.
  • 8 Department of Pharmacology, Nihon University School of Dentistry, 1-8-13 Kanda-Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 101-8310, Japan; Division of Oral and Craniomaxillofacial Research, Dental Research Center, Nihon University School of Dentistry, 1-8-13 Kanda-Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 101-8310, Japan. Electronic address: kobayashi.masayuki@nihon-u.ac.jp.
PMID: 37393988 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109649
Abstract

Insulin plays roles in brain functions such as neural development and plasticity and is reported to be involved in dementia and depression. However, little information is available on the insulin-mediated modulation of electrophysiological activities, especially in the cerebral cortex. This study examined how Insulin modulates the neural activities of inhibitory neurons and inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) in rat insular cortex (IC; either sex) by multiple whole-cell patch-clamp recordings. We demonstrated that Insulin increased the repetitive spike firing rate with a decrease in the threshold potential without changing the resting membrane potentials and input resistance of fast-spiking GABAergic neurons (FSNs). Next, we found a dose-dependent enhancement of unitary IPSCs (uIPSCs) by Insulin in the connections from FSNs to pyramidal neurons (PNs). The insulin-induced enhancement of uIPSCs accompanied decreases in the paired-pulse ratio, suggesting that Insulin increases GABA release from presynaptic terminals. The finding of miniature IPSC recordings of the increased frequency without changing the amplitude supports this hypothesis. Insulin had little effect on uIPSCs under the coapplication of S961, an Insulin Receptor antagonist, or lavendustin A, an inhibitor of tyrosine kinase. The PI3-K inhibitor wortmannin or the PKB/Akt inhibitors, deguelin and Akt Inhibitor VIII, blocked the insulin-induced enhancement of uIPSCs. Intracellular application of Akt Inhibitor VIII to presynaptic FSNs also blocked insulin-induced enhancement of uIPSCs. In contrast, uIPSCs were enhanced by Insulin in combination with the MAPK inhibitor PD98059. These results suggest that Insulin facilitates the inhibition of PNs by increases in FSN firing frequency and IPSCs from FSNs to PNs. (250 words).

Keywords

Cerebral cortex; GABA(A) receptor; Hormone; Presynaptic; Synaptic transmission.

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