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State-of-the-Art Molecular Neurobiology in Japan

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Neurobiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2023) | Viewed by 9222

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Research for Parkinson's Disease, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
Interests: Drosophila genetics; neurodegeneration; Parkinson's disease; iPS cells; mitochondria; synaptic dynamics; unfolded protein stress
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Guest Editor
Laboratory of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, Chiba 278-8510, Japan
Interests: neuropharmacology; neuropsychopharmacology; opioid; anxiety; depression; reward; fear; antidepressant; anxiolytics; animal model
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Division of Diabetes and Nutrition, RARiS, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8579, Japan
Interests: bile acids; serotonin; serotonin receptor; Tph1; Tph2; tryptophan metabolites; GLP-1; GLP-1 receptor agonists; FGF21; FGF15/19; neuropeptides; gut-derived hormones; liver-derived hormones; obesity; diabetes; appetite; food intake; hypothalamus; energy homeostasis; hepatosteatosis; glucose metabolism; lipid metabolism; organ network; whey protein; soy protein; insulin, leptin, insulin resistance; adipose tissue; CNS; gene expression; sympathetic nervous system
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive overview of recent advances in molecular neurobiology in Japan by inviting contributions from Japanese research institutes/laboratories that consolidate our understanding of this area. Topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Neurobiology
  • Neurochemistry
  • Neurology
  • Neuropathology
  • Neurophysiology
  • Neuropharmacology
  • Neurogenetics
  • Neuro-oncology
  • Aging neuroscience
  • Epilepsy
  • Neurotrauma
  • Stroke
  • Neurogenesis

Prof. Dr. Yuzuru Imai
Prof. Dr. Akiyoshi Saitoh
Prof. Dr. Katsunori Nonogaki
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • neurobiology

  • neurochemistry
  • neurology
  • neuropathology
  • neurophysiology
  • neuropharmacology
  • neurogenetics
  • neuro-oncology
  • aging neuroscience
  • dementia and neurodegenerative diseases
  • epilepsy
  • neurotrauma
  • stroke
  • neurogenesis

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 2238 KiB  
Article
Near-Infrared Photobiomodulation of the Peripheral Nerve Inhibits the Neuronal Firing in a Rat Spinal Dorsal Horn Evoked by Mechanical Stimulation
by Daisuke Uta, Naoya Ishibashi, Takahiro Konno, Yuki Okada, Yuki Kawase, Shinichi Tao and Toshiaki Kume
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(3), 2352; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24032352 - 25 Jan 2023
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3453
Abstract
Photobiomodulation has analgesic effects via inhibition of nerve activity, but few reports have examined the effects on the spinal dorsal horn, the entry point for nociceptive information in the central nervous system. In this study, we evaluated the effects of laser irradiation of [...] Read more.
Photobiomodulation has analgesic effects via inhibition of nerve activity, but few reports have examined the effects on the spinal dorsal horn, the entry point for nociceptive information in the central nervous system. In this study, we evaluated the effects of laser irradiation of peripheral nerve axons, which are conduction pathways for nociceptive stimuli, on the neuronal firing in lamina II of the spinal dorsal horn of a rat evoked by mechanical stimulation with von Frey filaments (vFF). In order to record neuronal firing, electrodes were inserted into lamina II of the exposed rat spinal dorsal horn. The exposed sciatic nerve axons were irradiated with an 808 nm laser. The 26.0 g vFF-evoked firing frequency was inhibited from 5 min after laser irradiation and persisted for 3 h. Sham irradiation did not alter the firing frequency. Laser irradiation selectively inhibited 15.0 and 26.0 g vFF-evoked firing, which corresponded to nociceptive stimuli. Histopathological evaluation revealed no damage to the sciatic nerve due to laser irradiation. These results indicate that neuronal firing is inhibited in lamina II of the spinal dorsal horn, suggesting that laser irradiation inhibits Aδ and/or C fibers that conduct nociceptive stimuli. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Molecular Neurobiology in Japan)
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11 pages, 2293 KiB  
Article
Developing a Novel Method for the Analysis of Spinal Cord–Penile Neurotransmission Mechanisms
by Daisuke Uta, Kazuhiro Kiyohara, Yuuya Nagaoka, Yurika Kino and Takuya Fujita
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(2), 1434; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24021434 - 11 Jan 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2129
Abstract
Sexual dysfunction can be caused by impaired neurotransmission from the peripheral to the central nervous system. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the input of sensory information from the peripheral genital area and investigate the control mechanisms in the spinal cord to clarify [...] Read more.
Sexual dysfunction can be caused by impaired neurotransmission from the peripheral to the central nervous system. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the input of sensory information from the peripheral genital area and investigate the control mechanisms in the spinal cord to clarify the pathological basis of sensory abnormalities in the genital area. However, an in vivo evaluation system for the spinal cord–penile neurotransmission mechanism has not yet been developed. Here, urethane-anesthetized rats were used to evaluate neuronal firing induced by innocuous or nociceptive stimulation of the penis using extracellular recording or patch-clamp techniques in the lumbosacral spinal dorsal horn and electrophysiological evaluation in the peripheral pelvic nerves. As a result, innocuous and nociceptive stimuli-evoked neuronal firing was successfully recorded in the deep and superficial spinal dorsal horns, respectively. The innocuous stimuli-evoked nerve firing was also recorded in the pelvic nerve. These firings were suppressed by lidocaine. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a successful quantitative evaluation of penile stimuli-evoked neuronal firing. This method is not only useful for analyzing the pathological basis of spinal cord–penile neurotransmission in sexual dysfunction but also provides a useful evaluation system in the search for new treatments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Molecular Neurobiology in Japan)
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12 pages, 12119 KiB  
Article
Involvement of Histamine H3 Receptor Agonism in Premature Ejaculation Found by Studies in Rats
by Kazuhiro Kiyohara, Daisuke Uta, Yuuya Nagaoka, Yurika Kino, Hideki Nonaka, Midori Ninomiya-Baba and Takuya Fujita
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(4), 2291; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23042291 - 18 Feb 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2848
Abstract
Several of the drugs currently available for the treatment of premature ejaculation (PE) (e.g., local anesthetics or antidepressants) are associated with numerous safety concerns and exhibit weak efficacy. To date, no therapeutics for PE have been approved in the United States, highlighting the [...] Read more.
Several of the drugs currently available for the treatment of premature ejaculation (PE) (e.g., local anesthetics or antidepressants) are associated with numerous safety concerns and exhibit weak efficacy. To date, no therapeutics for PE have been approved in the United States, highlighting the need to develop novel agents with sufficient efficacy and fewer side effects. In this study, we focused on the histamine H3 receptor (H3R) as a potential target for the treatment of PE and evaluated the effects of imetit (an H3R/H4R agonist), ciproxifan (an H3R antagonist), and JNJ-7777120 (an H4R antagonist) in vivo. Our in vivo electrophysiological experiments revealed that imetit reduced mechanical stimuli-evoked neuronal firing in anesthetized rats. This effect was inhibited by ciproxifan but not by JNJ-7777120. Subsequently, we evaluated the effect of imetit using a copulatory behavior test to assess ejaculation latency (EL) in rats. Imetit prolonged EL, although this effect was inhibited by ciproxifan. These findings indicate that H3R stimulation suppresses mechanical stimuli-evoked neuronal firing in the spinal–penile neurotransmission system, thereby resulting in prolonged EL. To our knowledge, this is the first report to describe the relationship between H3R and PE. Thus, H3R agonists may represent a novel treatment option for PE. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Molecular Neurobiology in Japan)
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