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Oxytocin Elicits Itch Scratching Behavior via Spinal GRP/GRPR System
Jing Guo1, Xiyuan Ba2, Megumi Matsuda3
1Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Shenzhen, China.
Frontiers in Neuroscience
|October 19, 2020
Summary
Oxytocin (OT) triggers scratching in mice by activating spinal OT receptors on GRP neurons. This research reveals a novel neural pathway for OT-induced itch, aiding the development of OT-based psychiatric disorder treatments.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Science
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Oxytocin (OT) regulates social behaviors and is explored for psychiatric disorders.
- Central OT administration in rodents causes scratching, but neural mechanisms are unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the spinal neural circuits underlying oxytocin-induced scratching behavior.
- To explore the role of GRP neurons in OT-induced scratching.
Main Methods:
- Intrathecal administration of OT in mice.
- RNAscope analysis to detect OTR expression in spinal neurons.
- Chemical ablation of GRPR neurons.
Main Results:
- Intrathecal OT induced scratching via spinal OTR activation.
- Approximately 80% of spinal GRP neurons expressed OTRs.
- Ablation of GRPR neurons significantly reduced OT-induced scratching.
Conclusions:
- OT activates spinal GRP neurons expressing OTRs, initiating the GRP/GRPR pathway.
- This pathway mediates OT-induced itch-scratching behaviors in mice.
- Findings advance understanding of OT's neural effects and inform OT-based drug development for psychiatric disorders.
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