Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone from the Pontine Micturition Center Plays an Inhibitory Role in Micturition

Lower urinary tract or voiding disorders are prevalent across all ages and affect >40% of adults over 40 years old, leading to decreased quality of life and high health care costs. The pontine micturition center (PMC; i.e., Barrington's nucleus) contains a large population of neurons that localize the stress-related neuropeptide, corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and project to neurons in the spinal cord to regulate micturition. How the PMC and CRH-expressing neurons in the PMC control volitional micturition is of critical importance for human voiding disorders. To investigate the specific role of CRH in the PMC, neurons in the PMC-expressing CRH were optogenetically activated during in vivo cystometry in unanesthetized mice of either sex. Optogenetic activation of CRH-PMC neurons led to increased intermicturition interval and voided volume, similar to the altered voiding phenotype produced by social stress. Female mice showed a significantly more pronounced phenotype change compared with male mice. These effects were eliminated by CRH-receptor 1 antagonist pretreatment. Optogenetic inhibition of CRH-PMC neurons led to an altered voiding phenotype characterized by more frequent voids and smaller voided volumes. Last, in a cyclophosphamide cystitis model of bladder overactivity, optogenetic activation of CRH-PMC neurons returned the voiding pattern to normal. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that CRH from PMC spinal-projecting neurons has an inhibitory function on micturition and is a potential therapeutic target for human disease states, such as voiding postponement, urinary retention, and underactive or overactive bladder.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The pontine micturition center (PMC), which is a major regulator of volitional micturition, is neurochemically heterogeneous, and excitatory neurotransmission derived from PMC neurons is thought to mediate the micturition reflex. In the present study, using optogenetic manipulation of CRH-containing neurons in double-transgenic mice, we demonstrate that CRH, which is prominent in PMC-spinal projections, has an inhibitory function on volitional micturition. Moreover, engaging this inhibitory function of CRH can ameliorate bladder hyperexcitability induced by cyclophosphamide in a model of cystitis. The data underscore CRH as a novel target for the treatment of voiding dysfunctions, which are highly prevalent disease processes in children and adults.