Synaptic-like transmission between neural axons and arteriolar smooth muscle cells drives cerebral neurovascular coupling

© 2024. The Author(s)..

Neurovascular coupling (NVC) is important for brain function and its dysfunction underlies many neuropathologies. Although cell-type specificity has been implicated in NVC, how active neural information is conveyed to the targeted arterioles in the brain remains poorly understood. Here, using two-photon focal optogenetics in the mouse cerebral cortex, we demonstrate that single glutamatergic axons dilate their innervating arterioles via synaptic-like transmission between neural-arteriolar smooth muscle cell junctions (NsMJs). The presynaptic parental-daughter bouton makes dual innervations on postsynaptic dendrites and on arteriolar smooth muscle cells (aSMCs), which express many types of neuromediator receptors, including a low level of glutamate NMDA receptor subunit 1 (Grin1). Disruption of NsMJ transmission by aSMC-specific knockout of GluN1 diminished optogenetic and whisker stimulation-caused functional hyperemia. Notably, the absence of GluN1 subunit in aSMCs reduced brain atrophy following cerebral ischemia by preventing Ca2+ overload in aSMCs during arteriolar constriction caused by the ischemia-induced spreading depolarization. Our findings reveal that NsMJ transmission drives NVC and open up a new avenue for studying stroke.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2024

Erschienen:

2024

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:27

Enthalten in:

Nature neuroscience - 27(2024), 2 vom: 13. Feb., Seite 232-248

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Zhang, Dongdong [VerfasserIn]
Ruan, Jiayu [VerfasserIn]
Peng, Shiyu [VerfasserIn]
Li, Jinze [VerfasserIn]
Hu, Xu [VerfasserIn]
Zhang, Yiyi [VerfasserIn]
Zhang, Tianrui [VerfasserIn]
Ge, Yaping [VerfasserIn]
Zhu, Zhu [VerfasserIn]
Xiao, Xian [VerfasserIn]
Zhu, Yunxu [VerfasserIn]
Li, Xuzhao [VerfasserIn]
Li, Tingbo [VerfasserIn]
Zhou, Lili [VerfasserIn]
Gao, Qingzhu [VerfasserIn]
Zheng, Guoxiao [VerfasserIn]
Zhao, Bingrui [VerfasserIn]
Li, Xiangqing [VerfasserIn]
Zhu, Yanming [VerfasserIn]
Wu, Jinsong [VerfasserIn]
Li, Wensheng [VerfasserIn]
Zhao, Jingwei [VerfasserIn]
Ge, Woo-Ping [VerfasserIn]
Xu, Tian [VerfasserIn]
Jia, Jie-Min [VerfasserIn]

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Date Completed 14.02.2024

Date Revised 14.02.2024

published: Print-Electronic

Citation Status MEDLINE

doi:

10.1038/s41593-023-01515-0

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM366595601