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Silencing preBötzinger Complex somatostatin-expressing neurons induces persistent apnea in awake rat

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Abstract

Delineating neurons that underlie complex behaviors is of fundamental interest. Using adeno-associated virus 2, we expressed the Drosophila allatostatin receptor in somatostatin (Sst)-expressing neurons in the preBötzinger Complex (preBötC). Rapid silencing of these neurons in awake rats induced a persistent apnea without any respiratory movements to rescue their breathing. We hypothesize that breathing requires preBötC Sst neurons and that their sudden depression can lead to serious, even fatal, respiratory failure.

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Figure 1: preBötC neurons infected by AAV2 containing a Syn or Sst promoter.
Figure 2: Rapid silencing of AlstR-expressing preBötC Sst neurons induced apnea in anesthetized and awake rats.

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Acknowledgements

We thank G. Li for experimental assistance, T. Otis, L. Kruger, K. Kam and S. Pagliardini for comments on the manuscript, and N. Brecha and Y. Nie for advice and technical support. This work was supported by US National Institutes of Health grants HL37941 and HL40959 (J.L.F.).

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Author notes

  1. Wenbin Tan and Wiktor A Janczewski: These authors contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurobiology, Box 951763, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California Los Angeles, 650 Charles E. Young Dr. South, Los Angeles, 90095, California, USA

    Wenbin Tan, Wiktor A Janczewski, Paul Yang, Xuesi M Shao & Jack L Feldman

  2. System Neurobiology Laboratories, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, 92037, California, USA

    Edward M Callaway

Authors
  1. Wenbin Tan
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  2. Wiktor A Janczewski
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  3. Paul Yang
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  4. Xuesi M Shao
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  5. Edward M Callaway
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  6. Jack L Feldman
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jack L Feldman.

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Supplementary Figures 1–9, Tables 1 and 2, and Methods (PDF 1382 kb)

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Tan, W., Janczewski, W., Yang, P. et al. Silencing preBötzinger Complex somatostatin-expressing neurons induces persistent apnea in awake rat. Nat Neurosci 11, 538–540 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.2104

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.2104

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