Doctoral (Ph.D.) Thesis NEW OBSERVATIONS on THE
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Doctoral (Ph.D.) Thesis NEW OBSERVATIONS ON THE ANATOMY OF THE OLIVOCOCHLEAR SYSTEM AND AUDITORY PATHWAY Dr. Miklós Horváth Tutors: Prof. Dr. Miklós Palkovits and Prof. Dr. Ottó Ribári Ph.D. School of the Semmelweis University Ph.D. School of Molecular Medicine (7) Program in Pathobiochemistry (7/2) Head of the Program: Prof. Dr. József Mandl Budapest, 2003 1. Introduction On the lowest level of the descending auditory system, a massive projection originates in the superior olivary complex of the brainstem to innervate outer and inner hair cells, or their immediate afferent synapses, in the cochlea. This olivocochlear system shares its developmental origin with facial branchial motor neurons and may be considered to be of the special visceral efferent type. The olivocochlear system was earlier considered to consists of two main populations of cells in the superior olivary complex. The medial olivocochlear cells (MOCs) reside in the ventral nucleus of the trapezoid body of both sides of the brain and innervate outer hair cells in the cochlea. Lateral olivocochlear cells (LOCs) are associated to the lateral nucleus of the superior olive (LSO), innervate predominantly the ipsilateral cochlea and terminate beneath the inner hair cells. The lateral olivocochlear neurons can be further divided into two subgroups. Small and fusiform cells are located within the ipsilateral LSO are termed intrinsic lateral olivocochlear neurons, while larger olivocochlear neurons are found in the periolivary regions around the lateral nucleus of the superior olive of both sides extending dendrites into the LSO and may be called shell neurons or shell LOCs. The collateral projections of olivocochlear cells were extensively studied in gerbil, mouse and guinea pig, but several controversies still exist about their pattern. Ryan reported that the unmyelinated intrinsic LOCs innervate mainly the central, and the myelinated MOCs the peripheral part of the ventral cochlear nucleus in gerbil. By contrast others found no cochlear nucleus collaterals of LOCs in gerbil, mouse and cat, but a majority of MOC axons was found to give off collaterals to granule cell containing regions of the ventral cochlear nucleus. White and Warr showed, by injecting horseradish peroxidase into the cochlea, that axons of olivocochlear cells leave the olivocochlear bundle at several points and enter the dorsal and ventral cochlear nuclei in rat. Position and number of cell bodies that belong to these collaterals have not been evaluated in detail. The nuclei of the ascending and descending auditory pathways are interconnected through a series of commissural and ipsilateral connections. Each stage of the descending auditory pathway could serve as descending part of regional feedback loops. In contrast to this “loop hypothesis”, some studies have indicated that descending auditory fibers form a continuous chain of neurons extending from the auditory cortex to the organ of Corti. To gain more insight into the nature of the descending auditory system several studies have investigated the possible sources of neuronal inputs to olivocochlear cells. The combination of retrograde and anterograde tracers could show some specific synaptic inputs to the olivocochlear cells. 2 Physiological and anatomical data indicate direct cortical innervation of olivocochlear cells. Descending projections from the inferior colliculus were also shown to terminate on olivocochlear neurons. Lateral olivocochlear neurons are innervated by cells of the ipsilateral posteroventral cochlear nucleus, while medial olivocochlear neurons receive inputs from the posteroventral and anteroventral cochlear nucleus bilaterally. In addition to these auditory connections, considerable evidence suggests the existence of peptidergic, noradrenergic and serotonergic inputs to olivocochlear neurons. New transneuronal tracing techniques have been developed, based on the use of alpha- herpesviruses (herpes simplex virus type 1 and pseudorabies virus) and rabies virus. These methods make it possible to identify functional networks of connected neurons. Following injection into peripheral organs or directly into the central nervous system, the viruses serve as self-amplifying markers. Virus-infected neurons can be visualized by routine immunocytochemical techniques. While the nervous system matures, the nerve cells go through a series of stages, each of which is characterized by a specific group of active genes and the expression of a specific set of proteins. One marker for distinctive developmental stages is the growth associated protein GAP-43. The protein GAP-43 (also called B-50, F1, pp46, P-57, or neuromodulin) is a membrane-associated phosphoprotein enriched in elongating axons and growth cones and it undergoes fast axonal transport in regenerating neurons. GAP-43 induces filopodia in non- neuronal cells and may directly contribute to growth cone activity by regulating cell membrane structure. It is a major substrate of the protein kinase C family and was found to be correlated with long-term synaptic potentiation in the rat hippocampus. With the onset of process outgrowth, intense GAP-43 immunoreactivity appears along the whole length of axons. At the end of this period of intense axonal staining, there is a brief interval in which high levels of GAP-43 immunostaining are seen in the neuropil. This period of dense neuropil staining coincides with the formation of axonal end-arbors, the beginning of synaptogenesis, and the time at which synaptic organization can be modified by the impinging pattern of activity. Later in development, staining in neuropil declines sharply in most regions except for certain structures in the rostral neuraxis which may be sites of ongoing synaptic remodeling. Apart from its role in development, however, it was shown that synaptic remodeling in the adult animal again raises levels of GAP-43 expression. GAP-43 is also part of the molecular machinery underlying long term potentiation, a cellular process related to learning and memory. In the adult animal, re-emergence of GAP-43 has been seen, for instance, in axotomized sensory and motor neurons. 3 2. Aims 2. 1. First, we attempted to monitor auditory brainstem development in the rat by using GAP- 43 as a developmental marker. The aim of our work was to determine the expression of GAP- 43 in the superior olive and cochlear nucleus in the early postnatal period and in adult animals. 2. 2. Second, we attempted to learn in detail, what kinds of changes occur in GAP-43 expression of the auditory brainstem after lesions to the spiral ganglion. Using GAP-43 as a marker for synaptogenesis and plasticity, we wanted to determine the plastic changes in the superior olive and cochlear nucleus following the loss of their inputs from the auditory periphery. 2. 3. Third, experiments were done to determine the distribution and number of olivocochlear cells that give off collaterals into the ventral cochlear nucleus en route to the cochlea in rat. The retrograde axonal tracers Diamidino Yellow and Fast Blue were used to label cell bodies of individual olivocochlear neurons and visualize cells that project to the cochlear nucleus. 2. 4. Fourth, the aim of our work was the transneuronal labeling of the descending auditory system by injecting the pseudorabies virus directly into the cochlea. This method allowed us to identify the olivocochlear cells and the sources of their inputs from other auditory and non- auditory neurons. 3. Methods 3. 1. To examine the postnatal development of GAP-43 immunoreactivity in the cochlear nucleus and superior olive, 30 Wistar rats were reared with their mothers with food and water available ad lib. Young animals were anaesthetized with lethal doses of barbiturate and their brains were removed and placed in ice-cold fixative. Older rats were killed by an overdose of Nembutal (Abbott) and perfused transcardially with 1 l ice-cold fixative for 1 hour. Thirty micron frontal or sagittal sections, cut on a cryostat, were collected in phosphate buffer. Immunocytochemical detection of GAP-43 was achieved with an antibody from mouse and a biotinylated anti-mouse immunoglobulin G secondary antibody. Peroxidase labeling was 4 visualized by using diaminobenzidine and ammonium nickel sulfate. Control sections that were incubated by omitting the primary antibody never showed staining of specific cellular elements. Great care was taken to keep the parameters influencing the outcome of the staining constant throughout the whole experimental series. 3. 2. Twenty-nine Wistar rats of both sexes were used to analyze the changes in GAP-43 expression of the auditory brainstem, following the removal of the left cochlea. The animals were deeply anaesthetized, the bulla tympani was approached and opened. The bony wall of the cochlea was perforated with a spherical drill head and the interior of the cochlea, including the spiral ganglion, was cleared. After different survival times (2, 4, 7, 14, 28, 56 days), animals were reanaesthetized with lethal doses of Nembutal and perfused transcardially with 1 l ice-cold fixative. Brains were cut on a cryostat into 30 µm thick frontal sections. Subsequently, sections were exposed to an anti-GAP-43 antibody, which is specified as recognizing GAP-43 independent of its state of phosphorylation. After incubation times of 72 hours at 4°C, binding-sites of the anti-GAP-43 antibody were detected using the avidin- biotin-technique with diaminobenzidine and ammonium nickel sulfate to intensify the colour of the reaction