Nucleus Accumbens Medium Spiny Neurons Target Non-Dopaminergic Neurons in the Ventral Tegmental Area
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The Journal of Neuroscience, May 25, 2011 • 31(21):7811–7816 • 7811 Behavioral/Systems/Cognitive Nucleus Accumbens Medium Spiny Neurons Target Non-Dopaminergic Neurons in the Ventral Tegmental Area Yanfang Xia, Joseph R. Driscoll, Linda Wilbrecht, Elyssa B. Margolis, Howard L. Fields, and Gregory O. Hjelmstad Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center, Wheeler Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, and Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, Emeryville, California 94608 The midbrain ventral tegmental area (VTA) projection to the nucleus accumbens (NAc) is implicated in motivation and reinforcement. A significant number of NAc medium spiny neurons (MSNs) project back to the VTA, although the nature of this projection is essentially unknown. For example, do NAc MSNs directly target accumbens-projecting dopamine neurons and do they act via the GABAA or GABAB receptor? To address these issues, we expressed the light-sensitive channel rhodopsin-2 in the rat NAc and made electrophysiological recordings from VTA neurons ex vivo. We found that the NAc directly targets non-dopaminergic VTA neurons, including some that project back to the NAc. These MSN GABAergic terminals are opioid sensitive and act via GABAA receptors. Introduction neurons in a region with heterogeneous anatomical connectivity. In The ventral tegmental area (VTA) projection to the nucleus ac- this study, we used a viral vector to express channel rhodopsin-2 cumbens (NAc) is a critical element of circuits that mediate ap- (ChR2) in neurons of the NAc of rats and optically stimulated their petitive behaviors (Carr and Sesack, 2000a; Fields et al., 2007; axon terminals during ex vivo whole-cell recordings from VTA Humphries and Prescott, 2010). Although considerable focus has neurons in a midbrain slice. We found that NAc MSNs target been placed on the role of the dopamine projection from the VTA non-dopaminergic VTA neurons, including non-dopaminergic to the NAc, a significant number of VTA GABA neurons also neurons that project back to the NAc. Moreover, this connection project to the NAc (Van Bockstaele and Pickel, 1995; Carr and is mediated by GABAA receptors and is inhibited by -opioids, Sesack, 2000b; Margolis et al., 2006b). Moreover, a subset of NAc providing a potential mechanism for opioid reward. medium spiny neurons (MSNs) sends a reciprocal GABAergic Materials and Methods projection back to the VTA (Nauta et al., 1978; Heimer et al., Animals. Surgeries were performed on 27- to 29-d-old (70–80 g) male Sprague 1991; Kalivas et al., 1993; Lu et al., 1998; Usuda et al., 1998; Dawley rats. Animals were anesthetized with isoflurane. Adeno-associated virus Tripathi et al., 2010). This projection is thought to mediate a containing ChR2–tdtomato (AAV2/1 CAG::ChR2.tdtomato, a kind gift from “long-loop” inhibitory feedback to regulate dopamine neuron Karel Svoboda) was bilaterally injected (1 l in each side) using a Hamilton activity (Einhorn et al., 1988; Rahman and McBride, 2000). How- syringe stereotaxically placed into the NAc shell (anteroposterior, ϩ1.5 mm ever, it is unresolved whether the axon terminals of the MSNs from bregma; mediolateral, Ϯ0.8 mm from bregma; ventral, Ϫ6.7 mm from synapse onto NAc-projecting dopamine neurons or a different skull surface). The injector was left in place for 5 min, raised 1 mm, and left class of VTA neuron. for an additional 5 min before being completely removed. Animals were The nature of the synaptic connection is also unknown. It has then returned to their home cages for 14–17 d before electrophysiologi- been proposed that the NAc projection to the VTA produces an cal experiments were performed. For retrograde tracer experiments, neuro-DiI (0.3 l, 7% in ethanol; Biotium) was slowly injected (over 5 IPSC mediated exclusively by GABA receptors (Sugita et al., B min) into the NAc 2–3 h after the injection of the virus. Only data from 1992; Cameron and Williams, 1993). However, this model was rats in which the infection was confirmed were accepted. based on indirect evidence and, because of technical limitations, Slice preparation and electrophysiology. Coronal NAc slices (350 m has never been directly tested. thick) or horizontal midbrain slices (150–200 m thick) including the The recent development of optogenetic tools provides a novel VTA were prepared using a vibratome (Leica Instruments) in artificial method for isolating the action of specific afferent projections to CSF (ACSF) containing the following (in mM): 119 NaCl, 2.5 KCl, 1.3 MgSO4, 1.0 NaH2PO4, 2.5 CaCl2, 26.2 NaHCO3, and 11 glucose (satu- rated with 95% O2/5% CO2). Slices were submerged in ACSF and al- Received March 24, 2011; revised April 1, 2011; accepted April 6, 2011. lowed to recover for Ͼ1 h at room temperature. Author contributions: Y.X., L.W., E.B.M., H.L.F., and G.O.H. designed research; Y.X., J.R.D., and G.O.H. performed Individual slices were visualized under an upright microscope with research; Y.X., J.R.D., and G.O.H. analyzed data; Y.X., L.W., E.B.M., H.L.F., and G.O.H. wrote the paper. differential interference contrast optics and infrared and epifluorescent The authors declare no competing financial interests. illumination. Whole-cell recordings were made with 2.5–4 M⍀ pipettes This work was supported by the State of California for medical research on alcohol and substance abuse through containing the following (in mM): 123 K-gluconate, 10 HEPES, 0.2 the University of California, San Francisco and by the Wheeler Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction. We thank Kaidi He for technical assistance. EGTA, 8 NaCl, 2 MgATP, and 0.3 Na3GTP, pH 7.2 (osmolarity adjusted CorrespondenceshouldbeaddressedtoGregoryHjelmstad,ErnestGalloClinicandResearchCenter,5858Horton to 275 mOsm). In some experiments, 0.1% biocytin was included in the Street, Suite #200, Emeryville, CA 94608. E-mail: [email protected]. recording solution. Recordings were made using a Multiclamp 700A or DOI:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1504-11.2011 Axopatch 1-D amplifier (Molecular Devices), filtered at 2 kHz, and col- Copyright © 2011 the authors 0270-6474/11/317811-06$15.00/0 lected at 5 kHz using procedures written for Igor Pro (Wavemetrics). 7812 • J. Neurosci., May 25, 2011 • 31(21):7811–7816 Xia et al. • Optogenetic Stimulation of NAc Efferents ChR2 was stimulated by flashing 470 nm A B C light (1–5 ms) through the light path of the microscope using a high-powered LED (XR-E XLamp LED; Cree) powered by an LED driver (Mightex Systems) under computer control. Electrically evoked GABAB IPSCs were isolated with picrotoxin (100 M), DNQX (10 M), sulpiride (10 M), strychnine (1 M), and D-AP-5 (10 M) and were evoked with a train of seven pulses given once every 30 s through a bipolar stimulating electrode placed ϳ50 m D E from the recorded neuron. Light-evoked IPSC amplitudes were calculated by comparing a 2 ms period at the peak of the response with a similar period just before light stimulation. The significance of drug effects was determined comparing the last 4 min of baseline with the last 4 min of drug application. Baclofen cur- rents were determined by measuringa1min average during the peak response compared with the baseline period. HCN currents (Ih) FG were recorded by voltage clamping cells at Ϫ60 mV and applying a series of steps from Ϫ40 to Ϫ 120 mV. The Ih magnitude was measured as the difference between the initial capacitative response to the voltage step and the final cur- rent. Series resistance was monitored online by measuring the peak of the capacitance tran- sient in response to a Ϫ4 mV voltage step ap- Figure 1. ChR2-expression in the NAc. A, Confocal image of ChR2–tdtomato expression (red) in NAc neurons. Scale bar, 50 ìm. plied at the onset of each sweep. All drugs were B, Diagram of experimental design: light stimulation (blue) of ChR2 expressing NAc MSN (red). C, Example recording from an MSN applied by bath perfusion. Stock solutions of showing responses to 1 ms pulses of light at three different intensities. D, MSNs can follow trains of light pulses up to 100 Hz. E, drugs are made and diluted (typically 1:1000) Averageprobabilityoffiringanactionpotential(AP)foreachstimulusinatrainforthreedifferentfrequencies(nϭ6).F,Example into ACSF immediately before application. recordingofalight-evokedIPSCinaneighboringuninfectedMSN(currentisinwardwhenholdingMSNatϪ75mV).ThisIPSCwas Statistical analyses were performed using the entirely blocked after the application of picrotoxin (PTX). G, IPSCs evoked in response to a 50 Hz train of light. 2 test, Student’s t test, or appropriate ANOVA as described in the text. Data are presented as in which higher intensities produced action potentials (Fig. 1C). Ϯ Ͻ mean SEM. Significance is defined as p 0.05. Trains of 1 ms light pulses reliably produced action potentials at Immunocytochemistry. For tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunoreac- frequencies up to 100 Hz (Fig. 1D,E). Trains with longer- tivity, immediately after recording, slices were fixed in 4% formaldehyde duration (5 ms) light pulses produced more erratic responses: for 2 h, then washed thoroughly, and stored at 4°C in PBS. Sections were double spikes early in the trains and less reliable spiking later in preblocked for 2 h in PBS plus 0.3% (v/v) Tween 20, 0.2% BSA, and 5% ϭ normal goat serum and then incubated for 48 h at 4°C with a rabbit the trains (n 5) (data not shown). In voltage-clamp recordings anti-tyrosine hydroxylase polyclonal antibody (1:100). The slices were from uninfected, neighboring MSNs, light evoked an inward cur- washed thoroughly in PBS with 0.3% Tween 20 before being agitated rent when the neuron was held at Ϫ75 mV that was blocked by overnight at 4°C with Cy5 anti-rabbit secondary antibody (1:100) and the GABAA receptor antagonist picrotoxin (100 M) (Fig.