Neuropeptide release characteristically requires bursts of electrical activity and controls mood, behavior and development. We have used in vivo imaging of fluorescent neuropeptide-containing vesicles in fruit fly nerve terminals to study activity-dependent neuropeptide release and the regulated vesicle motion that sustains this release. Furthermore, optical experiments showed how vesicles generated in the neuronal cell body (also called the soma) are delivered to distant release sites based on activity. Here we extend these studies to address three key questions: 1. How is the activity dependence of neuropeptide vesicle mobility determined by Ca2+ signaling? 2. What is the role of cAMP signaling in activity-dependent neuropeptide release? 3. How are neuropeptide vesicles distributed among multiple release sites in a single neuron? Given the role of neuropeptides in pain, appetite, mood, and sleep, basic mechanisms underlying neuropeptide release could be clinically relevant. Furthermore, these studies are focused on maintenance of motor nerve terminal function by axonal transport, which is relevant to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and other neurodegenerative diseases. Finally, experiments on neuronal insulin release will yield insights into the evolution of neuroendocrine control of growth and aging.

Public Health Relevance

This project will elucidate mechanisms that regulate neuropeptide release, neuronal cell biology and aging. These mechanisms are key to understanding wide ranging brain functions including control of pain, sleep and mood, the maintenance of nerve terminal function that is important in neurodegenerative diseases and the evolution of neuroendocrine control of growth and lifespan.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01NS032385-13
Application #
7599165
Study Section
Neurotransporters, Receptors, and Calcium Signaling Study Section (NTRC)
Program Officer
Stewart, Randall R
Project Start
1995-08-04
Project End
2012-05-31
Budget Start
2009-06-01
Budget End
2010-05-31
Support Year
13
Fiscal Year
2009
Total Cost
$409,358
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Pittsburgh
Department
Pharmacology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
004514360
City
Pittsburgh
State
PA
Country
United States
Zip Code
15213
Bulgari, Dinara; Jha, Anupma; Deitcher, David L et al. (2018) Myopic (HD-PTP, PTPN23) selectively regulates synaptic neuropeptide release. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 115:1617-1622
Bulgari, Dinara; Deitcher, David L; Levitan, Edwin S (2017) Loss of Huntingtin stimulates capture of retrograde dense-core vesicles to increase synaptic neuropeptide stores. Eur J Cell Biol 96:402-406
Tao, Juan; Bulgari, Dinara; Deitcher, David L et al. (2017) Limited distal organelles and synaptic function in extensive monoaminergic innervation. J Cell Sci 130:2520-2529
Rao, Kavitha; Stone, Michelle C; Weiner, Alexis T et al. (2016) Spastin, atlastin, and ER relocalization are involved in axon but not dendrite regeneration. Mol Biol Cell 27:3245-3256
Cavolo, Samantha L; Bulgari, Dinara; Deitcher, David L et al. (2016) Activity Induces Fmr1-Sensitive Synaptic Capture of Anterograde Circulating Neuropeptide Vesicles. J Neurosci 36:11781-11787
Roland, Bartholomew P; Zeccola, Alison M; Larsen, Samantha B et al. (2016) Structural and Genetic Studies Demonstrate Neurologic Dysfunction in Triosephosphate Isomerase Deficiency Is Associated with Impaired Synaptic Vesicle Dynamics. PLoS Genet 12:e1005941
Cavolo, Samantha L; Zhou, Chaoming; Ketcham, Stephanie A et al. (2015) Mycalolide B dissociates dynactin and abolishes retrograde axonal transport of dense-core vesicles. Mol Biol Cell 26:2664-72
Wong, Man Yan; Cavolo, Samantha L; Levitan, Edwin S (2015) Synaptic neuropeptide release by dynamin-dependent partial release from circulating vesicles. Mol Biol Cell 26:2466-74
Li, Long; Tian, Xiaolin; Zhu, Mingwei et al. (2014) Drosophila Syd-1, liprin-?, and protein phosphatase 2A B' subunit Wrd function in a linear pathway to prevent ectopic accumulation of synaptic materials in distal axons. J Neurosci 34:8474-87
James, Rebecca E; Hoover, Kendall M; Bulgari, Dinara et al. (2014) Crimpy enables discrimination of presynaptic and postsynaptic pools of a BMP at the Drosophila neuromuscular junction. Dev Cell 31:586-98

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