Biology subjects

Jayaprakash, N.

Publications and source records attributed to Jayaprakash, N..

8 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2024

Control of spatiotemporal activation of organ-specific fibers in the vagus nerve by intermittent interferential current stimulation

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is emerging as potential treatment for several chronic diseases, however, limited control of fiber activation to promote desired effects over side effects restricts clinical translation. Here we describe a new VNS method that relies on intermittent, interferential sinusoidal current stimulation (i2CS) through implanted, multi-contact epineural cuffs. In swine, i2CS elicits specific nerve potentials and end organ responses, distinct from equivalent non-interferential sinusoidal stimulation. Comparing experimental results with anatomical trajectories of nerve fascicles from end organs to the stimulation electrode indicates that i2CS activates organ-specific fascicles rather than the entire nerve. Experimental results and anatomically realistic, physiologically validated biophysical models of the vagus nerve demonstrate that i2CS reduces fiber activation at the focus of interference. Current steering and repetition frequency determine spatiotemporal pattern of vagal fiber activation, allowing tunable and precise control of neural and organ responses. In experiments in a cohort of anesthetized swine, i2CS has improved selectivity for a desired effect, mediated by smaller bronchopulmonary fibers, over a side effect, mediated by larger laryngeal fibers, compared to non-interferential sinusoidal or square pulse VNS.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2023

Ultrasound neuromodulation of an anti-inflammatory pathway at the spleen produces sustained improvement of experimental pulmonary hypertension

BackgroundInflammation is pathogenically implicated in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH); however, it has not been adequately targeted therapeutically. We investigated whether neuromodulation of an anti-inflammatory neuroimmune pathway involving the splenic nerve using noninvasive, focused ultrasound stimulation of the spleen (sFUS) can improve experimental pulmonary hypertension (PH). MethodsPH was induced in rats either by SU5416 (20 mg/kg SQ) injection, followed by 21 (or 35) days of hypoxia (SuHx model), or by monocrotaline (60 mg/kg IP) injection (MCT model). Animals were randomized to receive either daily, 12-min-long sessions of sFUS or sham stimulation, for 14 days. Catheterizations, echocardiography, indices of autonomic function, lung and heart histology and immunohistochemistry, spleen flow cytometry and lung single-cell-RNA sequencing were performed after treatment to assess the effects of sFUS. ResultsSplenic denervation right before induction of PH results in a more severe phenotype. In both SuHx and MCT models of PH, sFUS treatment reduces right ventricular (RV) systolic pressure by 25-30% compared to sham therapy, without affecting systemic pressure, and improves RV function and autonomic indices. sFUS reduces wall thickness, apoptosis, and proliferation in small pulmonary arterioles, suppresses CD3+ and CD68+ cell infiltration in lungs and RV fibrosis and hypertrophy and lowers brain natriuretic peptide. Beneficial effects persist for weeks after sFUS discontinuation and are more robust with early and longer treatment. Splenic denervation abolishes sFUS therapeutic benefits. sFUS partially normalizes CD68+ and CD8+ T-cells cell counts in the spleen and downregulates several inflammatory genes and pathways in nonclassical and classical monocytes, and macrophages in the lung. Differentially expressed genes in those cell types are significantly enriched for human PAH-associated genes. ConclusionssFUS causes dose-dependent, sustained improvement of hemodynamic, autonomic, laboratory and pathological manifestations in two models of experimental PH. Mechanistically, sFUS normalizes immune cell populations in the spleen and downregulates inflammatory genes and pathways in the lung, many of which are relevant in human disease.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2022

Spleen voltammetry assesses in real time norepinephrine release elicited by autonomic stimulation

BackgroundThe noradrenergic innervation of the spleen is implicated in the autonomic control of inflammation and has been the target of neurostimulation therapies for inflammatory diseases. However, there is no real-time marker of its successful activation, which hinders the optimization of anti- inflammatory neurostimulation therapies and mechanistic studies in anti-inflammatory neural circuits. MethodsIn mice, we performed fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) in the spleen during intravascular injections of norepinephrine (NE), or during stimulation of the vagus, splanchnic, or splenic nerves. We defined the stimulus-elicited charge generated at the oxidation potential for NE ([~]0.8 V) as the "NE voltammetry signal" and quantified the dependence of the signal on NE or nerve stimulation dose. We correlated the NE voltammetry signal in response to splenic nerve stimulation (SpNS) with the latters anti-inflammatory effect in a model of lipopolysaccharide- (LPS) induced endotoxemia, quantified as suppression of TNF release. ResultsWe found that the NE voltammetry signal is proportional to injected amount and estimated peak NE concentration, with 0.3 M detection threshold. In response to SpNS, the signal increases within seconds, returns to baseline minutes later and is blocked by interventions that deplete NE or inhibit NE release. The signal is elicited by efferent, but not afferent, electrical or optogenetic vagus nerve stimulation, and by splanchnic nerve stimulation. The magnitude of the signal during SpNS is inversely correlated with subsequent TNF suppression in endotoxemia and explains 40% of the variance in TNF measurements. ConclusionFSCV in the spleen provides a marker for real-time monitoring of anti-inflammatory activation of the splenic innervation during autonomic stimulation.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2021

A Fully Implantable Wireless Bidirectional Neuromodulation System for Mice

Novel research in the field of bioelectronic medicine requires systems that pair high-performance neurostimulation and bio-signal acquisition hardware with advanced software signal processing and control algorithms. Although mice are the most commonly used animal in medical research, the size, weight, and power requirements of such systems either preclude their use or impose significant constraints on experimental design. Here, we describe a fully-implantable neuromodulation system suitable for use in mice, measuring 2.2 cm3 and weighing 2.8 g. A bidirectional wireless interface allows simultaneous readout of multiple physiological signals and complete control over stimulation parameters, and a wirelessly rechargeable battery provides a lifetime of up to 5 days on a single charge. The device was successfully implanted (N=12) and a functional neural interface (capable of inducing acute bradycardia) is demonstrated with functional lifetimes exceeding to three weeks. The design utilizes only commercially-available components and 3D-printed packaging, with the goal of accelerating discovery and translation of future bioelectronic therapeutics.

bioengineering↗

bioRxiv2021

Manipulation of stimulus waveform and frequency permits targeted fiber activation during vagus nerve stimulation in 2 rodent species

Afferent and efferent vagal fibers mediate bidirectional communication between the brain and visceral organs. Small, unmyelinated C-afferents constitute the majority of vagal fibers, play critical roles in numerous interoceptive circuits and autonomic reflexes in health and disease and may contribute to the efficacy and safety of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS). Selective engagement of C-afferents with electrical stimuli has not been feasible, due to the default fiber recruitment order: larger fibers first, smaller fibers last. Here, we determine and optimize an electrical stimulus that selectively engages vagal C-afferents. Intermittent KHz-frequency electrical stimulation (KES) activates motor and, preferentially, sensory vagal neurons in the brainstem. During KES, asynchronous activity of C-afferents increases, while that of larger fibers remains largely unchanged. In parallel, KES effectively blocks excitability of larger fibers while moderately suppressing excitability of C-afferents. By compiling selectivity indices in individual animals, we find that optimal KES parameters for C-afferents are >5KHz frequency and 7-10 times engagement threshold (xT) intensity in rats, 15-25xT in mice. These effects can be explained in computational models by how sodium channel responses to KES are shaped by axonal size and myelin. Our results indicate that selective engagement of vagal C-afferents is attainable by intermittent KES.

bioengineering↗

bioRxiv2020

Single-axon level automatic segmentation and feature extraction from immuhistochemical images of peripheral nerves

Quantitative descriptions of the morphology and structure of peripheral nerves is central in the development of bioelectronic devices interfacing the nerves. While histological procedures and microscopy techniques yield high-resolution detailed images of individual axons, automated methods to extract relevant information at the single-axon level are not widely available. We implemented a segmentation algorithm that allows for subsequent feature extraction in immunohistochemistry (IHC) images of peripheral nerves at the single fiber scale. These features include short and long cross-sectional diameters, area, perimeter, thickness of surrounding myelin and polar coordinates of single axons within a nerve or nerve fascicle. We evaluated the performance of our algorithm using manually annotated IHC images of 27 fascicles of the swine cervical vagus; the accuracy of single-axon detection was 82%, and of the classification of fiber myelination was 89%.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2020

An implant for long-term cervical vagus nerve stimulation in mice

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is a neuromodulation therapy with the potential to treat a wide range of chronic conditions in which inflammation is implicated, including type 2 diabetes, obesity and atherosclerosis. Many of these diseases have well-established mouse models, but due to the significant surgical and engineering challenges that accompany a reliable interface for long-term VNS in mice, the therapeutic implications of this bioelectronic therapy remain unexplored. Here, we describe a long-term VNS implant in mice, developed at 3 research laboratories and validated for across-lab reproducibility. Implant functionality was evaluated over 3-8 weeks in 81 anesthetized or behaving mice by determining the stimulus intensity required to elicit a change in heart rate (heart rate threshold, HRT). HRT was also used as a method to standardize stimulation dosing. Overall, 60-90% of implants produced stimulus-evoked physiological responses for at least 4 weeks, with HRT values stabilizing after the second week of implantation. Furthermore, stimulation delivered through 6-week-old implants decreased TNF levels in a subset of mice with acute inflammation caused by endotoxemia. Histological examination of 4- to 6-week-old implants revealed fibrotic encapsulation and no gross fiber loss. This implantation and dosing approach provides a tool to systematically investigate the therapeutic potential of long-term VNS in chronic diseases modeled in the mouse, the most widely used vertebrate species in biomedical research.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.View Full Text

bioengineering↗

bioRxiv2019

Restoration of Direct Corticospinal Communication Across Sites of Spinal Injury

Injury to the spinal cord often disrupts long-distance axon tracts that link the brain and spinal cord, causing permanent disability. Axon regeneration is then prevented by a combination of inhibitory signals that emerge at the injury site and by a low capacity for regeneration within injured neurons. The corticospinal tract (CST) is essential for fine motor control but has proven refractory to many attempted pro-regenerative treatments. Although strategies are emerging to create relay or detour circuits that re-route cortical motor commands through spared circuits, these have only partially met the challenge of restoring motor control. Here, using a murine model of spinal injury, we elevated the intrinsic regenerative ability of CST neurons by supplying a pro-regenerative transcription factor, KLF6, while simultaneously supplying injured CST axons with a growth-permissive graft of neural progenitor cells (NPCs) transplanted into a site of spinal injury. The combined treatment produced robust CST regeneration directly through the grafts and into distal spinal cord. Moreover, selective optogenetic stimulation of regenerated CST axons and single-unit electrophysiology revealed extensive synaptic integration by CST axons with spinal neurons beyond the injury site. Finally, when KLF6 was delivered to injured neurons with a highly effective retrograde vector, combined KLF6/NPC treatment yielded significant improvements in forelimb function. These findings highlight the utility of retrograde gene therapy as a strategy to treat CNS injury and establish conditions that restore functional CST communication across a site of spinal injury. Significance StatementDamage to the spinal cord results in incurable paralysis because axons that carry descending motor commands are unable to regenerate. Here we deployed a two-pronged strategy in a rodent model of spinal injury to promote regeneration by the corticospinal tract, a critical mediator of fine motor control. Delivering pro-regenerative KLF6 to injured neurons while simultaneously transplanting neural progenitor cells to injury sites resulted in robust regeneration directly through sites of spinal injury, accompanied by extensive synapse formation with spinal neurons. In addition, when KLF6 was delivered with improved retrograde gene therapy vectors, the combined treatment significantly improved forelimb function in injured animals. This work represents important progress toward restoring regeneration and motor function after spinal injury.

neuroscience↗