EXPRESSION PROFILES FOR RET-POSITIVE DRG NEURONS

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This is a Research Project to generate expression profiles of a specific population of nociceptors in the dorsal root sensory ganglia (DRG) during development and postnatal period in mice as a part of the nGUDMAP project. There is extensive heterogeneity in DRG at several levels including neurochemistry, pharmacology, morphology, and molecular profiles. There is also cross- sensitization of visceral and somatic sensory nervous systems. The molecular basis for this heterogeneity and diversity, its implication in normal and abnormal genitourinary sensory function is lacking and is an obstacle to understanding mechanisms of nociception and devising rational approaches to treat conditions such as painful bladder syndrome/interstitial cystitis. Delineating gene expression patterns and molecular networks in distinct types of DRG neurons during ontogeny is an essential first step to overcome this obstacle. We study a subtype of nociceptor that depends on glial cell line-derive neurotrophic factor (GDNF) family ligands (GFLs) for postnatal survival. GFLs activate receptor tyrosine kinase Ret in nociceptors and a subset of low threshold mechanoreceptors. Activation of GFL-RET downstream signaling is important for axon maintenance, survival, nociception, and pain sensitivity. Ret-positive sensory neurons in the DRG show molecular, neurochemical and structural changes in bladder injury models in mice and in humans in conditions such as painful bladder syndrome or interstitial cystitis (IC/PBS), they participate in both somatic and visceral sensation, express key ion channels that are implicated in somatic and visceral pain (TrpV1, TrpA1), and GFLs can produce analgesia and hyperalgesia. We will delineate genes expressed in Ret-positive DRG sensory neurons. We have made innovative Ret-reporter mice that constitutively or conditionally label Ret-expressing cells with green fluorescence protein for the first time. We will use these in conjunction with FACS and RNA-Seq to accomplish three miniobjectives: 1) To generate expression profiles of Ret+ DRG sensory neurons in early midgestation through postnatal period, 2) To generate expression profiles of Ret+ Nav1.8+ nociceptors at the same time points as above, and 3) Generate expression profiles of Ret+ L6-S1 DRG sensory neurons to enrich isolation of bladder visceral afferents using Ret- reporter male and female postnatal mice. Our preliminary data provide evidence for Ret+ sensory neurons in the DRG and in bladder afferents, their normal activation of TrpV1 and TrpA1 ion channels, their successful isolation using FACS and access to genomic technology in collaboration with bioinformaticists to generate RNA-Seq data and depositing it in the GUDMAP database. Interactions with members of other GUDMAP projects and the community will provide synergies that will accelerate discovery and mechanism based projects related to pelvic visceral sensory system.