Transcriptomic single-cell profiling in breathing-specific parabrachial mu-opioid receptor neurons

摘要 阿片类药物是最常用和最有效的镇痛药，是对抗抑郁症的第一道防线。 剧烈的疼痛。然而，这种戏剧性的减轻疼痛的能力伴随着许多副作用。这些 包括便秘、恶心、镇静、头晕、呼吸抑制、依赖和成瘾。之间 呼吸抑制是阿片类药物过量致死的主要原因。根据该中心的数据， 疾病控制中心（CDC），2019年有近5万人死于阿片类药物引起的呼吸抑制（OIRD）。 在美国，由于滥用和成瘾的增加，死亡率正在迅速上升。 处方药和非法阿片类药物。因此，美国目前正在经历一场严重的国家公共卫生危机， 也在损害社会经济福利。尽管这些可怕的数字，研究阐明神经 OIRD的机制，它可以确定治疗目标，还没有严格的调查。动物 研究表明OIRD和阿片类镇痛都是由μ-阿片受体（莫尔）介导的， 然而，负责OIRD和阿片类镇痛的神经回路和大脑区域并不完全 明白这项拟议中的研究旨在解剖选择性介导OIRD或阿片类药物的神经回路 使用尖端的分子、生理、行为和成像技术进行镇痛。特定项目 然后将使用单细胞转录组学分析来鉴定在莫尔中表达的功能标记物。 表达特异性介导OIRD的神经元，而不是阿片类镇痛。成功完成 拟议的研究将确定新的治疗靶点，选择性地挽救OIRD，而不改变止痛药 阿片类药物的影响。

ABSTRACT Opioids are the most commonly used and most effective analgesics, and are the first line of defense against acute and severe pain. However, this dramatic ability to mitigate pain comes with many side effects. These include constipation, nausea, sedation, dizziness, respiratory depression, dependence, and addiction. Among these, respiratory depression is the major driver of death by opioid overdose. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), nearly 50,000 people died in 2019 by opioid-induced respiratory depression (OIRD) in the United States, and the death rate is rising rapidly due to increased misuse and addiction to both prescription and illicit opioids. Thus, the US is currently experiencing a serious national public health crisis that is also taking a toll on social economic welfare. Despite these dire numbers, research elucidating the neural mechanisms of OIRD, which could identify therapeutic targets, has not been rigorously investigated. Animal studies have shown that OIRD and opioid analgesia are both mediated by the µ-opioid receptor (MOR), however the neural circuits and brain regions responsible for OIRD and opioid analgesia are not fully understood. The proposed research aims to dissect the neural circuits that selectively mediate OIRD or opioid analgesia using cutting-edge molecular, physiological, behavioral, and imaging techniques. Projection-specific single-cell transcriptomic analysis will then be used to identify functional markers expressed in the MOR- expressing neurons that specifically mediate OIRD, not opioid analgesia. Successful completion of the proposed research will identify novel therapeutic targets that selectively rescue OIRD without altering analgesic effects of opioids.