Meinung, Carl-Philipp and Boi, Laura and Pandamooz, Sareh and Mazaud, David and Ghezali, Gregory and Rouach, Nathalie and Neumann, Inga D. (2025) OXTR-mediated signaling in astrocytes contributes to anxiolysis. MOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY, 30 (6). pp. 2620-2634. ISSN 1359-4184, 1476-5578
Full text not available from this repository. (Request a copy)Abstract
Astrocytes are an indispensable part of signal processing within the mammalian brain. Thus, the mode of action of a neuropeptide such as oxytocin (OXT) can only be fully understood considering this integral part of the CNS. Here, we show that OXT regulates astrocytic gene expression, intracellular signaling and specific proteins both in vitro and in vivo. This translates into rapid regulation of astroglial structural and functional properties including cytoskeletal plasticity, coverage of synapses and gap-junction coupling. At the molecular level, we identify the previously undescribed Sp1-Gem signaling cascade as the key driver for these cell type-specific OXT effects. Finally at the behavioral level, we found in vivo that OXT requires astrocytes to exert its well described anxiolytic properties within the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus. Thus, our study points to OXT receptor-expressing astrocytes as a critical component of the brain OXT system.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | GAP-JUNCTION COMMUNICATION; OXYTOCIN RECEPTOR; RHO-KINASE; MORPHOLOGICAL PLASTICITY; ASTROGLIAL NETWORKS; ACTIN CYTOSKELETON; SUPRAOPTIC NUCLEUS; MYOMETRIAL CELLS; DOWN-REGULATION; GLIAL-CELLS; |
| Subjects: | 500 Science > 590 Zoological sciences |
| Divisions: | Biology, Preclinical Medicine > Institut für Zoologie > Tierphysiologie/Neurobiologie (Prof. Dr. Inga Neumann) |
| Depositing User: | Dr. Gernot Deinzer |
| Date Deposited: | 10 Mar 2026 09:29 |
| Last Modified: | 10 Mar 2026 09:29 |
| URI: | https://pred.uni-regensburg.de/id/eprint/64124 |
Actions (login required)
 |
View Item |
