Authors: Bin Feng Jincheng Liu Jun Zhang Kenichi Ozaki Yanyan Guo Dinghua Yi Xiaoqiang Li Minggao Zhao
Publish Date: 2013/01/10
Volume: 47, Issue: 3, Pages: 892-902
Abstract
Motilin is a 22aminoacid gastrointestinal polypeptide that was first isolated from the porcine intestine We identified that motilin receptor is highly expressed in GABAergic interneurons in the basolateral nucleus BLA of the amygdala the structure of which is closely involved in assigning stress disorder and anxiety However little is known about the role of motilin in BLA neuronal circuits and the molecular mechanisms of stressrelated anxiety Wholecell recordings from amygdala slices showed that motilin depolarized the interneurons and facilitated GABAergic transmission in the BLA which is mimicked by the motilin receptor agonist erythromycin BLA local injection of erythromycin or motilin can reduce the anxietylike behavior in mice after acute stress Therefore motilin is essential in regulating interneuron excitability and GABAergic transmission in BLA Moreover the anxiolytic actions of motilin can partly be explained by modulating the BLA neuronal circuits The present data demonstrate the importance of motilin in anxiety and the development of motilin receptor nonpeptide agonist as a clear target for the potential treatment of anxiety disorders
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