Identification of a population of peripheral sensory neurons that regulates blood pressure

• DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109191
• Publication Date: 2021-06-01T15:19:43Z
• Authors: Chiara Morelli; Laura Castaldi; Sam J. Brown; Lina L. Streich; Alexander Websdale; Francisco J. Tabe...; Blanka Cerreti; Alessandro Barenghi; Kevin M. Blum; Julie Sawitzke; Tessa Frank; Laura K. Steffens; Balint Doleschall; Joana Serrao; Denise Ferrarini; Stefan G. Lechner; Robert Prevedel; Paul A. Heppenstall
• Keywords: 0303 health sciences; Behavior, Animal; Sensory Receptor Cells; TrkC; cardiovascular homeostasis; blood pressure; Blood Pressure; Mice, Transgenic; Article; 03 medical and health sciences; DRG; peripheral nervous system; Heart Rate; Ganglia, Spinal; TH; Animals; Fluorescein; Receptor, trkC

The vasculature is innervated by a network of peripheral afferents that sense and regulate blood flow. Here, we describe a system of non-peptidergic sensory neurons with cell bodies in the spinal ganglia that regulate vascular tone in the distal arteries. We identify a population of mechanosensitive neurons, marked by tropomyosin receptor kinase C (TrkC) and tyrosine hydroxylase in the dorsal root ganglia, which projects to blood vessels. Local stimulation of TrkC neurons decreases vessel diameter and blood flow, whereas systemic activation increases systolic blood pressure and heart rate variability via the sympathetic nervous system. Ablation of the neurons provokes variability in local blood flow, leading to a reduction in systolic blood pressure, increased heart rate variability, and ultimately lethality within 48 h. Thus, a population of TrkC+ sensory neurons forms part of a sensory-feedback mechanism that maintains cardiovascular homeostasis through the autonomic nervous system.