title: Identification of a neural circuit that underlies the effects of octopamine on sleep:wake behavior.
abstract: An understanding of sleep requires the identification of distinct cellular circuits that mediate the action of specific sleep:wake-regulating molecules, but such analysis has been very limited. We identify here a circuit that underlies the wake-promoting effects of octopamine in Drosophila. Using MARCM, we identified the ASM cells in the medial protocerebrum as the wake-promoting octopaminergic cells. We then blocked octopamine signaling in random areas of the fly brain and mapped the postsynaptic effect to insulin-secreting neurons of the pars intercerebralis (PI). These PI neurons show altered potassium channel function as well as an increase in cAMP in response to octopamine, and genetic manipulation of their electrical excitability alters sleep:wake behavior. Effects of octopamine on sleep:wake are mediated by the cAMP-dependent isoform of the OAMB receptor. These studies define the cellular and molecular basis of octopamine action and suggest that the PI is a sleep:wake-regulating neuroendocrine structure like the mammalian hypothalamus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania Medical School, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Crocker
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shahidullah
authors.forename: Irwin B
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Levitan
authors.forename: Amita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sehgal
mesh_terms: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000187:drug effects; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D004330:Drosophila; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009655:Octopamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D019789:Tetraethylammonium / Q000494:pharmacology; D014851:Wakefulness / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; C480734:OAMB protein, Drosophila; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D009655:Octopamine; D019789:Tetraethylammonium; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases