GABAergic neurogliaform cells represent local sources of insulin in the cerebral cortex.
Concentrations of insulin in the brain are severalfold higher than blood plasma levels. Insulin in the brain regulates the metabolism, molecular composition, and cognitive performance of microcircuits and reduces food intake; cerebral insulin levels are altered in diabetes, aging, obesity, and Alzheimer's disease. Released by pancreatic β cells, insulin passes the blood-brain barrier, but sources of locally released insulin still remain unclear. We find that insulin is strongly expressed in GABAergic neurogliaform cells in the cerebral cortex of the rat detected by single-cell digital PCR. Focal application of glucose or glibenclamide to neurogliaform cells mimics the excitation suppressing effect of external insulin on local microcircuits via insulin receptors. Thus, neurogliaform cells might link GABAergic and insulinergic action in cortical microcircuits.
Research Group for Cortical Microcircuits of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Neuroscience, University of Szeged, Szeged, H-6726, Hungary, Laboratory of Functional Genomics, Department of Genetics, Biological Research Center, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged, H-6726, Hungary, Endocrinology Unit, First Department of Internal Medicine, University of Szeged, Szeged, H-6720, Hungary, and Avidin Ltd, Szeged, H-6726, Hungary.
Gábor
G
Molnár
Nóra
N
Faragó
Ágnes K
ÁK
Kocsis
Márton
M
Rózsa
Sándor
S
Lovas
Eszter
E
Boldog
Rita
R
Báldi
Éva
É
Csajbók
János
J
Gardi
László G
LG
Puskás
Gábor
G
Tamás
D000818:Animals; D019706:Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism*; D000078790:Insulin Secretion; D008297:Male; D019579:Neocortex / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism
D007328:Insulin; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid