Fig. 6

Chemogenetic manipulation of the SOM positive neurons in the CeA. A Schematic illustration of bilateral AAV5-DIO-mCherry (mCherry) or AAV5-DIO-hM4Di-mCherry (hM4Di) injection in the CeA of SOM-Cre mouse. B Schematic illustration of experimental timeline. After 3 weeks of virus expression, SOM-Cre mice were i.p. injected with either vehicle (Ctrl) or NTG (0.1 mg/kg) every other day to day 9 (totally 5 injections) and i.p. injected with CNO (5 mg/kg) on day 10 and 12. The mechanical threshold tested 2 hrs post-treatment after the NTG injection and 1 hr. post-treatment after the CNO injection. C Behavioral consequences before and after CNO application in SOM-Cre mice pretreated with bilateral hM4Di virus injection in the CeA and chronic NTG administration. Sustained mechanical hyperalgesia (left, n = 11 per group; p < 0.01 **, and p < 0.001 ***) and the marble burying test (right, n = 11 per group) were unaffected after chemogenetic silencing of the SOM positive neurons in CeA. D Behavioral consequences before and after CNO application in SOM-Cre mice pretreated with bilateral mCherry and hM4Di virus injection in the CeA and chronic NTG administration. Sustained mechanical hyperalgesia (left, n = 4 per group) and the marble burying test (right, n = 4 per group) were unaffected after chemogenetic silencing of the SOM neurons in CeA. E Schematic illustration of bilateral AAV5-DIO-mCherry (mCherry) or AAV5-DIO-hM3Dq-mCherry (hM3Dq) injection in the CeA of SOM-Cre mouse. F Schematic illustration of experimental timeline. After 3 weeks of virus expression, SOM-Cre mice were i.p. injected with either vehicle (Ctrl) or NTG (0.1 mg/kg) every other day to day 9 (totally 5 injections) and i.p. injected with CNO (5 mg/kg) on day 10 and 12. The mechanical threshold tested 2 hrs post-treatment after the NTG injection and 1 hr. post-treatment after the CNO injection. G Behavioral consequences before and after CNO application in SOM-Cre mice pretreated with bilateral hM3Dq virus injection in the CeA and chronic NTG administration. Sustained mechanical hyperalgesia (left, n = 4 per group; p < 0.05 *) and the marble burying test (right, n = 4 per group) were unaffected after chemogenetic activation of the SOM positive neurons in the CeA. H Behavioral consequences before and after CNO application in SOM-Cre mice pretreated with bilateral mCherry and hM3Dq virus injection in the CeA and chronic NTG administration. Sustained mechanical hyperalgesia (left, n = 4 per group) and the marble burying test (right, n = 4 per group) were unaffected after chemogenetic activation of the SOM positive neurons in the CeA. All data shown are mean ± SEM and analyzed by Friedman tests with Dunn’s post hoc test (C, D, G, H). Significance levels set at p < 0.05 *, p < 0.01 **, and p < 0.001 ***