8569 ?Table 1. Difference in density of VGAT and VGLUT2 synaptic boutons in the ARH during development Labeled synaptic boutons VGAT VGLUT2 P13 15 1 1 0.13 0.1b P21 23 1.18 0.9 0.2 0.1c Young adult (9 ?0 weeks) 1.55 0.85 0.21 0.12daFevipiprant chemical information Adult-lean (17?8 weeks) 0.95 1.98 0.1 0.39b,c,d,eAdult-DIO (17?8 weeks) 0.75 0.71 0.08a 0.13eResults are shown as mean SEM. The ratio of labeled synaptic boutons for VGAT or VGLUT2 in the ARH was calculated by normalizing all results to P13 15 expression. Superscript letters indicate significant difference between groups by ANOVA, post hoc Tukey’s test. a Young adult versus adult-DIO. b P13 15 versus adult-lean. c P21 23 versus adult-lean. d Young adult versus adult-lean. e Adult-lean versus adult-DIO.Figure 4. Development of inhibitory actions of GABA in NAG neurons. Representative traces of NAG neurons in current-clamp mode in the presence of GABA (30 M). A, GABA leads to membrane hyperpolarization in NAG neurons at P13 15 (10 of 13 neurons, 6 animals), P21 23 (7 of 7 neurons, 4 animals), and young adult (10 of 10 neurons, 5 animals). Bar graphs show the magnitude of GABA responses in NAG neurons for each age. B, Quantification of mRNA levels for NKCC1 and KCC2 by qPCR in ARH at P12 13. ARH microdissected punches were pooled from two animals (n 10 animals). C, Quantitative comparison of the differences in GABA-mediated hyperpolarization in NAG neurons from P13 through 10 weeks of age. Results are shown as mean SEM; **p 0.01, ***p 0.001, ****p 0.0001 by unpaired, paired t test or ANOVA, post hoc Bonferroni correction. RMP, Resting membrane potential.neurons (Fig. 4A; n 10, 5 animals; t(9) 8, p 0.0001, paired t test). Furthermore, quantitative analysis revealed that GABAmediated hyperpolarization of NAG neurons increased with age 30, 15 animals; ANOVA with post hoc Bonferroni (Fig. 4C; n correction shows significant differences in GABA responses: F(2,24) 5.7, p 0.0089; P13 15 vs young adult: t(24) 3.4, p 0.01). GABA decreases neuronal activity through both ligand-gated GABAA receptor and the G-protein-coupled GABAB receptor in the adult nervous system (Obrietan and van den Pol, 1998). To investigate whether there is a developmental difference in the function of GABAB receptors, we performed electrophysiological studies using baclofen 20 M, a GABAB receptor agonist, in NAG neurons at P13 15 and young adult (9 ?0 weeks). We found that baclofen leads to membrane hyperpolarization in NAG neurons in both pups and NVP-BEZ235 biological activity adults (Fig. 5A). The magnitude of baclofen-mediated hyperpolarization was 8.7 1.6 mV (P13?P15; n 6, 4 animals; t(5) 5.2, p 0.05, paired t test) and11.1 3 mV (young adults; n 4, 4 animals; t(3) 3.6, p 0.05, paired t test). However, there were no significant differences in baclofen responses between pups and adults (Fig. 5B; p 0.05). Together, our results indicate that after P13, GABA actions in orexigenic NAG neurons are inhibitory. Development of excitatory synaptic transmission on NAG neurons in the ARH Recent studies in mice have shown that fasting and ghrelin can activate NAG neurons by presynaptic release of glutamate to initiate food-seeking behavior in adults (Yang et al., 2011; Liu et al., 2012). Because high-energy intake is necessary to fuel rapid growth in pups, we wanted to investigate the ontogeny of spontaneous EPSCs (sEPSCs) in ARH NPY neurons. NPY-GFP neurons from P13 15, P21 23, and young adult (9 ?0 weeks) mice were held at 60 mV under voltage-clamp mode. Bicuculline (5 M), a GABAA recep.8569 ?Table 1. Difference in density of VGAT and VGLUT2 synaptic boutons in the ARH during development Labeled synaptic boutons VGAT VGLUT2 P13 15 1 1 0.13 0.1b P21 23 1.18 0.9 0.2 0.1c Young adult (9 ?0 weeks) 1.55 0.85 0.21 0.12daAdult-lean (17?8 weeks) 0.95 1.98 0.1 0.39b,c,d,eAdult-DIO (17?8 weeks) 0.75 0.71 0.08a 0.13eResults are shown as mean SEM. The ratio of labeled synaptic boutons for VGAT or VGLUT2 in the ARH was calculated by normalizing all results to P13 15 expression. Superscript letters indicate significant difference between groups by ANOVA, post hoc Tukey’s test. a Young adult versus adult-DIO. b P13 15 versus adult-lean. c P21 23 versus adult-lean. d Young adult versus adult-lean. e Adult-lean versus adult-DIO.Figure 4. Development of inhibitory actions of GABA in NAG neurons. Representative traces of NAG neurons in current-clamp mode in the presence of GABA (30 M). A, GABA leads to membrane hyperpolarization in NAG neurons at P13 15 (10 of 13 neurons, 6 animals), P21 23 (7 of 7 neurons, 4 animals), and young adult (10 of 10 neurons, 5 animals). Bar graphs show the magnitude of GABA responses in NAG neurons for each age. B, Quantification of mRNA levels for NKCC1 and KCC2 by qPCR in ARH at P12 13. ARH microdissected punches were pooled from two animals (n 10 animals). C, Quantitative comparison of the differences in GABA-mediated hyperpolarization in NAG neurons from P13 through 10 weeks of age. Results are shown as mean SEM; **p 0.01, ***p 0.001, ****p 0.0001 by unpaired, paired t test or ANOVA, post hoc Bonferroni correction. RMP, Resting membrane potential.neurons (Fig. 4A; n 10, 5 animals; t(9) 8, p 0.0001, paired t test). Furthermore, quantitative analysis revealed that GABAmediated hyperpolarization of NAG neurons increased with age 30, 15 animals; ANOVA with post hoc Bonferroni (Fig. 4C; n correction shows significant differences in GABA responses: F(2,24) 5.7, p 0.0089; P13 15 vs young adult: t(24) 3.4, p 0.01). GABA decreases neuronal activity through both ligand-gated GABAA receptor and the G-protein-coupled GABAB receptor in the adult nervous system (Obrietan and van den Pol, 1998). To investigate whether there is a developmental difference in the function of GABAB receptors, we performed electrophysiological studies using baclofen 20 M, a GABAB receptor agonist, in NAG neurons at P13 15 and young adult (9 ?0 weeks). We found that baclofen leads to membrane hyperpolarization in NAG neurons in both pups and adults (Fig. 5A). The magnitude of baclofen-mediated hyperpolarization was 8.7 1.6 mV (P13?P15; n 6, 4 animals; t(5) 5.2, p 0.05, paired t test) and11.1 3 mV (young adults; n 4, 4 animals; t(3) 3.6, p 0.05, paired t test). However, there were no significant differences in baclofen responses between pups and adults (Fig. 5B; p 0.05). Together, our results indicate that after P13, GABA actions in orexigenic NAG neurons are inhibitory. Development of excitatory synaptic transmission on NAG neurons in the ARH Recent studies in mice have shown that fasting and ghrelin can activate NAG neurons by presynaptic release of glutamate to initiate food-seeking behavior in adults (Yang et al., 2011; Liu et al., 2012). Because high-energy intake is necessary to fuel rapid growth in pups, we wanted to investigate the ontogeny of spontaneous EPSCs (sEPSCs) in ARH NPY neurons. NPY-GFP neurons from P13 15, P21 23, and young adult (9 ?0 weeks) mice were held at 60 mV under voltage-clamp mode. Bicuculline (5 M), a GABAA recep.