Systemic inflammation inhibits serotonin receptor 2-induced phrenic motor facilitation upstream from BDNF/TrkB signaling

Although systemic inflammation induced by even a low dose of lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 100 μg/kg) impairs respiratory motor plasticity, little is known concerning cellular mechanisms giving rise to this inhibition. Phrenic motor facilitation (pMF) is a form of respiratory motor plasticity elicited by pharmacological agents applied to the cervical spinal cord, or by acute intermittent hypoxia (AIH; 3, 5-min hypoxic episodes); when elicited by AIH, pMF is known as phrenic long-term facilitation (pLTF). AIH consisting of moderate hypoxic episodes (mAIH, arterial Po 2  = 35–55 mmHg) elicits pLTF via the Q pathway to pMF, a mechanism that requires spinal serotonin (5HT 2 ) receptor activation and new brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) protein synthesis. Although mild systemic inflammation attenuates mAIH-induced pLTF via spinal p38 MAP kinase activation, little is known concerning how p38 MAP kinase activity inhibits the Q pathway. Here, we confirmed that 24 h after a low LPS dose (100 μg/kg ip), mAIH-induced pLTF is greatly attenuated. Similarly, pMF elicited by intrathecal cervical injections of 5HT 2A (DOI; 100 μM; 3 × 6 μl) or 5HT 2B receptor agonists (BW723C86; 100 μM; 3 × 6 μl) is blocked 24 h post-LPS. When pMF was elicited by intrathecal BDNF (100 ng, 12 μl), pMF was actually enhanced 24 h post-LPS. Thus 5HT 2A/2B receptor-induced pMF is impaired downstream from 5HT 2 receptor activation, but upstream from BDNF/TrkB signaling. Mechanisms whereby LPS augments BDNF-induced pMF are not yet known. NEW & NOTEWORTHY These experiments give novel insights concerning mechanisms whereby systemic inflammation undermines serotonin-dependent, spinal respiratory motor plasticity, yet enhances brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)/TrkB signaling in phrenic motor neurons. These insights may guide development of new strategies to elicit functional recovery of breathing capacity in patients with respiratory impairment by reducing (or bypassing) the impact of systemic inflammation characteristic of clinical disorders that compromise breathing.