2.7 Designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs
(DREADDs)
We utilized DREADDs as a chemogenetic tool to activate BLA astrocytes.
DREADDs receptors are engineered muscarinic receptors that are no longer
sensitive to any native ligands, such as acetylcholine, but can be
activated by the inert small molecule ligand clozapine-N-oxide (CNO).
CNO was purchased from LKT Laboratories, Co., Ltd. (C4759; St. Paul MN,
USA). AAV was purchased from Shanghai Taitool Bioscience Co., Ltd.
(Shanghai, China). In this study, AAV-gfaABC1D-hM4Di(Gi)-EGFP-WPRE-pA
(gfaABC1D-M4-EGFP) was used to specifically inhibit BLA astrocytic
activity, and AAV-gfaABC1D-hM3Dq(Gq)-EGFP-WPRE-pA (gfaABC1D-M3-EGFP) was
used to specifically activate BLA astrocytes.