Abstract:
Chemistry has significantly broadened the range of tools available to study biological processes, enabling the development of precise molecular tools that can be activated in a targeted fashion. A powerful example is the development of a "caged" oxytocin analog, which is functionally inactive until triggered by light. This tool offers unprecedented spatiotemporal control over oxytocin activity, allowing researchers to explore its effects across various tissues with high precision.
Oxytocin is crucial for maternal physiology, social behaviors, and the regulation of uterine contractions and is implicated in multiple neuropsychiatric disorders. However, traditional approaches lack the resolution needed to activate oxytocin receptors with precision within the brain and peripheral tissues. Here, we developed and validated caged oxytocin analogs, which remain inactive until UV light exposure prompts their release. Using this tool, we examined the effects of local versus global oxytocin release on calcium wave propagation in mouse mammary tissue, controlled uterine contractions, and verified its utility in the hippocampus and auditory cortex through in vitro electrophysiology. Additionally, we demonstrated that uncaging oxytocin could accelerate maternal behavior onset in mice. These findings underscore the potential of optopharmacological control of caged peptides as a robust, precise method for modulating neuropeptide signaling across the brain and body.

Bio:
Dr. Ismail Ahmed, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurobiology at the University of Utah, conducts innovative research at the intersection of chemical biology and neuroscience. His work focuses on the complex ways neuropeptide signaling influences behavior and physiology in health and disease. Central to his research are neuropeptides like oxytocin and vasopressin, which he examines to understand their roles in regulating social and maternal behaviors and to explore their therapeutic potential for neuropsychiatric disorders with social deficits, such as depression and autism.
To achieve these insights, Dr. Ahmed engineers a suite of advanced chemical and molecular tools designed to monitor and manipulate neuropeptide functions in real time. These tools are essential for dissecting how neuropeptides impact brain function, modulate neural computations, and drive complex behaviors. His laboratory integrates these custom tools with traditional behavioral and pharmacological methods, positioning his research at the forefront of neurotechnology and neuromodulation.