Presence of strong glucocorticoid receptor immunoreactivity within hypothalamic and hypophyseal cells containing pro-opiomelanocortic peptides.
The presence of nuclear glucocorticoid receptor immunoreactivity (GR IR) was studied in the adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), beta-Endorphin (beta-END) and alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) IR neuronal populations of the rat hypothalamus and hypophysis using double immunolabelling techniques. All the nuclei of the ACTH/beta-END/alpha-MSH IR neurons of the arcuate and periarcuate nuclei were strongly GR IR in the 48 h colchicine treated animal, but very few alpha-MSH-like IR perikarya located in the dorsal and lateral hypothalamus displayed nuclear GR IR. GR IR was present in the ACTH/beta-END corticotrophs and absent in the intermediate lobe of the hypophysis. The data provide morphological evidence for a glucocorticoid action through a nuclear GR in the arcuate ACTH/beta-END/alpha-MSH IR neurons and the ACTH/beta-END corticotrophs, whereas the alpha-MSH-like IR neurons of the lateral hypothalamus and the melanotropes of the intermediate lobe may not be directly affected by glucocorticoids under normal conditions.
Cintra
A
A
Department of Histology and Neurobiology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Bortolotti
F
F
D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000032:analysis*; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin / Q000032:analysis*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid / Q000032:analysis*; D000521:alpha-MSH / Q000032:analysis; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000032:analysis
D009479:Neuropeptides; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid; D000521:alpha-MSH; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone