Colocalization of peptide and glucocorticoid receptor immunoreactivities in rat central amygdaloid nucleus.
The central amygdaloid nucleus (ACe) is part of the amygdaloid complex that participates in adrenocorticotrophin secretion, stress-related reactions and behavioral functions. The ACe contains numerous glucocorticoid receptor (GR)-immunoreactive (IR) neurons, and in addition it has been shown to contain several neuropeptide-IR somata and nerve terminals. In order to study the relationship between the GR- and neuropeptide-IR structures we mapped the distribution of GR-like immunoreactivity (LI) in amygdaloid complex and colocalized the neuropeptide- and GR-LIs in the ACe. In the amygdaloid complex the central, medial and cortical nuclei contained a high number of GR-IR neurons, whereas a moderate number of GR-IR neurons were observed in the basolateral and basomedial nuclei. Only a few GR-IR neurons were seen in the lateral nucleus. In the ACe, the majority of corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF)-, met-enkephalin (met-ENK)-, neurotensin (NT)- and somatostatin (SOM)-IR neurons contained also GR-IR. About half of the substance P (SP)-IR neurons were seen to contain GR-IR, whereas only some of the few vasoactive intestinal polypeptide and cholecystokinin-IR neurons showed GR-LI. Nerve terminals containing calcitonin gene-related peptide and the above mentioned peptides were seen in close contact with the GR-IR neurons. These results suggest that the glucocorticoids may modulate directly the neurotransmitter synthesis of the CRF-, met-ENK, NT-, SOM- and SP-IR cells in the ACe.
Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Tampere, Finland.
J
J
Honkaniemi
M
M
Pelto-Huikko
L
L
Rechardt
J
J
Isola
A
A
Lammi
K
K
Fuxe
J A
JA
Gustafsson
A C
AC
Wikström
T
T
Hökfelt
D000679:Amygdala / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000032:analysis; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine / Q000032:analysis; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009411:Nerve Endings / Q000737:chemistry; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000032:analysis*; D009496:Neurotensin / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid / Q000032:analysis*; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000032:analysis; D013373:Substance P / Q000032:analysis
D009479:Neuropeptides; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid; D013373:Substance P; D009496:Neurotensin; D013004:Somatostatin; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone