Characterization of galanin-like immunoreactivity in the rat brain: effects of neonatal glutamate treatment.
Concentrations of the neuropeptide, galanin, were measured using a newly characterized radioimmunoassay in brain regions of adult male rats treated neonatally with monosodium glutamate. Galanin-like immunoreactivity (galanin-IR) was significantly reduced 57% in the median eminence, 15% in the medial basal hypothalamus, and 27% in the septal region when compared to untreated littermates. Concentrations of galanin-IR were reduced 22% in the preoptic region and unchanged in the parietal cortex. These studies suggest that glutamate-sensitive, galanin-containing neurons in the arcuate nucleus project to regions of the basal forebrain of the rat in addition to the median eminence. The galanin projection from the arcuate nucleus to the median eminence suggests that this peptide plays a role in the regulation of anterior pituitary hormone secretion.
Gabriel
S M
SM
Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114.
MacGarvey
U M
UM
Koenig
J I
JI
Swartz
K J
KJ
Martin
J B
JB
Beal
M F
MF
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D019004:Galanin; D005971:Glutamates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008297:Male; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010455:Peptides / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D051381:Rats; D012686:Septal Nuclei / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D012970:Sodium Glutamate / Q000494:pharmacology*
D005971:Glutamates; D010455:Peptides; D019004:Galanin; D012970:Sodium Glutamate