title: Comparison of immunohistochemical localization of [Met5] enkephalin-Arg6-Gly7-Leu8, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide and tyrosine hydroxylase in the major pelvic ganglion of the rat.
abstract: The major pelvic ganglion is an autonomic ganglion containing both sympathetic and parasympathetic postganglionic neuronal cell bodies. The existence of the proenkephalin A-derived peptide [Met5]enkephalin-Arg6-Gly7-Leu8 immunoreactivity in the rat major pelvic ganglion has been described quite recently. The aim of this study was to compare the relations of [Met5]enkephalin-Arg6-Gly7-Leu8-containing postganglionic neurons and nerve fibers to noradrenergic (tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive) and non-noradrenergic (putative cholinergic) neurons of the rat major pelvic ganglion. Immunohistochemical double staining and elution-restaining techniques were used to investigate the distribution of [Met5]enkephalin-Arg6-Gly7-Leu8 in correlation with tyrosine hydroxylase and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide. The major pelvic ganglion contained neurons immunoreactive either for tyrosine hydroxylase or vasoactive intestinal polypeptide. Many principal neurons, however, were immunoreactive for tyrosine hydroxylase nor vasoactive intestinal polypeptide. [Met5]Enkephalin-Arg6-Gly7-Leu8-immunoreactive principal neurons formed a minor subpopulation in the ganglion and were not immunoreactive for tyrosine hydroxylase. The majority of [Met5]enkephalin-Arg6-Gly7-Leu8-immunoreactive principal cells were non-immunoreactive for vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, but a few of them also contained vasoactive intestinal polypeptide. In contrast to the large [Met5]enkephalin-Arg6-Gly7-Leu8-immunoreactive principal neurons, which formed a population of non-noradrenergic (putative cholinergic) cells, the small [Met5]enkephalin-Arg6-Gly7-Leu8-immunoreactive cell exhibited intense tyrosine hydroxylase immunofluorescence and represented a subpopulation of small, intensely fluorescent cells. [Met5]Enkephalin-Arg6-Gly7-Leu8-immunoreactive pericellular fiber plexuses were found around tyrosine hydroxylase- and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-immunoreactive principal neurons and in association with small intensity fluorescent cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Karhula
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Soinila
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Häppäolä
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D005724:Ganglia / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D010388:Pelvis / Q000294:innervation*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism*; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine; C033453:enkephalin-Met, Arg(6)-Gly(7)-Leu(8)-; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase