Comprehensive analysis of neurotransmitters and their metabolites including acetylcholine and choline in rat brain nuclei.
We have designed this method for the comprehensive and adequate analysis of neurotransmitters and metabolites including acetylcholine (ACh) and choline in specific brain nuclei. In physiological and pharmacological studies, the role of specific neurotransmitters in the central nervous system (CNS) has often been studied by microinjection of their agonist and antagonist into the target regions, with the action and role of the transmitter in question being deduced in a relatively straightforward manner from the results. However, none of these studies have investigated fluctuation in neurotransmitter and metabolite contents in response to a variety of stimuli in vivo. No comprehensive analysis of neurotransmitters in small specific area in the CNS has been undertaken due to the difficulties of proper analysis of ACh and choline. Different types of neuronal systems in the CNS affect each other. Thus, it is not necessarily clear that different types of neurons do in fact respond to an administered agonist and antagonist. For example, dopaminergic neuron mediated control of cholinergic interneuron in the striatum and dopaminergic regulation of cortical ACh release have been documented. Similarly, the cholinergic system affects dopaminergic and noradrenergic neurons. Intraventricular administration of an ACh esterase inhibitor, neostigmine, increases dopamine and noradrenaline release in the hypothalamus. So, an adequate comprehensive analysis of the transmitters and the metabolites in the same tissue sample provides valuable aid to clarify what types of neurons truly respond to the administered drugs and the excitation of physiological events. For an appropriate analysis we employed a microwave device, which made the estimation of ACh and choline possible. In addition to this, we employed a punch technique for the microdissection of the specific nuclei and area from the brain slice.
Takahashi
A
A
Department of Neuropsychopharmacology (Tsumura), Gunma University School of Medicine, Japan.
Ishimaru
H
H
Ikarashi
Y
Y
Kishi
E
E
Maruyama
Y
Y
D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects; D002794:Choline / Q000378:metabolism*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism; D008872:Microwaves; D009488:Neurosciences / Q000379:methods*; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats
D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D002794:Choline; D000109:Acetylcholine