title: Immunohistochemical localization of novel CART peptides in rat hypothalamus, pituitary and adrenal gland.
abstract: CART peptide specific polyclonal antisera were raised in rabbits. The antisera were raised to CART peptide fragments that span most of the predicted CART protein. The specificity of each antisera was demonstrated by blockade of immunostaining by the immunizing peptide but not by the other CART peptide fragments. In the hypothalamus and pituitary of colchicine and noncolchicine treated rats, immunostaining was observed in cell bodies, fibers and varicosities. Clusters of cells were also stained in the adrenal medulla. It is noteworthy that cellular immunostaining was only found in areas previously shown to express CART mRNA. These findings indicate the presence of CART peptide(s) in the hypothalamus, pituitary, and adrenal gland. Furthermore, we also present evidence for the possible processing of the CART pro-peptide into smaller peptide fragments. These neuroanatomical findings suggest a role of CART peptides in hypothalamic, pituitary and adrenal function.
authors.affiliation: Yerkes Regional Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: E O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Koylu
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Couceyro
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Lambert
authors.forename: N C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.forename: E B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: DeSouza
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kuhar
mesh_terms: D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000737:chemistry*; D000313:Adrenal Medulla / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D003078:Colchicine / Q000494:pharmacology; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000032:analysis; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D000098882:Cocaine- and Amphetamine-Regulated Transcript Protein
chemical_list: D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D000098882:Cocaine- and Amphetamine-Regulated Transcript Protein; D003078:Colchicine