title: Neurochemical characterization of hypothalamic cocaine- amphetamine-regulated transcript neurons.
abstract: The novel neuropeptide cocaine-amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) is expressed in several hypothalamic regions and has recently been shown to be involved in the central control of food intake. To characterize the hypothalamic CART neurons and understand the physiological functions they might serve, we undertook an in situ hybridization and immunohistochemical study to examine distribution and neurochemical phenotype of these neurons. In situ hybridization studies showed abundant CART mRNA in the periventricular nucleus (PeV), the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN), the supraoptic nucleus (SON), the arcuate nucleus (Arc), the zona incerta, and the lateral hypothalamic area. The distribution of CART-immunoreactive neurons as revealed by a monoclonal antibody raised against CART(41-89) displayed complete overlap with CART mRNA. Double immunohistochemistry showed co-existence of CART immunoreactivity (CART-IR) and somatostatin in some neurons of the PeV. In the magnocellular division of the PVN as well as the SON, CART-IR was demonstrated in both oxytocinergic and vasopressinergic perikarya. In the medial parvicellular region of the PVN a few CART-IR neurons co-localized galanin, but none was found to co-localize corticotropin-releasing hormone. In the Arc, almost all pro-opiomelanocortinergic neurons were shown to contain CART, whereas no co-localization of CART with NPY was found. In the lateral hypothalamic area nearly all CART neurons were found to contain melanin-concentrating hormone. The present data support a role for CART in neuroendocrine regulation. Most interestingly, CART is co-stored with neurotransmitters having both positive (melanin-concentrating hormone) as well as a negative (pro-opiomelanocortin) effect on food intake and energy balance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Anatomy, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark, and Department of Histology, Novo Nordisk A/S, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vrang
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Larsen
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Clausen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kristensen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D000098882:Cocaine- and Amphetamine-Regulated Transcript Protein
chemical_list: D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000098882:Cocaine- and Amphetamine-Regulated Transcript Protein