title: Expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in catecholaminergic neurons of the rat lower brainstem after colchicine treatment or hemorrhage.
abstract: Widespread brain-derived neurotrophic factor messenger RNA expression has been detected in the region of catecholamine groups of the rat lower brainstem, while few brain-derived neurotrophic factor-immunoreactive cells were found in this area. In the present study, a double-color immunofluorescence technique for brain-derived neurotrophic factor and tyrosine hydroxylase after colchicine treatment was employed to evaluate the possible presence of brain-derived neurotrophic factor immunoreactivity in the catecholaminergic cells of the rat lower brainstem. We detected many new brain-derived neurotrophic factor-immunoreactive cells in the A1, A2, A4, A6-A10 and C1-C3 cell groups and in the other lower brainstem nuclei where, without colchicine treatment, brain-derived neurotrophic factor messenger RNA was expressed, but not brain-derived neurotrophic factor immunoreactivity. In addition, the catecholaminergic neurons were found to express brain-derived neurotrophic factor immunoreactivity with the co-existence being greatest, in percentage terms, in medullary catecholaminergic cell groups. Hypotensive hemorrhage, which activates medullary catecholaminergic neurons, induced the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor immunoreactivity in catecholaminergic neurons (A1/C1 and C2). The results demonstrate that brain-derived neurotrophic factor is regulated by neuronal activity in medullary catecholaminergic cell groups involved in central cardiovascular regulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Dongin Dong, Taegu, South Korea.
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: K T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D003078:Colchicine / Q000494:pharmacology; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014018:Tissue Distribution / Q000502:physiology; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D002395:Catecholamines; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D003078:Colchicine