title: Orexin-A in the human brain and tumor tissues of ganglioneuroblastoma and neuroblastoma.
abstract: Regional distribution of orexin-A-like immunoreactivity in the human brain and pituitary, and the presence of orexin-A-like immunoreactivity in the tumor tissues of pheochromocytomas, ganglioneuroblastomas and neuroblastomas were studied by radioimmunoassay. Expression of orexin mRNA was studied by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Orexin-A-like immunoreactivity was detected in every region of human brain, but not in the pituitary. The highest concentration of orexin-A-like immunoreactivity in the human brain was found in hypothalamus (17.8 +/- 4.3 pmol/g wet weight, mean +/- SEM, n = 7), followed by thalamus, medulla oblongata, and pons. Orexin-A-like immunoreactivity was detected in the tumor tissues of ganglioneuroblastoma and neuroblastoma, but not in the tumor tissues of pheochromocytoma. Reverse phase high performance liquid chromatographic analyses of the orexin-A-like immunoreactivity in the human brain extracts and neuroblastoma extracts showed a single immunoreactive peak, which was eluted in an identical position to synthetic human orexin-A. Orexin mRNA was expressed in the hypothalamus and in the tumor tissues of ganglioneuroblastoma and neuroblastoma. These findings suggest that orexin-A is produced in the hypothalamus and transported to various brain regions via axons. In addition, this study has shown for the first time the production of orexin-A by ganglioneuroblastomas and neuroblastomas.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Internal Medicine, Tohoku University School of Medicine, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8574, Japan.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Arihara
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Totsune
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sone
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Satoh
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sasano
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mouri
mesh_terms: D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005260:Female; D018305:Ganglioneuroblastoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D000068797:Orexins; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; C000596229:HCRT protein, human; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D000068797:Orexins; D012333:RNA, Messenger