Involvement of adrenal medulla grafts in the open field behavior.
Immunohistochemical and behavioral techniques were used to study the effects of adrenal medulla grafts, implanted in striatum after bilateral kainic acid (KA) lesions of this structure, on the open field behavior of mice. KA-induced behavioral changes in leaning, grooming and locomotor activity of the open field test were significantly improved after grafting of the adrenal medulla, and in some respects, fully restored. Immunohistochemical identification showed that grafts contained neuron-like cells with a tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), and enkephalin-like immunostainings. A likely interpretation of this complex pattern of results is that adrenal medullary grafts may restore the deficits of GABAergic neurons which in turn reverse the abnormalities in emotionality and locomotion. Neurobiologically, these behavioral improvements probably involve GABAergic and catecholaminergic factors of adrenal medulla grafts, although other neuroactive substances, such as acetylcholine and enkephalins, cannot be excluded.
Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Laboratoire de Neurobiologie des Signaux Intercellulaires, Institut des Neurosciences, UMR 7624, CNRS, 7 Quai Saint Bernard, 75252 Paris, Cedex 05, France. maria.jousselin-hosaja@snv.jussieu.fr
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Jousselin-Hosaja
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Venault
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Tobin
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Joubert
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Delacour
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Chapouthier
D000313:Adrenal Medulla / Q000637:transplantation*; D000818:Animals; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000502:physiology; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase / Q000502:physiology; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000502:physiology*; D006120:Grooming / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D010627:Phenethylamines; D010625:Phenylethanolamine N-Methyltransferase / Q000502:physiology; D012931:Social Environment; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000502:physiology; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000502:physiology
D002395:Catecholamines; D010627:Phenethylamines; C029261:phenethylamine; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D010625:Phenylethanolamine N-Methyltransferase; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase