title: Dopamine- and cyclic AMP-regulated phosphoprotein-immunoreactive neurons activated by acute stress are innervated by fiber terminals immunopositive for pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide in the extended amygdala in the rat.
abstract: The bed nuclei of the stria terminalis (BST) and the central nucleus of the amygdala are highly heterogeneous structures, which form one functional unit, the so-called extended amygdala. Several studies described increased c-fos expression following acute stress in this brain area, confirming its central role in the modulation/regulation of stress responses. The oval nucleus of the BST and the central amygdala exhibit a dense network of pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP)-immunoreactive (ir) fiber terminals. In addition, several dopamine- and cyclic AMP-regulated phosphoprotein (DARPP-32)-immunoreactive neurons were also observed here. Because the extended amygdala plays an important role in the central autonomic regulation during stress and the distribution of PACAP-ir and that of DARPP-32-ir nervous structures overlap, the aims of this study were to investigate the possible activation of DARPP-32-ir neurons following acute systemic stress and to demonstrate synaptic interactions between DARPP-32-ir neurons and fiber terminals immunopositive for PACAP.In summary, this study provided morphological evidence that acute stress resulted in the activation of DARPP-32 neurons, which were innervated by PACAP-ir neuronal structures in the extended amygdala. Furthermore, interaction between neuropeptides/neurotransmitters and phosphoproteins was also demonstrated.
authors.affiliation: Medical Faculty, Department of Human Anatomy, University of Pécs, Hungary. tkozicz2000@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Tamás
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kozicz
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arimura
mesh_terms: D000679:Amygdala / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000818:Animals; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D051937:Dopamine and cAMP-Regulated Phosphoprotein 32; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D016761:Oncogene Proteins v-fos / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051219:Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C495403:Adcyap1 protein, rat; D051937:Dopamine and cAMP-Regulated Phosphoprotein 32; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D016761:Oncogene Proteins v-fos; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D051219:Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide; D004298:Dopamine