title: Appearance of prolactin-releasing peptide-producing neurons in the area postrema of adrenalectomized rats.
abstract: Prolactin-releasing peptide (PrRP) was found to be a novel hypothalamic peptide that stimulates prolactin release in vitro and in vivo. In the normal adult rat brain, PrRP neurons are known to be located in only three areas, i.e. the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus, ventrolateral reticular formation; and nucleus of the tractus solitarius in the medulla oblongata. These PrRP neurons project neurites into various brain areas, including regions such as the paraventricular nucleus, supraoptic nucleus, and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. Both PrRP nerve fibers and a high level of PrRP receptor, UHR-1, mRNA are observed in the area postrema (AP),but no PrRP neurons are detected in the AP of normal rats. In this study, we clearly demonstrated that PrRP-producing cells newly appeared in the AP of adrenalectomized rats by in situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry. Our results suggest that PrRP may have some important roles in the AP of adrenalectomized rats. This is the first report demonstrating the appearance of PrRP-positive cells in the AP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Regulation Biology, Faculty of Science, Saitama University, 255 Shimo-ohkubo, 338-0825, Saitama, Japan.
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujiwara
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maruyama
authors.forename: Kimie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Usui
authors.forename: Takafumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.forename: Hirokazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Shuji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hinuma
authors.forename: Chieko
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kitada
authors.forename: Kinji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Inoue
mesh_terms: D000315:Adrenalectomy; D000818:Animals; D031608:Area Postrema / Q000378:metabolism*; D007028:Hypothalamic Hormones / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D011388:Prolactin / Q000378:metabolism*; D056690:Prolactin-Releasing Hormone; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D007028:Hypothalamic Hormones; D009479:Neuropeptides; C534379:Prlh protein, rat; D056690:Prolactin-Releasing Hormone; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011388:Prolactin