title: Localization of neuroglobin protein in the mouse brain.
abstract: Neuroglobin is a recently discovered vertebrate oxygen-binding respiratory protein. In situ hybridization data demonstrated that neuroglobin-mRNA is widely expressed in neuronal cells of the central and peripheral nervous systems as well as in endocrine cells. The present study was conducted to investigate the presence of neuroglobin protein in neurons of the mouse brain. A polyclonal antibody directed against a synthetic peptide of neuroglobin was raised in rabbits and affinity-purified. The specificity of the antibody was demonstrated by ELISA and preabsorption tests. We report here for the first time that neuroglobin is expressed on the protein level in many brain sites including cerebral cortical regions, subcortical structures such as thalamus and hypothalamus, nuclei of cranial nerves in the brainstem and cerebellum. Thus, the widespread distribution of neuroglobin protein is in good agreement with its mRNA localization. Regionally differing intensities of immunostaining suggest different levels of neuroglobin protein expression, in line with the idea that brain regions show variation in their tolerance towards hypoxic conditions.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Genetics, Biosafety Research and Consulting, Department of Biology, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Sylvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wystub
authors.forename: Tilmann
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Laufs
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Thorsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Burmester
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Maas
authors.forename: Sigrid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saaler-Reinhardt
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hankeln
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reuss
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D005914:Globins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000078787:Neuroglobin
chemical_list: D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D000078787:Neuroglobin; D005914:Globins