title: Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP)-like immunoreactivity in the brain of a teleost, Uranoscopus japonicus: immunohistochemical relationship between PACAP and adenohypophysial hormones.
abstract: The neuropeptide pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) could play a role in stimulating pituitary hormone release in fish brain. In this study, we used immunochemical techniques to examine the histological and quantitative distribution of PACAP in the central nervous system (CNS) of a teleost, the stargazer, Uranoscopus japonicus. In addition, high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) analysis was performed to characterize the form of PACAP present, while the relationship between PACAP and adenohypophysial hormones was also determined immunohistochemically. PACAP-like immunoreactive (LI) neuronal cell bodies and fibers were found not only in the hypothalamo-pituitary region but also in the midbrain and hindbrain regions. PACAP-LI fibers were identified in the neurohypophysis in close proximity to pituitary cells containing immunoreactive hormones such as somatolactin, the N-terminal peptide of proopiomelanocortin, and N-acetyl endorphin. The concentration of immunoreactive PACAP in whole brain tissue was approximately 300 pmol/g wet weight. The average concentrations of immunoreactive PACAP in regions of the telencephalon, diencephalon, tectum, cerebellum, and rhombencephalon were 217.53, 510.26, 83.30, 148.64, and 364.62 pmol/g, respectively. In reverse-phase HPLC experiments, the predominant form of immunoreactive PACAP eluted closely with synthetic stargazer PACAP38, while PACAP27-like immunoreactivity was negligible. These results suggest that PACAP38 is the predominant PACAP form in the stargazer CNS, and that PACAP acts not only as a hypophysiotropic factor for adenohypophysial hormone release but also as a neurotransmitter and neuromodulator in the CNS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Toyama University, 3190-Gofuku, Toyama, Toyama 930-8555, Japan. kmatsuda@sci.toyama-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Kouhei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsuda
authors.forename: Yoshinobu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nagano
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uchiyama
authors.forename: Satomi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Onoue
authors.forename: Akiyoshi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kawauchi
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shioda
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D005399:Fishes / Q000502:physiology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051219:Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide; D010908:Pituitary Hormones, Anterior / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D009479:Neuropeptides; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D051219:Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide; D010908:Pituitary Hormones, Anterior