Expression of GABAA receptor beta2/3 subunits in the rat major pelvic ganglion.
Several pharmacological and physiological studies have suggested that GABA(A) receptors (GABA(A) Rs) may exist in the rat major pelvic ganglion (MPG), a large coalescent pelvic ganglion that contains both sympathetic and parasympathetic components which innervates pelvic organs. However, the presence of GABA(A) R in the MPG has never been demonstrated directly by morphological studies. In the present study, we used immunohistochemistry to demonstrate the existence of GABA(A) R beta2/3 subunits for the first time in the rat MPG. We also analyzed the neurochemical properties of MPG neurons expressing GABA(A) R beta2/3 subunits. GABA(A) R beta2/3-immunoreactive (-IR) neurons occupied 27.4+/-7.0% of the whole neuronal population, and many of these (77.6%) were co-localized with tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). Likewise, most (86.5%) of TH-IR neurons were GABA(A) R beta2/3-positive. GABA(A) R beta2/3 subunits were also expressed in a few VIP- or NOS-IR neurons, the cholinergic or non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic (NANC) neurons. These results suggest that GABA(A) Rs are involved in the modulation of most sympathetic, noradrenergic neurons and also a subset of VIP and NOS neurons of the rat MPG.
Park
Jung Cheol
JC
Department of Anatomy, Institute of Basic Medical Science and Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, 162, Ilsan-dong, Gangwon-do 220-701, South Korea.
Song
Dae Yong
DY
Lee
Jin Suk
JS
Kong
In Deok
ID
Jeong
Seong-Woo
SW
Lee
Bong Hee
BH
Kang
Ho Suck
HS
Cho
Byung Pil
BP
D000818:Animals; D005726:Ganglia, Parasympathetic / Q000378:metabolism*; D005728:Ganglia, Sympathetic / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D010388:Pelvis / Q000294:innervation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000096:biosynthesis*
C502185:Gabrb2 protein, rat; C546276:Gabrb3 protein, rat; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A