title: Neuropeptide W is expressed in the noradrenalin-containing cells in the rat adrenal medulla.
abstract: Neuropeptide W (NPW) is an endogenous ligand for GPR7, a member of the G-protein-coupled receptor family. NPW plays an important role in the regulation of both feeding and energy metabolism, and is also implicated in modulating responses to an acute inflammatory pain through activation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis. GPR7 mRNA has been shown to be expressed in the hypothalamus, pituitary gland and adrenal cortex. Similarly, NPW expression has been demonstrated in the brain and pituitary gland. However, the precise distribution of NPW-producing cells in the adrenal gland remains unknown. The aim of this study was to explore the distribution and localization of NPW immunoreactivity in the rat adrenal gland. Total RNA was prepared from the hypothalamus, pituitary gland and adrenal gland. RT-PCR revealed the expression of NPW mRNA in these tissues, while in situ hybridization demonstrated the presence of NPW mRNA in the adrenal medulla. When immunohistochemistry was performed on sections of adrenal gland, NPW-like immunoreactivity (NPW-LI) was observed in the medulla but not in the cortex. Moreover, NPW-LI was found to be co-localized in cells which expressed dopamine beta hydroxylase but not phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase. The finding that NPW is expressed in noradrenalin-containing cells in the adrenal medulla suggests that it may play an important role in endocrine function in the adrenal gland.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Showa University School of Medicine, 1-5-8 Hatanodai Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 142-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Mayumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seki
authors.forename: Haruaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kageyama
authors.forename: Fumiko
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Takenoya
authors.forename: Masami
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hirayama
authors.forename: Yuri
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kintaka
authors.forename: Shuji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Ryosuke
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Matsuno
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Itabashi
authors.forename: Yukari
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Date
authors.forename: Masamitsu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakazato
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shioda
mesh_terms: D000313:Adrenal Medulla / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000235:genetics*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D009479:Neuropeptides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C496874:neuropeptide W, rat; D009638:Norepinephrine