title: Immunohistochemical and biomolecular identification of melatonin 1a and 1b receptors in rat vestibular nuclei.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to examine the localizations and expressions of melatonin 1a (MT1a) and 1b (MT1b) receptors in rat vestibular nuclei by immunohistochemical staining and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty male Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this study. Antibodies for the MT1a and MT1b receptors were used in 10 rats, respectively. A further 10 animals were sacrificed for RT-PCR. Tissues containing medial vestibular nuclei were selectively isolated from brain stem slices for RT-PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MT1a and MT1b receptor immunopositive neurons were found to be distributed throughout the four major vestibular nuclei. Both receptors were primarily detected in neuronal somata and their proximal dendrites. The presences of the mRNAs of the MT1a and MT1b receptors were confirmed by RT-PCR in medial vestibular nuclei and trigeminal ganglia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study demonstrates, for the first time, that MT1a and MT1b receptors are localized and expressed in rat vestibular nuclei. This study provides additional insight into the role of melatonin receptors during vestibular signal processing.
authors: Department of Otolaryngology, School of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, South Korea. skahn@gnu.ac.kr
authors: Seong-Ki
authors: SK
authors: Ahn
authors: Roza
authors: R
authors: Khalmuratova
authors: Young-Sool
authors: YS
authors: Hah
authors: Sea-Yuong
authors: SY
authors: Jeon
authors: Dong Gu
authors: DG
authors: Hur
authors: Hung-Soo
authors: HS
authors: Kang
authors: Carey D
authors: CD
authors: Balaban
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D044122:Receptor, Melatonin, MT1 / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D044123:Receptor, Melatonin, MT2 / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012668:Trigeminal Ganglion / Q000378:metabolism; D014726:Vestibular Nuclei / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D044122:Receptor, Melatonin, MT1; D044123:Receptor, Melatonin, MT2