title: Immunohistochemical determination of the site of hypotensive effects of glucagon-like peptide-2 in the rat brain.
abstract: Proglucagon-derived glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) is released from enteroendocrine cells and neurons. GLP-2 regulates energy absorption and epithelial integrity in the gastrointestinal tract, but its effect on blood-pressure regulation remains unknown. In the present study, we found that GLP-2 administered both peripherally and centrally dose-dependently reduced mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) in male Wistar rats anesthetized with urethane and α-chloralose. Immunohistochemical detection of the c-fos protein (Fos) revealed that the peripherally and centrally administered GLP-2 induced Fos-immunoreactivity (Fos-IR) in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) and the caudal ventrolateral medulla (CVLM). In contrast, Fos-IR in brainstem catecholamine neurons decreased after the administration of GLP-2. These results suggest that GLP-2 acts on specific brain nuclei to inhibit sympathetic nerve activity and this leads to hypotension.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, 2641 Yamazaki, Noda, Chiba 278-8510, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sasaki-Hamada
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iwai
authors.forename: J-I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Oka
mesh_terms: D000777:Anesthetics / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D053767:Glucagon-Like Peptide 2 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D007022:Hypotension / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009433:Neural Inhibition / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011920:Rats, Inbred WF; D017552:Solitary Nucleus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000777:Anesthetics; D053767:Glucagon-Like Peptide 2; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos