title: Expression of vesicular glutamate transporters in sensory and autonomic neurons innervating the mouse bladder.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  VGLUTs, which are essential for loading glutamate into synaptic vesicles, are present in various neuronal systems. However, to our knowledge the expression of VGLUTs in neurons innervating the bladder has not yet been analyzed. We studied VGLUT1, VGLUT2 and VGLUT3 in mouse bladder neurons.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed the expression of VGLUT1, VGLUT2 and calcitonin gene-related peptide by immunohistochemistry in the retrograde labeled primary afferent and autonomic neurons of BALB/c mice after injecting fast blue in the bladder wall. To study VGLUT3 we traced the bladder of transgenic mice, in which VGLUT3 is identified by enhanced green fluorescent protein detection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most bladder dorsal root ganglion neurons expressed VGLUT2. A smaller percentage of neurons also expressed VGLUT1 or VGLUT3. Co-expression with calcitonin gene-related peptide was only observed for VGLUT2. Occasional VGLUT2 immunoreactive neurons were seen in the major pelvic ganglia. Abundant VGLUT2 immunoreactive nerves were detected in the bladder dome and trigone, and the urethra. VGLUT1 immunoreactive nerves were discretely present.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We present what are to our knowledge novel data on VGLUT expression in sensory and autonomic neurons innervating the mouse bladder. The frequent association of VGLUT2 and calcitonin gene-related peptide in sensory neurons suggests interactions between glutamatergic and peptidergic neurotransmissions, potentially influencing commonly perceived sensations in the bladder, such as discomfort and pain.
authors.affiliation: Pittsburgh Center for Pain Research, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. brumovskypr@upmc.edu
authors.forename: Pablo R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Brumovsky
authors.forename: Rebecca P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Seal
authors.forename: Kerstin H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Lundgren
authors.forename: Kim B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Seroogy
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Gebhart
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D023421:Models, Animal; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D011984:Sensory Receptor Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000294:innervation* / Q000378:metabolism; D050496:Vesicular Glutamate Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D050496:Vesicular Glutamate Transport Proteins; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide