title: Stimulation of the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus may affect renal function by melanocortinergic signaling.
abstract: Deep brain stimulation of the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPTg) has been reported to improve gait disturbance in animal models of Parkinsonism and among patients with Parkinson's disease. Evidence suggests that neurons in the PPTg are involved in the control of the sympathetic outflow to the kidneys, and sympathetic regulation is a major component of central melanocortin action. Our recent studies using transneuronal labeling pseudorabies virus (PRV)-614 and melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R)-green fluorescent protein (GFP) transgenic mice supported the melanocortinergic nature of the middle and caudal PPTg (mPPTg and cPPTg). Because PRV-614/MC4R-GFP double-labeled neurons in the mPPTg and cPPTg were detected, we propose a hypothesis that deep brain stimulation of the PPTg may influence renal function by the melanocortinergic pathway.
authors: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, People's Republic of China.
authors: Cheng
authors: C
authors: Liu
authors: Da-Wei
authors: DW
authors: Ye
authors: Xue-Hai
authors: XH
authors: Guan
authors: Rong-Chun
authors: RC
authors: Li
authors: Hong-Bing
authors: HB
authors: Xiang
authors: Wen-Zhen
authors: WZ
authors: Zhu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D007668:Kidney / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D053486:Melanocortins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D045042:Pedunculopontine Tegmental Nucleus / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D053486:Melanocortins