Imaging of neuropeptide-neurotransmitter interactions.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to A Beaudet.
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The existence of a dopamine (DA) projection from nucleus raphe dorsalis (RD) to neostriatum was demonstrated in the rat by combined tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunohistochemistry and radioautography after retrograde axonal transport of [3H]noradrenaline ([3H]NA). Intrastriatal injections of [3H]NA were carried out in normal rats or after ipsilateral destruction of the nigrostriatal DA system by injection of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) into the substantia nigra. Some 1,000 TH-positive nerve cell bodies were counted within the confines of RD as defined by its content in serotonin (5-HT) neurons. These DA neurons occupied the upper third of the RD and they were part of its small cell population. In all cases, a small proportion of the TH-immunoreactive nerve cell bodies in RD were retrogradely radiolabeled. Radiolabeled but immunonegative cells were exceedingly rare. The double-labeled neurons were generally more numerous after elimination of the nigrostriatal DA innervation than in normal rats. They mostly lay within the ventral portion of the medial subdivision of RD and always predominated on the [3H]NA- injected side. Some were also present in nucleus linearis caudalis. It was concluded that [3H]NA had been taken up and retrogradely transported exclusively by catecholamine neurons; part of the DA cell group in RD projects to the neostriatum; and that most if not all non-5-HT neurons projecting from RD to neostriatum are likely to be dopaminergic.
Immunohistochemistry was used to detect tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-containing neurons in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus in male rats. Two weeks following castration, the number of TH-positive cells was significantly greater than in intact controls. The castration-responsive TH-positive cells were uniformly distributed throughout the mediolateral extent of the arcuate nucleus. Treatment with testosterone significantly suppressed the castration response, whereas neither estradiol nor 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone were effective. The number of TH-positive arcuate neurons in the female was similar to that in the male. Ovariectomy did not affect the number of TH-positive neurons. These findings indicate that TH expression is tonically inhibited in the tuberoinfundibular dopaminergic system of the male rat by testosterone.
Following prolonged topical application of (3H)D-aspartate in vivo, selective labeling of three distinct cell classes was observed in light-microscopic radioautographs from squirrel monkey retina. Müller (glial) cell bodies and their processes were intensely and consistently labeled in all preparations. Moderately labeled perikarya were occasionally detected in the area of bipolar cells, within the inner nuclear layer. These were particularly numerous in sections from the central retina where an intense diffuse labeling of the inner plexiform layer was also prominent. Finally, moderate to dense accumulations of label were observed over the cell bodies, internal segments and fiber processes of cone photoreceptors. These results strongly suggest that cones, as well as a sub-population of bipolar cells, use glutamate and/or aspartate as neurotransmitter(s) in monkey retina.
In an attempt to identify cholinergic neurons in the brain stem which project to the spinal cord, [3H]choline (100, 20, 10, 5 or 1 microCi) was injected into the upper cervical spinal cord in 55 rats. The animals were killed 20 h later and the brains processed for autoradiography of diffusible substances. At all doses of [3H]choline, cells were consistently, retrogradely labeled in the medical medullary reticular formation, the lateral vestibular nucleus, the dorsolateral pontine tegmentum and the red nucleus. The retrogradely labeled cells were found to be moderately to darkly stained for acetylcholinesterase. Injection of [3H]noradrenaline (50 microCi) into the upper cervical spinal cord resulted in retrograde labeling of cells in the locus coeruleus, subcoeruleus and the ventrolateral pontine tegmentum, that correspond in position to the neurons of the A6, A7 and A5 catecholamine cell groups, respectively. Injection of [3H]serotonin (20 microCi) into the upper cervical spinal cord was associated with retrograde labeling of cells in the raphe pallidus, obscurus and magnus nuclei that correspond in position to those of the B1, B2 and B3 serotonin cell groups, respectively. Injection of True Blue into the upper cervical spinal cord was followed by retrograde labeling of a large number of cells located in the areas where cells were retrogradely labeled by [3H]choline, [3H]noradrenaline and [3H]serotonin, and additionally, in the solitary tract nucleus, the lateral, parvicellular medullary reticular formation, the caudal and oral pontine reticular formation, the mesencephalic reticular formation and the superior colliculus. These results indicate that from the cervical spinal cord, [3H]choline selectively retrogradely labels a certain population of non-monaminergic, acetylcholinesterase-positive cells localized in the medial medullary, and secondarily the dorsolateral pontine, reticular formation, the lateral vestibular nucleus, and the red nucleus.
A collaborative study involving seven research groups provided an opportunity to investigate the linkage relationships between cystic fibrosis and two DNA marker loci, MET and pJ3.11 (D7S8), on an extended sample of 211 tested families. The maximum lod scores, recombination estimates, and confidence upper bounds (in parentheses) were 91.0 at theta = .004 (.012) for CF and MET, 71.3 at theta = .003 (.011) for CF and D7S8, and 69.3 at theta = .018 (.036) for MET and D7S8. Three-locus analyses yielded best support for the order MET-CF-D7S8, with odds against the alternate orders CF-MET-D7S8 and CF-D7S8-MET of 9:1 and 161:1, respectively. However, the number of observed recombinants was small and only one of the recombinants was jointly informative for all three markers. Significant allelic association was found between CF and both MET and D7S8. Weaker association between the latter two loci is consistent with the order MET-CF-D7S8.
The fine structure of the tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunoreactive neurons of the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus was examined by means of immunocytochemistry [peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) method], utilizing an antibody against TH. Immunolabeled axon terminals were observed infrequently and were located predominantly in the lateral region, whereas numerous labeled perikarya and dendrites were found throughout the nucleus. The labeled terminals, containing primarily clear and occasionally dense core vesicles, were never observed in synaptic contact. On the other hand, unlabeled axon terminals were frequently seen synapsing on labeled dendrites. In addition, the labeled dendrites were often seen in direct apposition to other neuronal elements such as both labeled and unlabeled perikarya. In contrast, unlabeled dendrites were never seen apposed to labeled perikarya. Labeled dendrites also occurred in direct contact with one another and with unlabeled dendrites. Moreover, numerous labeled dendrites were encountered along tanycytic processes. Dendrites engaged in tanycytic appositions were occasionally partially encompassed by thin sheaths emanating from the tanycytic process. The extensive contact made by the labeled dendritic profiles on both labeled perikarya and dendrites suggests that tubero-infundibular dopaminergic (TIDA) cells may communicate with each other by means of dendritic release of dopamine. The presence of appositions between labeled dendrites and both unlabeled perikarya and dendrites suggests that the TIDA system also influences other neuronal populations through its dendrites. Finally, the dendrotanycytic relationship suggests that the TIDA system may play some role in the regulation of tanycytic function.
Clinical, hematologic, and immunologic findings were reviewed in 21 patients with glycogenosis Ib. Fifteen of the patients suffered from moderate to severe bacterial infections. Ten patients had excessive epistaxis or bleeding from surgical sites, and eight suffered oral and anal mucosal ulceration. Sixteen of 21 patients exhibited chronic neutropenia associated with abnormalities in myeloid maturation and decreases in the bone marrow storage and peripheral marginating pools. Diminished neutrophil motility was documented in 14 of 15 patients tested, and adherence was decreased in three patients studied. Neutrophil microbicidal activity, reduction of nitroblue tetrazolium, and ingestion were normal in all patients tested. Bleeding times were prolonged in five of eight patients, and results of platelet function studies were abnormal in five individuals. Excessive bleeding in patients with glycogenoses Ia and Ib are similar and may be secondary to the functional deficiency of glucose-6-phosphatase. However, neutropenia, neutrophil dysfunction, and the resulting infectious complications are specific for Ib disease and may be related to abnormal glucose-6-phosphate transport.
Cellular relationships between serotonin (5-HT) axon terminals and neurons containing vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) were characterized by combined radioautography and immunocytochemistry in rat suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). Light microscopic immunoradioautographs showed significant overlap between (3H)5-HT uptake sites and VIP-immunoreactive elements in the ventral half of the SCN. Of the 255 (3H)5-HT-labelled axonal profiles detected in a systematic electron microscopic survey of single thin sections from this area, 75 (30%) were directly apposed to VIP-immunoreactive nerve cell bodies and/or dendrites. Radioautographically labelled 5-HT varicosities often showed well-differentiated, symmetrical or asymmetrical synaptic junctions, 60% of which were established on VIP-immunoreactive nerve cell bodies or dendrites. In a separate sampling of 198(3H)5-HT-labelled terminals seen in apposition with VIP-immunoreactive elements, 50 showed a junctional complex at the site of contact. Postsynaptic immunoreactive elements were mostly dendrites but also included nerve cell bodies. Despite the methodological limitations inherent to the present double labelling approach, these data strongly support the view that VIP neurons are prime synaptic targets for 5-HT afferents in the SCN. VIP/5-HT interactions are thus likely to play an important functional role in this nucleus and may in particular subserve the 5-HT mediated regulation of certain circadian rhythms, including that of pituitary hormone secretion.
This paper deals with the cytological substratum for interactions between serotonin and dopamine, pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) or vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) within the hypothalamus. Using a combination of radioautography and immunocytochemistry on the same thin sections in the rat, direct appositions not involving synaptic specializations were demonstrated between serotoninergic terminals and dopaminergic as well as POMC neurons in the arcuate nucleus. In the suprachiasmatic nucleus, quantitative data have indicated that VIP neurons constitute a preferential synaptic target for serotoninergic afferents. The functional implications of these results are discussed.
The ultrastructure of enkephalin-containing neurons and their capacity to take-up [3H]serotonin were examined in the area postrema. Untreated adult rats and rats with intraventricular infusions of 10(-4) M tritiated serotonin, 5-hydroxytryptamine [( 3H]5-HT) were perfused with 4% paraformaldehyde and 0.2-0.5% glutaraldehyde. Coronal Vibratome sections through the area postrema from both groups of animals were immunocytochemically labeled with an antiserum to leucine Leu5-enkephalin. The sections from the animals infused with the isotope subsequently were processed for autoradiography. Enkephalin-like immunoreactivity (ELI) was detected in perikarya, dendrites, axons and axon terminals most frequently located along the ventricular and ventrolateral portions of the area postrema. The labeled perikarya were few in number and were characterized by a thin rim of cytoplasm containing peroxidase immunoreactivity. Dendrites and terminals containing ELI formed synapses primarily with unlabeled axon terminals and dendrites, respectively. However, terminals containing ELI also formed synaptic junctions with other unlabeled axon terminals. Appositions between enkephalin-containing processes and modified glia were occasionally seen near the ventricular surface. In sections processed for both immunocytochemistry and autoradiography, approximately 5% of the terminals containing ELI showed uptake of [3H]5-HT. We conclude that neurons containing ELI are primarily, but not exclusively, associated with other intrinsic neurons or afferents in the rat area postrema and that some of the enkephalin-labeled terminals have the capacity to take-up serotonin. Specificity of uptake of [3H]5-HT in neurons containing endogenous serotonin and factors which may contribute to the low probability of detecting both peroxidase and autoradiographic markers in single sections are discussed.
Combined radioautographic and immunocytochemical detection of [3H]serotonin-labeled axon terminals and tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive processes in the same thin sections allowed for electron microscopic demonstration of direct appositions between serotoninergic axonal varicosities and dopaminergic nerve cell bodies and/or dendrites in the anterior part of the arcuate nucleus and in the medial zona incerta. Although no junctional specializations were apparent at the sites of contacts, it is proposed that the observed appositions may represent a serotonin input onto tubero-infundibular and incerto-hypothalamic dopaminergic neurons. This innervation could account for some of the central neuroendocrine effects of serotonin, particularly its regulatory role on prolactin and gonadotropin secretion.
The ultrastructural morphology of serotoninergic terminals and their synaptic relation with catecholaminergic neurons were examined in the medial nuclei of the solitary tracts (m-NTS) using combined autoradiographic and immunocytochemical methods. Adult rats were pretreated with a monoamine oxidase inhibitor and subjected to a 2-hour intraventricular infusion of 50 nM tritiated 5-hydroxytryptamine (3H-5HT). At the termination of the infusion, the brains were fixed by aortic arch perfusion with a mixture of 4% paraformaldehyde and 0.5% glutaraldehyde. Coronal Vibratome sections through the NTS and more rostral raphe nuclei were immunocytochemically labeled with specific antiserum to serotonin or tyrosine hydroxylase and then processed for autoradiography. By light microscopy, concentrations of reduced silver grains indicating uptake of 3H-5HT usually paralleled the localization of peroxidase immunoreactivity for serotonin in neuronal perikarya of the rostral raphe nuclei and in varicosities in the brainstem. The 3H-5HT-containing varicosities were found throughout the medial and commissural portions of the NTS, where they were frequently associated with processes showing immunoreactivity for the catecholamine-synthesizing enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase. Ultrastructural examination of the m-NTS revealed that the silver grains for 3H-5HT were accumulated over axon terminals. The 5HT-labeled terminals contained a heterogeneous population of vesicles and formed both symmetric and asymmetric synapses with dendrites. The recipient dendrites were either, unlabeled or showed immunoreactivity for tyrosine hydroxylase. These findings support a direct serotoninergic modulation of catecholaminergic neurons within the rat m-NTS.
This study reports a case of type VII mucopolysaccharidosis (beta-glucuronidase deficiency) presenting as lethal hydrops fetalis. Skin fibroblast cultures established postmortem revealed deficient beta-glucuronidase activity. Mucopolysaccharides were stored in various cells of the brain, heart, kidney, liver, and spleen. The stages of maturation of the bones, kidneys, and brain were discrepant, the brain being the least mature organ. A delay in central nervous system maturation may account for psychomotor retardation in some patients with this enzyme deficiency.
The tridimensional structure of rough endoplasmic reticulum was examined with both high and low voltage electron microscopes in large ventral horn cells of rat spinal cord, by combining stereoscopic techniques with the use of thick sections selectively impregnated with heavy metal salts. In all neurons examined Nissl bodies appeared as well defined clusters of densely stained and profusely anastomosed plate-, ribbon-, and thread-like cisternae. Plate-like cisternae were variable in size, often showed a shallow curvature, and usually ran in short parallel arrays, separated from one another by fairly constant intervals. All gave rise at their edges to several ribbon-like extensions which occasionally decreased in width distally, turning into thin, thread-like cisternae. Characteristically, these ribbon-like structures would emerge at an angle from their plate of origin and smoothly curve away from the plane of the plate to merge with ribbons or threads arising from adjacent or more distant plates. Most plate-like cisternae were found at the periphery of Nissl bodies and tended to be oriented parallel to their surface. In contrast, the center of Nissl bodies was almost exclusively occupied by a complex network of ribbon- and thread-like cisternae. It is suggested that the basic plate/ribbon association here described in spinal motoneurons might be a constant feature of Nissl body architecture in various neuronal types, while the size, orientation, and relative proportion of plate-like cisternae may vary according to the metabolic state and/or functional specialization of the cells.
Sections of glutaraldehyde-fixed lumbar dorsal root ganglia of the rat were examined in the electron microscope following impregnation with the uranyl-lead-copper technique or postfixation in potassium ferrocyanide-reduced osmium. Three types of ganglion cells (A, B, C) were identified on the basis of their size and the distribution of their organelles. They were further subdivided into six subtypes according to the arrangement and three-dimensional organization of the Nissl bodies and Golgi apparatus in the perikarya. Type A1 cells were large, clear neurons in which Nissl bodies, separated from each other by pale narrow strands of cytoplasm containing small stacks of Golgi saccules and rod-like mitochondria, were evenly distributed throughout the perikaryon. In type A2, the Nissl bodies assumed a similar distribution but were separated by much wider strands of cytoplasm. Type A3, the smallest of the type A category, displayed densely packed Nissl bodies and long stacks of Golgi saccules which formed a perinuclear ring in the midportion of the perikaryon. Type B cells were smaller and showed a concentric zonation of their organelles. In type B1, large Nissl bodies located in an outer cytoplasmic zone were made of long piles of parallel cisternae interrupted by curved Golgi stacks. Type B2 was characterized by a ring-like Golgi apparatus separating the perikaryon in a cortical zone composed mainly of Nissl substance and a juxtanuclear zone containing mitochondria and smooth endoplasmic reticulum. Type C cells were the smallest of the ganglion cells and contained small, poorly demarcated Nissl bodies and a juxtanuclear Golgi apparatus.
The serotoninergic nerve cell body population of nucleus raphe dorsalis (RD) was identified by radioautography following cerebroventricular instillation of tritiated serotonin ([3H]5-HT) in adult rats pretreated with a monoamine oxidase inhibitor. Series of histological sections taken throughout the midbrain and upper pons exhibited a similar distribution and number of labeled nerve cell bodies in RD after prolonged administration of either 10-5 or 10-4M [3H]5-HT or 10-4M [3H]5-HT and 10-3M nonradioactive noradrenaline. This allowed systematic mapping and quantification of serotoninergic nerve cell bodies at various levels of the RD. Their extrapolated total number averaged 11,500. Twice as many unreactive (nonserotoninergic) neurons were present within the same region. In electron microscope radioautographs, the labeled cells were usually larger (17.9 micrometer mean diameter) than their unlabeled congeners (13.1 micrometer), but stereological sampling of their perikarial organelle content failed to reveal any difference in cytoplasmic composition. Few [3H]5-HT-labeled axonal varicosities were observed in RD and none were found in close apposition or in synaptic junction with labeled nerve cell bodies, dendrites, or unreactive perikarya. A detailed statistical analysis of silver grain distribution in both labeled and "unlabeled" nerve cell bodies, indicated that in the former, but not in the latter, dense bodies had a relatively high affinity for [3H]5-HT. Mitochondria and the cytoplasmic membrane were the only other organelles to show higher labeling indices in labeled than in unlabeled cells. Other sites of [3H]5-HT localization could be ascribed to artefactitious cross-linkage of the tracer by the fixative, since they had the same relative affinity in the two cell populations. These results provide new insights into the morphology and cytofunctional properties of the 5-HT neurons of rat RD.
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