Visualisation of AMPA binding sites in the brain stem of normotensive and hypertensive rats

• Published in: Brain research Vol. 834; no. 1; pp. 186 - 189
• Main Authors: Ashworth-Preece, Mark A, Chen, Feng, Jarrott, Bevyn, Lawrence, Andrew J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Elsevier B.V 10-07-1999; Amsterdam Elsevier; New York, NY
• Subjects: ( S)-[ [formula omitted]]-5-Fluorowillardiine; Alanine - analogs & derivatives; Alanine - metabolism; alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid - metabolism; Animals; Arterial hypertension. Arterial hypotension; Autoradiography; Binding Sites - physiology; Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Brain Stem - metabolism; Cardiology. Vascular system; Denervation; Experimental diseases; Hypertension; Hypertension - metabolism; Male; Medical sciences; Neurons, Afferent - metabolism; Nodose ganglion; Nodose Ganglion - metabolism; Nucleus tractus solitarius; Pyrimidines - metabolism; Rats; Rats, Inbred SHR; Rats, Inbred WKY; Reference Values; Solitary Nucleus - metabolism; Tissue Distribution - physiology; Vagus Nerve - cytology; Vagus Nerve - metabolism; α-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid; Hypertension; α-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid; Autoradiography; Nucleus tractus solitarius; ( S)-[ 3 H ]-5-Fluorowillardiine; Nodose ganglion; Rat; Brain stem; Rodentia; Central nervous system; Cardiovascular disease; Glutamate receptor; Binding site; Solitary nucleus; Vertebrata; AMPA receptor; Mammalia; Animal; Brain (vertebrata)
• ISSN: 0006-8993; 1872-6240
• DOI: 10.1016/S0006-8993(99)01560-7

The present study has employed in vitro receptor autoradiography with (
S)-[
3
H
]-5-fluorowillardiine (10 nM) to visualise the presence of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA) binding sites in the brain stems of adult (16–18 weeks) normotensive (Wistar–Kyoto (WKY) and Don Ryu (DRY)) and Spontaneously Hypertensive (SHR) rats. Similar topographic distribution and density of (
S)-[
3
H
]-5-fluorowillardiine binding was observed in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) of all three strains. Specific (
S)-[
3
H
]-5-fluorowillardiine binding sites were also visualised in sections of nodose ganglion from adult WKY rats, demonstrating that vagal afferent perikarya possess AMPA binding sites. However, while unilateral vagal deafferentation did not result in a significant decrease in binding site density in the caudal half of the rat NTS, the visualisation of AMPA binding sites on the nodose ganglion is consistent with the existence of a population of binding sites on vagal afferent terminals. In the caudal half of the rat NTS, AMPA binding sites appear to be predominantly postsynaptic in nature.