Neurokinin B receptor (NK3)-containing neurons in the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei of the rat hypothalamus synthesize vasopressin and express Fos following intravenous injection of hypertonic saline

• Published in: Neuroscience Vol. 91; no. 3; pp. 1077 - 1085
• Main Authors: Ding, Y.-Q., Lü, B.-Z., Guan, Z.-L., Wang, D.-S., Xu, J.-Q., Li, J.-H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-01-1999; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Nucleus - metabolism; Central nervous system; Central neurotransmission. Neuromudulation. Pathways and receptors; co-localization; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Immunohistochemistry; Injections, Intravenous; Male; neurokinin K receptor; Neurons - metabolism; paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus; Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus - cytology; Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus - metabolism; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos - metabolism; rat; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Receptors, Neurokinin-3 - metabolism; Saline Solution, Hypertonic - pharmacology; supraoptic nucleus; Supraoptic Nucleus - metabolism; Tissue Distribution - physiology; vasopressin; Vasopressins - biosynthesis; Vasopressins - metabolism; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; ABC, avidin–biotin–peroxidase complex; rat; NKB, neurokinin B; paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus; vasopressin; PAP, peroxidase–antiperoxidase; neurokinin K receptor; PV, paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus; DAB, diaminobenzidine tetrahydrochloride; PB, phosphate buffer; PBS, phosphate-buffered saline; NKR, neurokinin B receptor; SO, supraoptic nucleus; LI, like immunoreactivity; supraoptic nucleus; co-localization; Rat; Rodentia; Central nervous system; Hypothalamus; Coexistence; Paraventricular nucleus; Gene expression; Neuropeptide; Vasopressin; Vertebrata; Mammalia; NK3 Tachykinin receptor; Supraoptic nucleus; Brain (vertebrata)
• ISSN: 0306-4522; 1873-7544
• DOI: 10.1016/S0306-4522(98)00643-5

Subnuclear localization of neurokinin B receptor (NK3) in the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei of the hypothalamus was immunohistochemically investigated in the rat. In the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus, intense neurokinin B receptor-like immunoreactivity was found in the posterior magnocellular part, moderate to weak neurokinin B receptor-like immunoreactivity was seen in the other parts. In the supraoptic nucleus, intense neurokinin B receptor-like immunoreactivity was distributed in its principal part, and a few neurons with neurokinin B receptor-like immunoreactivity were found in the retrochiasmatic part. Co-localization of neurokinin B receptor-like immunoreactivity with vasopressin-like immunoreactivity was examined through serial adjacent sections. Neurons with both neurokinin B receptor-like immunoreactivity and vasopressin-like immunoreactivity were primarily found in the supraoptic nucleus and posterior magnocellular part of the pavaventricular nucleus. A small number of neurons with neurokinin B receptor-like immunoreactivity and vasopressin-like immunoreactivity were also seen in the circular nucleus and the region surrounding blood vessel in the anterior hypothalamus. Many neurokinin B receptor-containing neurons in the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei, as well as in circular nucleus and the region surrounding the blood vessel, expressed Fos-like immunoreactivity after intravenous injection of hypertonic saline.
The present study demonstrated that a large proportion of neurokinin B receptor-like immunoreactive neurons in the paraventricular hypothalamic and supraoptic nuclei contained vasopressin-like immunoreactivity, and expressed Fos-like immunoreactivity after intravenous administration of hypertonic saline. The results suggest that neurokinin B receptor in the two nuclei may be involved in modulation of the release of vasopressin when the internal environment is disturbed.