Journal article
Pro-opiomelanocortin colocalizes with corticotropin- releasing factor in axon terminals of the noradrenergic nucleus locus coeruleus
The European journal of neuroscience, v 23(8), pp 2067-2077
Apr 2006
PMID: 16630054
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
We previously demonstrated that the opioid peptide enkephalin and corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) are occasionally colocalized in individual axon terminals but more frequently converge on common dendrites in the locus coeruleus (LC). To further examine potential opioid cotransmitters in CRF afferents we investigated the distribution of pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC), the precursor that yields the potent bioactive peptide beta-endorphin, with respect to CRF immunoreactivity using immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopic analyses of the LC. Coronal sections were collected through the dorsal pontine tegmentum of rat brain and processed for immunocytochemical detection of POMC and CRF or tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). POMC-immunoreactive processes exhibited a distinct distribution within the LC as compared to the enkephalin family of opioid peptides. Specifically, POMC fibers were enriched in the ventromedial aspect of the LC with fewer fibers present dorsolaterally. Immunofluorescence microscopy showed frequent coexistence of POMC and CRF in varicose processes that overlapped TH-containing somatodendritic processes in the LC. Ultrastructural analysis showed POMC immunoreactivity in unmyelinated axons and axon terminals. Axon terminals containing POMC were filled with numerous large dense-core vesicles. In sections processed for POMC and TH, approximately 29% of POMC-containing axon terminals (n = 405) targeted dendrites that exhibited immunogold-silver labeling for TH. In contrast, sections processed for POMC and CRF showed that 27% of POMC-labeled axon terminals (n = 657) also exhibited CRF immunoreactivity. Taken together, these data indicate that a subset of CRF afferents targeting the LC contain POMC and may be positioned to dually impact LC activity.
Metrics
Details
- Title
- Pro-opiomelanocortin colocalizes with corticotropin- releasing factor in axon terminals of the noradrenergic nucleus locus coeruleus
- Creators
- Beverly A S Reyes - Thomas Jefferson UniversityJulia D GlaserRonaldo MagtotoElisabeth J Van Bockstaele
- Publication Details
- The European journal of neuroscience, v 23(8), pp 2067-2077
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Grant note
- DA 09082 / NIDA NIH HHS DA 15395 / NIDA NIH HHS
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Pharmacology and Physiology
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000236943500011
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-33646004881
- Other Identifier
- 991021903299004721
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
This publication has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:
InCites Highlights
Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:
- Web of Science research areas
- Neurosciences