Neurokinin receptor gene expression in substantia nigra: localization, regulation, and potential physiological significance

1995 ◽  
Vol 73 (7) ◽  
pp. 866-870 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Bannon ◽  
Christopher J. Whitty

Neurokinin receptor gene expression within the rat and human substantia nigra was examined in detail. In the rat, the relative abundances of nigral neurokinin receptor mRNAs were neurokinin 3 > neurokinin 1 [Formula: see text] neurokinin 2. High levels of neurokinin 3 mRNA were localized to dopamine neurons, as determined by dopamine cell lesions and colocalization with tyrosine hydroxylase mRNA. Stimulation of nigral neurokinin 3 receptors activated dopamine cells, as evidenced by increases in striatal dopamine metabolism and in a postsynaptic measure of dopamine neurotransmission (i.e., striatal substance P encoding mRNA). These and other anatomical and physiological data suggest that in the rat, substance P (released from striatonigral neurons) may act on nigral nondopamine cells through neurokinin 1 receptors, while the substance P cotransmitter neurokinin A may act preferentially on nigral dopamine neurons through neurokinin 3 receptors. Interestingly, high levels of neurokinin 1 (but not neurokinin 3) receptor mRNA are seen within human substantia nigra dopamine cells. Thus drugs interacting with neurokinin receptors may prove to be of value in the treatment of various neuropsychiatric disorders.Key words: neurokinin receptor, mRNA, dopamine, substantia nigra, human.

Endocrinology ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 140 (5) ◽  
pp. 2110-2116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roni Mamluk ◽  
Nitzan Levy ◽  
Bo Rueda ◽  
John S. Davis ◽  
Rina Meidan

Abstract Our previous studies demonstrated that endothelin-1 (ET-1), a 21-amino acid vasoconstrictor peptide, has a paracrine regulatory role in bovine corpus luteum (CL). The peptide is produced within the gland where it inhibits progesterone production by acting via the selective type A endothelin (ETA) receptors. The present study was designed to characterize ETA receptor gene expression in different ovarian cell types and its hormonal regulation. ETA receptor messenger RNA (mRNA) levels were high in follicular cells as well as in CL during luteal regression. At this latter stage, high ETA receptor expression concurred with low prostaglandin F2α receptor mRNA. The ETA receptor gene was expressed by all three major cell populations of the bovine CL; i.e. small and large luteal cells, as well as in luteal endothelial cells. Among these various cell populations, the highest ETA receptor mRNA levels were found in endothelial cells. cAMP elevating agents, forskolin and LH, suppressed ETA receptor mRNA expression in luteinized theca cells (LTC). This inhibition was dose dependent and was evident already after 24 h of incubation. In luteinized granulosa cells (LGC), 10 and 100 ng/ml of insulin-like growth factor I and insulin (only at a concentration of 2000 ng/ml) markedly decreased ETA receptor mRNA levels. In both LGC and LTC there was an inverse relationship between ETA receptor gene expression and progesterone production; insulin (in LGC) and forskolin (in LTC) enhanced progesterone production while inhibiting ETA receptor mRNA levels. Our findings may therefore suggest that, during early stages of luteinization when peak levels of both LH and insulin-like growth factor I exist, the expression of ETA receptors in the gland are suppressed. This study demonstrates physiologically relevant regulatory mechanisms controlling ETA receptor gene expression and further supports the inhibitory role of ET-1 in CL function.


1993 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
I M Adcock ◽  
M Peters ◽  
C Gelder ◽  
H Shirasaki ◽  
C R Brown ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Substance P has several inflammatory effects on the airways mediated via neurokinin 1 receptors (NK1Rs) and, if released from sensory nerves, may amplify the chronic inflammation seen in asthma. Northern blot analysis of NK1R mRNA in lung showed a 52 ± 10% (s.e.m.; P<0·01) increase in mRNA in the asthmatic lung compared with non-asthmatic control tissue. NK1R mRNA was reduced by 84·5 ± 1·9% after incubation with dexamethasone (1 μm) for 3 h (P<0·01). In contrast, NK2R mRNA was unaltered in asthmatic lungs and dexamethasone treatment had no effect on the level of NK2R mRNA. These results suggest that chronic inflammation in asthma may result in increased NK1R gene expression and that this effect is reversed by glucocorticosteroids.


1996 ◽  
Vol 271 (4) ◽  
pp. E686-E693
Author(s):  
J. Sugatani ◽  
Y. Masu ◽  
M. Nishizawa ◽  
K. Sakamoto ◽  
T. Houtani ◽  
...  

In this study we examined regulation by pituitary gonadotropins of the prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) receptor gene expression in the mouse ovary. Administration of pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) to 35-day-old mice in the diestrus phase stimulated the ovary and enhanced the production of progesterone at 1 h PMSG also increased the ovarian PGF2 alpha receptor mRNA level in a time-dependent manner, reaching a sixfold maximum at 1 h. These actions of PMSG were mimicked by human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and cholera toxin, all of which elevate intracellular adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP). In situ hybridization revealed that PGF2 alpha receptor mRNA was localized to the corpus luteum, but the intensity of staining varied among corpora lutea in the same ovary. Exogenous PGF2 alpha inhibited the PMSG-stimulated progesterone production. These results demonstrate that gonadotropins may induce the expression of the PGF2 alpha receptor gene in luteal cells of the corpus luteum, probably by acting through a cAMP-mediated pathway, and that expression of the PGF2 alpha receptor may be functionally associated with the decrease in serum progesterone level.


1995 ◽  
Vol 5 (8) ◽  
pp. 1585-1590
Author(s):  
T Nakamura ◽  
I Ebihara ◽  
M Fukui ◽  
S Osada ◽  
Y Tomino ◽  
...  

This study assessed glomerular endothelin (ET)-1, ET-3, and ET-receptor A and B mRNA levels in puromycin aminonucleoside (PAN)-induced nephrosis. During the nephrotic stage, 8 days after PAN injection, ET-1 and ETB receptor mRNA were elevated by 2.8 +/- 0.8-fold (P < 0.01) and 2.4 +/- 0.9-fold (P < 0.01), respectively, as compared with controls. These mRNA levels decreased to control levels by Day 20, when the nephrosis was in remission. In contrast, glomerular ETA receptor mRNA levels did not change in PAN nephrosis or control rats during the experimental period. ET-3 mRNA was not detected in the glomeruli of PAN nephrosis or control rats. Additionally, plasma ET concentration and glomerular ET production were measured in PAN nephrosis and control rats by radio-immunoassay. Eight days after PAN injection, ET-1 levels in plasma and glomeruli were not significantly altered in rats with PAN-induced nephrosis (glomeruli, 104.68 +/- 16.46 pg/mg of protein versus 98.24 +/- 13.68 pg/mg of protein; plasma, 2.68 +/- 1.10 versus 2.52 +/- 0.98 pg/mL). The administration of methylprednisolone to PAN rats resulted in the rapid disappearance of proteinuria and partially attenuated the increased ET-1 and ETB receptor gene expression in the glomeruli. These data indicate that glomerular ET-1 and ETB receptor expression in PAN nephrosis in increased at the mRNA level and that methylprednisolone treatment results in an attenuated increase.


1990 ◽  
Vol 111 (5) ◽  
pp. 2149-2158 ◽  
Author(s):  
M W Majesky ◽  
M A Reidy ◽  
D F Bowen-Pope ◽  
C E Hart ◽  
J N Wilcox ◽  
...  

Smooth muscle cells (SMC) in rat carotid artery leave the quiescent state and proliferate after balloon catheter injury, but the signals for mitogenesis are not known. In this study, the possibility that cells within damaged arteries produce a growth factor that could act locally to stimulate SMC replication and repair was examined. We found that the genes for PDGF-A and -B (ligand) and PDGF receptor (alpha and beta subunits) were expressed in normal and injured carotid arteries and were independently regulated during repair of carotid injury. Two phases of PDGF ligand and receptor gene expression were observed: (a) In the early stage, a large decrease in PDGF beta-receptor mRNA levels preceded 10- to 12-fold increases in PDGF-A transcript abundance in the first 6 h after wounding. No change in PDGF alpha-receptor or PDGF-B gene expression was found at these times. (b) In the chronic phase, 2 wk after injury, neointimal tissue had lower levels of PDGF alpha-receptor mRNA (threefold) and higher levels of PDGF beta-receptor mRNA (three- to fivefold) than did restored media. Moreover, in situ hybridization studies identified a subpopulation of neointimal SMC localized at or near the luminal surface with a different pattern of gene expression than the underlying carotid SMC. Luminal SMC were strongly positive for PDGF-A and PDGF beta-receptor transcripts, while showing little or no hybridization for PDGF-B or PDGF alpha-receptor. Immunohistochemical studies showed strongly positive staining for PDGF-A in SMC along the luminal surface. These data show that changes in PDGF ligand and receptor expression occur at specific times and locations in injured carotid artery and suggest that these changes may play a role in regulating arterial wound repair.


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