Localization of calcitonin receptor mRNA in the mouse brain: coexistence with serotonin transporter mRNA

• Published in: Brain research. Molecular brain research. Vol. 76; no. 1; pp. 93 - 102
• Main Authors: Nakamoto, Hiromitsu, Soeda, Yuko, Takami, Shinya, Minami, Masabumi, Satoh, Masamichi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 10.03.2000; Elsevier
• Subjects: Anatomy; Animals; Antinociception; Biological and medical sciences; Brain - anatomy & histology; Brain - metabolism; Calcitonin receptor; Carrier Proteins - metabolism; Central nervous system; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Immunohistochemistry; In Situ Hybridization; Male; Membrane Glycoproteins - metabolism; Membrane Transport Proteins; Mice; Mouse; Nerve Tissue Proteins; Receptors, Calcitonin - metabolism; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Serotonin - metabolism; Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; Serotonin transporter; Spinal Cord - metabolism; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; Antinociception; Serotonin transporter; Calcitonin receptor; Mouse; In situ hybridization; Molecular hybridization; Serotonin; Rodentia; Central nervous system; Coexistence; Analgesia; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Calcitonin; Neurotransmitter; Localization; Carrier protein; Brain (vertebrata); Biological receptor
• ISSN: 0169-328X; 1872-6941
• DOI: 10.1016/S0169-328X(99)00335-6

To elucidate the sites of and mechanisms of analgesic effect of centrally injected calcitonin, we examined expression of calcitonin receptor mRNA in the mouse brain by in situ hybridization techniques. Calcitonin receptor mRNA was expressed in various brain regions, including the preoptic area, dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus, lateral hypothalamic area, periaqueductal gray, dorsal raphe nucleus, locus coeruleus, lateral parabrachial nucleus, gigantocellular reticular nucleus alpha part, lateral paragigantocellular nucleus, raphe magnus nucleus and solitary tract nucleus, which are known to play important roles in pain modulation. In addition, a double in situ hybridization technique demonstrated the intense expression of calcitonin receptor mRNA on serotonergic neurons in some raphe nuclei and the lateral paragigantocellular nucleus, suggesting the involvement of central serotonergic pathways in analgesic effect of calcitonin.