Dynorphin immunocytochemistry in the rat central nervous system

• Published in: Peptides (New York, N.Y. : 1980) Vol. 3; no. 6; pp. 941 - 954
• Main Authors: Khachaturian, Henry, Watson, Stanley J., Lewis, Michael E., Coy, David, Goldstein, Avram, Akil, Huda
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.11.1982
• Subjects: Animals; Antibody cross-reactivity; Antibody Specificity; Central nervous system; Central Nervous System - analysis; Colchicine; Dynorphin; Dynorphins; Endorphins - analysis; Enkephalin, Leucine - analysis; Histocytochemistry; Immunochemistry; Immunocytochemistry; Male; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Serotonin - analysis; Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase - analysis; Colchicine; Immunocytochemistry; Antibody cross-reactivity; Dynorphin; Central nervous system
• ISSN: 0196-9781; 1873-5169
• DOI: 10.1016/0196-9781(82)90063-8

The distribution of dynorphin in the central nervous system was investigated in rats pretreated with relatively high doses (300–400 μg) of colchicine administered intracerebroventricularly. To circumvent the problems of antibody cross-reactivity, antisera were generated against different portions as well as the full dynorphin molecule (i.e., residues 1–13, 7–17, or 1–17). For comparison, antisera to [Leu]enkephalin (residues 1–5) were also utilized. Dynorphin was found to be widely distributed throughout the neuraxis. Immunoreactive neuronal perikarya exist in hypothalamic magnocellular nuclei, periaqueductal gray, scattered reticular formation sites, and other brain stem nuclei, as well as in spinal cord. Additionally, dynorphin-positive fibers or terminals occur in the cerebral cortex, olfactory bulb, nucleus accumbens, caudate-putamen, globus pallidus, hypothalamus, substantia nigra, periaqueductal gray, many brain stem sties, and the spinal cord. In many areas studied, dynorphin and enkephalin appeared to form parallel but probably separate anatomical systems. The results suggest that dynorphin occurs in neuronal systems that are immunocytochemically distinct from those containing other opioid peptides.