Melanin-concentrating hormone is expressed in the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus only in female rats

Autor(es)

Rondini‚ T. A. ; de Crudis Rodrigues‚ B. ; de Oliveira‚ A. P. ; Bittencourt‚ J. C. ; Elias‚ C. F.

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: Brain Research Bulletin; v. 74, n. 1/3, p. 21-28, Sept. 2007.
• Área do conhecimento: Ciências Biológicas - Morfologia
• Assunto(s): Neuropeptídeos Parassonias do sono REM Sistema nervoso central Formação reticular

Resumo

Melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) is a neuropeptide originating from prepro-MCH. In male rats, neurons expressing MCH are found in the lateral hypothalamic area and medial zona incerta, as well as, sparsely, in the olfactory tubercle and pontine reticular formation. The wide distribution of MCH fibers suggests the involvement of this neuropeptide in a variety of functions, including arousal, neuroendocrine control and energy homeostasis. In lactating females, MCH is expressed in the preoptic area, indicating sexual dimorphism in MCH gene activation according to the female reproductive state. We hypothesized that MCH is also expressed differentially in the brainstem of female rats. Adult male rats and female rats (in the afternoon of diestrus and proestrus days; ovariectomized; or on lactation days 5, 12 and 19) were perfused between 2 and 4 p.m., and the brainstems were processed for in situ hybridization using a 35S-labeled prepro-MCH riboprobe. As described in males, prepro-MCH was expressed in the pontine reticular formation of females. We also observed consistent prepro-MCH expression in the caudal laterodorsal tegmental nucleus (LDT) of females but no differential expression comparing the various female reproductive states. Using dual-label immunohistochemistry or dual-label in situ hybridization, we found that brainstem MCH neurons coexpress glutamic acid decarboxylase mRNA, the gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) processing enzyme, but do not colocalize choline acetyl transferase (acetylcholine processing enzyme). Since changes in LDT GABAergic cell activity are associated with rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, our findings suggest that MCH interacts with LDT GABAergic neurons and plays a role in REM sleep regulation. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 04/13849-5 - Circuitos peptidérgicos envolvidos na organização do comportamento alimentar
• Beneficiário: Jackson Cioni Bittencourt
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Temático
• Processo FAPESP: 02/11240-8 - Estudo das aferências do núcleo do tracto solitário imunorreativas a urocortina
• Beneficiário: Anne Pierre de Oliveira
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Mestrado
• Processo FAPESP: 05/50951-5 - Caracterizacao neuroquimica e hodologica dos neuronios que expressam o hormonio concentrador de melanina (mch) na area pre-optica durante a amamentacao.
• Beneficiário: Carol Fuzeti Elias
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular