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Distribution of angiotensin II type‐2 receptor (AT 2 ) mRNA expression in the adult rat brain
Author(s) -
Lenkei Zsolt,
Palkovits Miklos,
Corvol Pierre,
LlorensCortes Catherine
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
journal of comparative neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.855
H-Index - 209
eISSN - 1096-9861
pISSN - 0021-9967
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1096-9861(19960923)373:3<322::aid-cne2>3.0.co;2-4
Subject(s) - biology , messenger rna , distribution (mathematics) , neuroscience , receptor , angiotensin ii , endocrinology , medicine , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , gene , mathematical analysis , mathematics
Radioactively labeled cRNA probes were used for in situ hybridization histochemistry to establish a detailed map of the sites of expression of the recently cloned angiotensin II, type 2 (AT 2 ) receptor mRNA in the adult rat brain. The distribution of the AT 2 receptor mRNA was consistent with that of the AT 2 binding sites, which were previously established by autoradiographic binding studies. Thus, high AT 2 receptor mRNA expression was observed in the lateral septum, in several thalamic nuclei, in the subthalamic nucleus, in the locus coeruleus, and in the inferior olive. Due to the superior resolution and sensitivity of in situ hybridization, AT 2 receptor expression was localized at the cellular level, and some additional brain nuclei expressing AT 2 receptor mRNA have been identified. These include the red nucleus, the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus, the bed nucleus of the supraoptic decussation, the paragenual nucleus, and numerous brainstem nuclei. Several brain nuclei, such as the motor hypoglossal nucleus and the cerebellar nuclei, where AT 2 receptor binding had previously been identified in young animals only, showed a high expression of the AT 2 receptor mRNA in the adult rat. No correlation was found between the expression of the AT 2 and the type 1 (AT 1 ) receptor mRNAs. A combination of the in situ hybridization and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunohistochemistry shows that the AT 2 receptor in the lateral septum showed that the AT 2 receptor was not detected in GFAP immunoreactive astroglial cells, therefore indicating that AT 2 is neuronal rather than glial in this brain region. © 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.