Premium
Regional and cellular distribution of the P2Y 1 purinergic receptor in the human brain: Striking neuronal localisation
Author(s) -
Moore Darren,
Chambers Jon,
Waldvogel Henry,
Faull Richard,
Emson Piers
Publication year - 2000
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(20000605)421:3<374::aid-cne6>3.0.co;2-z
Subject(s) - biology , p2y receptor , purinergic receptor , receptor , globus pallidus , human brain , metabotropic receptor , subthalamic nucleus , microbiology and biotechnology , neuroscience , putamen , p2 receptor , extracellular , basal ganglia , central nervous system , medicine , glutamate receptor , biochemistry , disease , parkinson's disease , deep brain stimulation
The biological actions of extracellular nucleotides are exerted via two families of P2 receptors, P2X and P2Y. The metabotropic P2Y receptors comprise at least 7 distinct subtypes, which have been cloned from a number of species. However, none of the P2Y receptor proteins have been visualised yet in human brain. In the present study, the regional and cellular distribution of the P2Y 1 receptor was investigated in the human brain by using immunohistochemistry. Polyclonal antibodies were raised against a synthetic peptide from the C‐terminus of the P2Y 1 protein. Immunoblot analysis demonstrated that P2Y 1 antiserum specifically recognised a 63‐kDa band in human and rat brain membranes. Similarly, the antiserum specifically detected the human P2Y 1 receptor in transfected 1321N1 cells. Immunohistochemical analysis on perfusion‐fixed human brain tissue showed a widespread distribution for this receptor throughout the brain. At the cellular level, the P2Y 1 receptor was strikingly localised to neuronal structures of the cerebral cortex, cerebellar cortex, hippocampus, caudate nucleus, putamen, globus pallidus, subthalamic nucleus, red nucleus, and midbrain. Expression of the P2Y 1 receptor was not detected in other non‐neuronal cell types. These results provide the first characterisation of the cellular distribution of a P2Y receptor in the human brain. The widespread and abundant distribution of the P2Y 1 receptor suggests its involvement in a number of important functions within the human brain. The neuronal localisation of this receptor points towards a possible role in neurotransmission, and also highlights a major role for extracellular nucleotides as signaling molecules within the brain. J. Comp. Neurol. 421:374–384, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.