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Characterization of GalR1, GalR2, and GalR3 immunoreactivity in catecholaminergic nuclei of the mouse brain
Author(s) -
Hawes Jessica J.,
Picciotto Marina R.
Publication year - 2004
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/cne.20329
Subject(s) - galanin , ventral tegmental area , galanin receptor , medicine , nucleus accumbens , endocrinology , locus coeruleus , neuropeptide , catecholaminergic , biology , substantia nigra , dopamine , receptor , central nervous system , dopaminergic
Abstract The distribution of immunoreactivity for the three identified neuropeptide galanin receptors, GalR1, GalR2, and GalR3, was determined in areas of the mouse brain involved in drug addiction, including the ventral tegmental area (VTA), substantia nigra (SN), nucleus accumbens (NA), and locus coeruleus (LC). All three galanin receptors are found in the VTA, SN, NA, and LC; however, GalR1 protein is most highly represented in the VTA, NA, and SN, suggesting that GalR1 may play a predominant role in galanin‐mediated regulation of dopamine neurotransmission. GalR1 and GalR3 protein levels are high in the LC, suggesting that these isoforms may be important for galanin‐mediated regulation of noradrenergic transmission during opiate withdrawal. Although the distribution of GalR1, GalR2, and GalR3 largely recapitulates the pattern of galanin binding throughout the brain, some discrepancies exist, suggesting that another galanin receptor(s) may be present in some brain areas. Overall, GalR1, GalR2, and GalR3 are distributed widely throughout the brain, correlate with widespread galanin binding, and colocalize with tyrosine hydroxylase in catecholaminergic brain areas. J. Comp. Neurol. 479:410–423, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.