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Sigma ‐1 and Sigma ‐2 sites in rat brain: Comparison of regional, ontogenetic, and subcellular patterns
Author(s) -
McCann David J.,
Weissman Arthur D.,
Su TsungPing
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
synapse
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.809
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1098-2396
pISSN - 0887-4476
DOI - 10.1002/syn.890170307
Subject(s) - sigma , radioligand , sigma receptor , membrane , binding site , chemistry , hippocampal formation , sigma 1 receptor , biology , biophysics , biochemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , stereochemistry , receptor , neuroscience , physics , quantum mechanics , agonist
Radioligand binding assay conditions were established for the selective labeling of sigma‐1 and sigma‐2 sites in membrane homogenates of rat brain. Selective sigma‐1 assays were conducted using 5 nM (+)[ 3 H]SKF‐10,047 in the presence of 300 nM dizocilpine (MK‐801). Selective sigma‐2 assays were conducted using 5 nM [ 3 H]DTG in the presence of 1 μM (+)SKF‐10,047. Distributions of sigma‐1 and sigma‐2 binding among brain regions were found to differ. While the brain stem yields the highest level of sigma‐1 binding, it yields among the lowest levels of sigma‐2 binding. The reverse is true in hippocampal membranes. Different ontogenetic patterns were also observed. Sigma‐2 binding decreases substantially during brain development, whereas sigma‐1 binding does not vary significantly. Patterns of distribution among subcellular fractions of rat brain homogenates were found to be similar. Both sigma‐1 and sigma‐2 sites are most enriched in microsomal fractions, and neither is enriched in synaptosomal or mitochondrial fractions. The present results suggest that sigma‐1 and sigma‐2 sites are distinct entities; they do not appear to be located on a common macromolecule, and they do not represent two different affinity states of a single type of binding site. While the precise subcellular locations (if sigma‐1 and sigma‐2) sites remain to be determined, we conclude that localization of either type of binding site to synaptic regions of plasma membrane or to mitochondria is highly unlikely © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. This article is a US Government work and, as such is in the public domain in the United States of America.