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Characterization of MT1 melatonin receptor expressing neurons in the medial habenula, habenula commissure and periaqueductal grey of the C3H/HeN mouse brain
Author(s) -
Evely Katherine Michelle,
AdamahBiassi Ekue Bright,
Hudson Randall L.,
Dubocovich Margarita L.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.27.1_supplement.1170.2
Subject(s) - habenula , biology , forebrain , glutamatergic , interpeduncular nucleus , dopaminergic , midbrain , melatonin receptor , periaqueductal gray , neuroscience , receptor , medicine , anatomy , microbiology and biotechnology , dopamine , central nervous system , glutamate receptor , melatonin , biochemistry
Melatonin (MLT) is rhythmically secreted from the pineal gland and acts on two G protein‐coupled receptors, termed MT 1 and MT 2 . Brain tissue from a transgenic mouse line expressing red fluorescence protein (RFP) at the MT 1 receptor promoter provides a method of localizing the receptor. RFP‐MT 1 fluorescence and immunoreactivity was localized to the medial habenula (MHb), habenula commissure (HbC) and the midbrain dorsal medial periaqueductal grey (DMPAG) area. The habenula acts as a relay station from forebrain to midbrain. The downstream PAG plays a prominent role in pain transmission (Behbehani, Prog Neurobiol 1995;46:575–605). The goal of our research is to investigate the distribution of the MT 1 receptor in these cholinergic, dopaminergic and glutamatergic neuronal systems. Immunofluorescence co‐staining for RFP along with choline acetyl transferase (ChAT), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) or vesicular glutamate transporter (VGLUT2) is used to investigate the distribution of the MT 1 receptor. Results show RFP‐MT 1 expression in the dorsal MHb, clearly separated from ChAT staining in the ventral MHb. TH colocalized with RFP‐MT 1 in the HbC, PAG, and the ependymal lining of the aqueduct. VGLUT2 and RFP‐MT 1 positive cells are present in dorsal MHb neurons. These results indicate a possible role for the MT 1 receptor in the modulation of glutamatergic and dopaminergic neurotransmission. Supported by DA 021870 MLD.