Journal article
nNOS immunoreactivity co-localizes with GABAergic and cholinergic neurons, and associates with β-endorphinergic and met-enkephalinergic opioidergic fibers in rostral ventromedial medulla and A5 of the mouse
Brain research, Vol.1698, pp.170-178
11/01/2018
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/112110
PMID: 30081038
Abstract
•nNOS co-expression with major transmitters was investigated in mouse brainstem.•nNOS was not found to co-localize with serotonergic or noradrenergic neurons.•nNOS was found to co-localize with subsets of GABAergic and cholinergic neurons.•nNOS neurons were found within fields of β-endorphin and met-enkephalin fibers.•NO release could mediate pain sensory-modulation via these local circuits.
The present study examined the co-expression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) in the rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) and A5 regions of the mouse brainstem within several neurochemical populations involved in nociceptive modulation. Double immunohistochemical methods showed that nNOS+ neurons do not co-localize with serotonergic neurons within any of these regions. Within the RVM, the nuclei raphe magnus and gigantocellularis contain a population of nNOS+/GAD67+ neurons, and within the paragigantocellularis lateralis, there is a smaller population of nNOS+/CHAT+ neurons. Further, nNOS+ neurons overlap the region of expression of β-endorphinergic and met-enkephalinergic fibers within the RVM. No co-labeling was found within the A5 for any of these populations. These findings suggest that pain-modulatory serotonergic neurons within the brainstem do not directly produce nitric oxide (NO). Rather, NO-producing neurons within the RVM belong to GABAergic and cholinergic cell populations, and are in a position to modulate or be modulated by local opioidergic neurons.
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- Title
- nNOS immunoreactivity co-localizes with GABAergic and cholinergic neurons, and associates with β-endorphinergic and met-enkephalinergic opioidergic fibers in rostral ventromedial medulla and A5 of the mouse
- Creators
- Amber V.K Buhler - School of Pharmacy, Pacific University Oregon, 222 SE 8th Ave, Hillsboro, OR 97123, United StatesSean Tachibana - School of Pharmacy, Pacific University Oregon, 222 SE 8th Ave, Hillsboro, OR 97123, United StatesYangmiao Zhang - Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, United StatesRaymond M Quock - Department of Psychology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, United States
- Publication Details
- Brain research, Vol.1698, pp.170-178
- Academic Unit
- Psychology, Department of
- Publisher
- Elsevier B.V
- Identifiers
- 99900547897801842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article