Vasopressin binding in the cerebral cortex of the mongolian gerbil is reduced by transient cerebral ischemia

Abstract

In Mongolian gerbils, the content of vasopressin in the cerebral cortex, the striatum, and the hypothalamus is increased after induction of acute cerebral ischemia. We used an iodinated vasopressin analogue and light microscopic autoradiography to study the distribution of vasopressin V1 receptors in the brain of adult male gerbils and to evaluate the effects of a transient bilateral cerebral ischemia (6 minutes) on the density of this receptor population. The animals were killed immediately or 10, 30, or 100 hours after transient bilateral occlusion of the common carotid arteries. In control animals, specific [125I]-VPA binding sites were present in various structures of the brain (olfactory bulb, anterior olfactory nucleus, lateral septum, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, median preoptic area, ventral pallidum, substantia innominata, amygdala, thalamus, hypothalamic mammillary nuclei, superior colliculus, subiculum, central gray, nucleus of the solitary tract, hypoglossal nucleus). The strongest labeling was detected in the cerebral cortex, layers 5-6. After 30-100 hours of survival time following ischemia there was a marked decrease in [125I]-VPA binding site density in these cerebral cortex layers. To a lesser degree, a decrease was also detected in the lateral septal nucleus. In contrast, labeling in other noncortical structures remained unchanged. All animals with 100 hours recovery showed a loss of cells in hippocampus (CA1 layer) and striatum. In addition, ischemia induced concomitant and proliferative changes in cortical and hippocampal astrocytes assessed by glial fibrillary acid protein immunoreactivity. These observations indicate a role for vasopressin in the cerebral cortex either on neurons or on glial cells and the modulation of vasopressin receptor expression by transient cerebral ischemia.

Expression of early growth response protein 1 in vasopressin neurones of the rat anterior olfactory nucleus following social odour exposure

“…Considering such release, as well as the presence of bilateral AON axonal connections, AON‐produced vasopressin would be predicted to exert some of its effects locally. We have shown V1a receptor expression in the AON, confirming results from previous receptor binding (Vallet et al 1995; Schorscher‐Petcu et al 2009) and mRNA (Szot et al 1994) studies. We have also shown V1b receptor immunoreactivity for the first time in the AON, although it has been described in both the olfactory tubercle and piriform cortex previously (Hernando et al 2001).…”

“…Immediate early gene expression in the AON also increases in anoestrous female ewes in the presence of a ram or ram's fleece (Gelez & Fabre‐Nys, 2006), suggesting that this region is also involved in the processing of social odour information in other species. Vasopressin V1 receptor binding (Vallet et al 1995; Schorscher‐Petcu et al 2009) and V1a receptor mRNA expression (Szot et al 1994) occur in the anterior olfactory nucleus (AON), suggesting that vasopressin signalling in this area may also be important in the processing of social stimuli.…”

Oxytocin and vasopressin receptor distributions in a solitary and a social species of tuco‐tuco (Ctenomys haigi and Ctenomys sociabilis)

“…Data are presented on guinea pig (Tribollet et al, 1992a), rat (Johnson et al, 1993;Tribollet et al, 1992b;Krémarik et al, 1993), mouse (Insel et al, 1993;Dubois-Dauphin et al, 1996;Olazá bel et al, 2006), California mouse and deer mouse (Insel et al, 1991), prairie vole and montane vole (Insel and Shapiro, 1992;Wang et al, 1997;Phelps and Young, 2003;Olá zabel and Young, 2006), Syrian hamster (Dubois-Dauphin et al, 1990Szot et al, 1990;Albers et al, 2006), and Shaw's jird (a close relative of the Mongolian gerbil; Rabhi et al, 1999). Additional data on vasopressin but not oxytocin binding sites in rodents are available for Siberian hamsters (Dubois-Dauphin et al, 1994), Mongolian gerbils (Vallet et al, 1995), and jerboas (Théler et al, 1993 Lacey, unpublished data), suggesting that the nature of social bonds in this species differs from those in monogamous microtines. Thus, if oxytocin and vasopressin are involved in the regulation of social behavior in ctenomyids, then the neuroendocrine pathways...…”

Effects of lateral olfactory tract stimulation on Fos immunoreactivity in vasopressin neurones of the rat piriform cortex

“…They are localised in the MOB, AOB and anterior AON. 7,22 Vasopressin V1a receptors are expressed in the MOB and AON 7,[22][23][24][25][26] and V1b receptors in the AON, olfactory tubercle and PC, 22,27 which suggests that these cells might be sensitive to their own signal. Blocking the actions of vasopressin in the MOB impairs the social recognition abilities of rats and vasopressin agonists and antagonists can modulate the processing of information by olfactory bulb neurones.…”