Fluorescent Visualisation of Oxytocin in the Hypothalamo‐neurohypophysial/‐spinal Pathways After Chronic Inflammation in Oxytocin‐Monomeric Red Fluorescent Protein 1 Transgenic Rats

• DOI: 10.1111/jne.12290
• Publication Date: 2015-05-06T06:16:20Z
• Authors: T. Matsuura; M. Kawasaki; H. Hashimoto; T. Ishikura; M. Yoshimura; J.‐I. Ohkubo; T. Maruyama; Y. Motojima; K. Sabanai; T. Mori; H. Ohnishi; A. Sakai; Y. Ueta
• Keywords: Parvocellular cell; Magnocellular cell; Supraoptic nucleus; Posterior pituitary

Oxytocin (OXT) is a well-known neurohypophysial hormone that synthesised in the paraventricular (PVN) and supraoptic nuclei (SON) of hypothalamus. The projection magnocellular neurosecretory cells, which synthesise OXT arginine vasopressin PVN SON, to posterior pituitary plays an essential role mammalian labour lactation through its peripheral action. However, previous studies have shown parvocellular OXTergic cells PVN, project medulla spinal cord, are involved various physiological functions (e.g. sensory modulation autonomic). In present study, we examined expression SON cord after chronic inflammation from adjuvant arthritis (AA). We used transgenic rats express monomeric red fluorescent protein 1 (mRFP1) fusion gene visualise both pathways. OXT-mRFP1 fluorescence intensity was significantly increased dorsal horn AA rats. levels mRNA were These results suggested up-regulated hypothalamic by inflammation, also PVN-spinal pathway may be modulation. very useful model for visualising pathways vesicles single cell terminals vitro preparations.