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P2X receptors are differentially expressed on vasopressin- and oxytocin-containing neurons in the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei of rat hypothalamus

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Abstract

In the present study, the distribution of P2X receptor protein and colocalization of P2X receptors with vasopressin and oxytocin in the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei of rat hypothalamus was studied using double-labeling fluorescence immunohistochemistry. The results showed that vasopressin-containing neurons expressed P2X2, P2X4, P2X5 and P2X6 receptor and oxytocin-containing neurons expressed P2X2, P2X4 and P2X5 receptors in the supraoptic nucleus. In the paraventricular nucleus, vasopressin-containing neurons expressed P2X4, P2X5 and P2X6 receptors, while oxytocin-containing neurons expressed P2X4 receptors. This study provides the first evidence that P2X receptor subunits are differentially expressed on vasopressin- and oxytocin-containing neurons in the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei, and hence, provides a substantial neuroanatomical basis for possible functional interactions between the purinergic and vasopressinergic systems, and the purinergic and oxytocinergic systems in the rat hypothalamus.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Dr. Gillian E. Knight for her excellent editorial assistance. We also thank Roche Bioscience, Palo Alto, CA, for kindly supplying P2X antisera and peptides. This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of P. R. China (30670639 to Z Xiang) and by Program for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University (IRT0528 to C He).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurobiology, Second Military Medical University, 200433, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China

    Wei Guo, Xiaohui Xu, Cheng He & Zhenghua Xiang

  2. Department of Physiology, Second Military Medical University, 200433, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China

    Jihu Sun

  3. Autonomic Neuroscience Centre, Royal Free and University College Medical School, Rowland Hill Street, London, NW3 2PF, UK

    Geoffrey Bunstock

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  1. Wei Guo
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  2. Jihu Sun
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  3. Xiaohui Xu
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  4. Geoffrey Bunstock
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  5. Cheng He
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  6. Zhenghua Xiang
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Correspondence to Zhenghua Xiang.

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Wei Guo and Jihu Sun contributed equally to this work.

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Guo, W., Sun, J., Xu, X. et al. P2X receptors are differentially expressed on vasopressin- and oxytocin-containing neurons in the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei of rat hypothalamus. Histochem Cell Biol 131, 29–41 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00418-008-0493-9

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