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Photic induction of c-Fos in enkephalin neurons of the rat intergeniculate leaflet innervated by retinal PACAP fibres

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Abstract

The brain’s biological clock, located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), is synchronised with the cyclic environment by photic and non-photic cues. Photic information to the SCN is mediated by pituitary adenylate-cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP)-containing retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), whereas non-photic input originates primarily from neuropeptide Y (NPY) cells in the ipsilateral thalamic intergeniculate leaflet (IGL). RGCs also seem to project to the IGL, indicating a role for this structure in the integration of photic and non-photic inputs related to the resetting of the biological clock. In the present study, we have used anterograde tracing from both eyes, bilateral eye enucleation, double-immunofluorescence histochemistry, high-resolution confocal laser scanning microscopy and three-dimensional computer analysis to show that (1) PACAP-containing RGCs project to the IGL and are the only source for the PACAP-immunoreactive fibres in the IGL; (2) a few NPY-containing neurons in the IGL are innervated by PACAP-containing retinal nerve fibres and the contacts are both axodendritic and axosomatic; (3) most enkephalin-immunoreactive neurons in the IGL are innervated by PACAP-containing retinal afferents and the contacts are mainly axodendritic; (4) light stimulation at various time points activates (as evidenced by c-Fos induction) enkephalin-positive neurons but not NPY-immunoreactive neurons. The findings suggest that PACAP-immunoreactive retinal afferents in the IGL primarily innervate enkephalin-immunoactive neurons and that the enkephalin-containing neurons, which project locally and to the contralateral IGL, are activated by light independent of diurnal time.

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Acknowledgements

The skilful technical assistance of Anita Hansen is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Bispebjerg University Hospital, DK-2400, Copenhagen NV, Denmark

    Fie Juhl, Jens Hannibal & Jan Fahrenkrug

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  1. Fie Juhl
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  2. Jens Hannibal
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  3. Jan Fahrenkrug
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Correspondence to Jan Fahrenkrug.

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This study was supported by the Danish Biotechnology Centre for Cellular Communication and The Danish Medical Research Council (no. 22-04-0667).

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Juhl, F., Hannibal, J. & Fahrenkrug, J. Photic induction of c-Fos in enkephalin neurons of the rat intergeniculate leaflet innervated by retinal PACAP fibres. Cell Tissue Res 329, 491–502 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-007-0422-6

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