Marksteiner J, Sperk G, Krause J E
Department of Pharmacology, University of Innsbruck, Austria.
J Comp Neurol. 1992 Mar 22;317(4):341-56. doi: 10.1002/cne.903170403.
Neurokinin B (NKB) belongs to the family of neuropeptides named tachykinins. Members of this family such as substance P or neurokinin A have been proposed to function as neurotransmitters or neuromodulators. Searching for possible sites of action of NKB in the central nervous system, we have now investigated its distribution within the rat brain by immunohistochemical techniques and in situ hybridization. For immunohistology two different antisera directed against amino acid sequences within preprotachykinin B were used. One antiserum had been raised against a synthetic derivative of NKB; the other one was directed towards the amino acids 50-79 of preprotachykinin B, which are referred to as peptide 2. Essentially the same distribution of immunoreactive perikarya was obtained with both antisera and it closely corresponded to the cellular localization of preprotachykinin B mRNA. Neurons containing NKB immunoreactivity and mRNA were present in many areas including cerebral cortex, hippocampal formation, amygdaloid complex, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, ventral pallidum, habenula, medial preoptic area, arcuate nucleus, and lateral mammillary bodies. Dense immunoreactive fibers were observed in various parts of the brain and were most prominent in the olfactory bulb and tubercle, the lateral olfactory tract, medial hypothalamus, around blood vessels of the median eminence and interpeduncular nucleus, amygdaloid nuclei, stria terminalis, subbrachial nucleus, and medial geniculate nucleus. Fibers of less intense staining were seen among other brain areas in the substantia nigra, the reticular formation, and the area of the nucleus of the solitary tract. Surgical lesion of the fasciculus retroflexus revealed that the dense fiber network observed in the interpeduncular nucleus originates from the ventral and dorsal parts of the medial habenula. Our data suggest a widespread and distinct distribution of neurons expressing NKB within the central nervous system, suggesting possible neuromodulatory roles of this neuropeptide for various brain functions.
神经激肽B（NKB）属于名为速激肽的神经肽家族。该家族的成员，如P物质或神经激肽A，被认为具有神经递质或神经调质的功能。为了寻找NKB在中枢神经系统中的可能作用位点，我们现在通过免疫组织化学技术和原位杂交研究了其在大鼠脑中的分布。对于免疫组织学，使用了两种针对前速激肽B内氨基酸序列的不同抗血清。一种抗血清是针对NKB的合成衍生物产生的；另一种针对前速激肽B的50-79位氨基酸，即肽2。两种抗血清获得的免疫反应性核周体分布基本相同，且与前速激肽B mRNA的细胞定位密切对应。含有NKB免疫反应性和mRNA的神经元存在于许多区域，包括大脑皮层、海马结构、杏仁复合体、终纹床核、腹侧苍白球、缰核、内侧视前区、弓状核和外侧乳头体。在脑的各个部位观察到密集的免疫反应性纤维，在嗅球和结节、外侧嗅束、内侧下丘脑、正中隆起和脚间核的血管周围、杏仁核、终纹、臂下核和内侧膝状体中最为突出。在黑质、网状结构和孤束核区域等其他脑区也可见染色较淡的纤维。后屈束的手术损伤表明，在脚间核观察到的密集纤维网络起源于内侧缰核的腹侧和背侧部分。我们的数据表明，在中枢神经系统中表达NKB的神经元分布广泛且独特，提示这种神经肽可能对多种脑功能具有神经调节作用。
