Kitamura Yoji, Tanaka Hirokazu, Motoike Toshiyuki, Ishii Makoto, Williams S Clay, Yanagisawa Masashi, Sakurai Takeshi
Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8575, Japan.
Brain Res. 2006 Jun 6;1093(1):123-34. doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2006.03.041. Epub 2006 May 15.
Neuropeptide W (NPW) is a recently identified neuropeptide that binds to G-protein-coupled receptor (GPR) 7, which is highly expressed in several discrete regions of the rodent brain including the central amygdaloid nucleus and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. Although several reports suggested that NPW is implicated in the regulation of energy homeostasis and nociception, the precise physiological role of NPW has remained unclear. In this study, we examined distribution of NPW messenger RNA and NPW immunoreactivity in the adult rat brain. NPW-immunoreactive (ir) cells were detected in the ventral tegmental area, periaqueductal gray, and Edinger-Westphal nucleus. NPW-ir fibers were observed in several brain regions, including the lateral septum, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, dorsomedial and posterior hypothalamus, central amygdaloid nucleus, CA1 field of hippocampus, interpeduncular nucleus, inferior colliculus, lateral parabrachial nucleus, facial nucleus, and hypoglossal nucleus. NPW-ir fibers were most abundantly observed in the central amygdaloid nucleus and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, which are regions implicated in fear and anxiety. These results suggest that NPW might be involved in the regulation of stress and emotive responses, especially in fear and anxiety-related physiological and behavioral functions.
神经肽W（NPW）是一种最近发现的神经肽，它与G蛋白偶联受体（GPR）7结合，GPR7在啮齿动物大脑的几个离散区域高度表达，包括中央杏仁核和终纹床核。尽管有几份报告表明NPW与能量稳态和痛觉调节有关，但其确切的生理作用仍不清楚。在本研究中，我们检测了成年大鼠大脑中NPW信使核糖核酸和NPW免疫反应性的分布。在腹侧被盖区、导水管周围灰质和动眼神经副核中检测到NPW免疫反应性（ir）细胞。在几个脑区观察到NPW-ir纤维，包括外侧隔、终纹床核、背内侧和下丘脑后部、中央杏仁核、海马CA1区、脚间核、下丘、外侧臂旁核、面神经核和舌下神经核。在中央杏仁核和终纹床核中观察到的NPW-ir纤维最多，这些区域与恐惧和焦虑有关。这些结果表明，NPW可能参与应激和情绪反应的调节，特别是在与恐惧和焦虑相关的生理和行为功能方面。
