Barclay Meagan, Noakes Peter G, Ryan Allen F, Julien Jean-Pierre, Housley Gary D
Department of Physiology, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand.
Histochem Cell Biol. 2007 Dec;128(6):541-50. doi: 10.1007/s00418-007-0340-4. Epub 2007 Sep 26.
Peripherin is a 57 kDa Type III intermediate filament protein associated with neurite extension, neuropathies such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and cranial nerve and dorsal root projections. However, knowledge of peripherin expression in the CNS is limited. We have used immunoperoxidase histochemistry to characterise peripherin expression in the mouse hindbrain, including the inferior colliculus, pons, medulla and cerebellum. Peripherin immunolabelling was observed in the nerve fibres and nuclei that are associated with all cranial nerves [(CN) V-XII] in the hindbrain. Peripherin expression was prominent in the cell bodies and axons of the mesenchephalic trigeminal nucleus and the pars compacta region of nucleus ambiguus, and in the fibres that comprise the solitary tract, the descending spinal trigeminal tract and the trigeminal and facial nerves. A small proportion of peripherin positive fibres in CN VIII likely arise from cochlear type II spiral ganglion neurons. Peripherin positive fibres were also observed in the inferior cerebellar peduncle and folia in the intermediate zone of the cerebellum. Antibody specificity was confirmed by absence of labelling in hindbrain tissue from peripherin knockout mice. This study shows that in the adult mouse hindbrain, peripherin is expressed in discrete neuronal subpopulations that have sensory, motor and autonomic functions.
外周蛋白是一种57 kDa的III型中间丝蛋白，与神经突延伸、诸如肌萎缩侧索硬化等神经病变以及脑神经和背根投射相关。然而，关于外周蛋白在中枢神经系统中的表达情况所知有限。我们利用免疫过氧化物酶组织化学方法来表征小鼠后脑（包括下丘、脑桥、延髓和小脑）中外周蛋白的表达。在后脑与所有脑神经（V - XII）相关的神经纤维和细胞核中观察到外周蛋白免疫标记。外周蛋白在中脑三叉神经核的细胞体和轴突以及疑核的致密部区域，以及构成孤束、下行脊髓三叉神经束、三叉神经和面神经的纤维中表达显著。第八对脑神经中一小部分外周蛋白阳性纤维可能来自耳蜗II型螺旋神经节神经元。在小脑下脚和小脑中间区的小叶中也观察到外周蛋白阳性纤维。通过外周蛋白基因敲除小鼠后脑组织中无标记来证实抗体特异性。这项研究表明，在成年小鼠后脑中，外周蛋白在具有感觉、运动和自主功能的离散神经元亚群中表达。
