Immunohistochemical localization of galanin receptors (GAL-R1, GAL-R2, and GAL-R3) on myenteric neurons from the sheep and dog stomach.

Galanin exerts its biological activities (inhibitory or excitatory) via three different G protein-coupled receptors. In the present study, double immunocytochemical labeling was used to localize GAL-R1, GAL-R2 and GAL-R3 on PGP 9.5-positive myenteric neurons from the dog and sheep stomach/forestomachs. In both species, the occurrence of galanin in neurons and nerve fibers of gastric ganglia was also studied. Myenteric ganglia of the dog stomach were supplied with numerous, mainly varicose, galanin-immunoreactive (IR) nerve terminals whereas the frequency of galanin-positive nerve fibers in myenteric ganglia of the ovine stomach and forestomachs was moderate. The number of PGP 9.5-IR/galanin-IR myenteric neurons was significantly lower in the dog stomach (12.3+/-1.3%) as compared to the sheep rumen (20.1+/-0.7%), omasum (19.5+/-2.9%), abomasum (23.8+/-1.2%) but not reticulum (8.1+/-0.8%). In the canine stomach the frequencies of GAL-R1, GAL-R2 and GAL-R3 expressing myenteric neurons were statistically equivalent (4.4+/-0.9%, 3.5+/-0.7% and 3.1+/-0.5%, respectively). Immunoreactivity to GAL-R1 was absent in myenteric ganglia from the ovine rumen, reticulum as well as omasum. GAL-R1 was localized on 0.5+/-0.3% of myenteric perikarya from the abomasum. GAL-R2 bearing myenteric neurons were localized in the ovine rumen (0.6+/-0.3%), reticulum (0.5+/-0.3%), omasum (1.0+/-0.2%) and abomasum (1.1+/-0.3%). The percentages of PGP 9.5-IR/GAL-R3-IR neurons were 0.8+/-0.2% in the rumen, 0.6+/-0.3% in the reticulum, 0.7+/-0.2% in the omasum and 0.9+/-0.3% in the abomasum. In all compartments of the sheep stomach, the proportions of GAL-R1, GAL-R2 and GAL-R3 expressing neurons were significantly lower when compared to analogous neuronal subpopulations present in the dog. It is suggested that, although endogenous galanin may potentially inhibit or stimulate the activity of sparse gastric enteric neurons, its general role in indirect mediation of gastric motility and/or secretion seems to be of minor importance.