Presence of neuromedin B-like immunoreactivity in the brain and gut of rat and guinea-pig.

A recently developed specific radioimmunoassay for neuromedin B, originally isolated from porcine spinal cord, was used to investigate its distribution in rat and guinea-pig brain and gut. In both species, neuromedin B-like immunoreactivity was present in several regions of brain, and high concentrations occurred in the pituitary. The immunoreactivity was widely distributed throughout the entire length of gastrointestinal tract and pancreas, and relatively high concentrations were found in the oesophagus and rectum. Immunocytochemistry localised neuromedin B-like immunoreactivity to nerve fibers in the rat brain and gut. Immunoreactive fibres were visualized in the medial thalamus and were found very frequently in the circular muscle of the gut. Gel permeation chromatography of pituitary and intestinal extracts from both species revealed presence of two peaks of neuromedin B-like immunoreactivity, the later of which co-eluted with the synthetic porcine neuromedin B standard. Reverse phase high pressure liquid chromatography showed that material corresponding to the later peak was eluted in the exact position of synthetic porcine neuromedin B, whereas the larger molecular size material from the earlier peak was more hydrophobic in nature.