Faculty Collaboration Database

Brainstem origins of glutamatergic innervation of the rat hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus. J Comp Neurol 2012 Aug 01;520(11):2369-94

Date

01/17/2012

Pubmed ID

22247025

Pubmed Central ID

PMC4440805

DOI

10.1002/cne.23043

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-84860908768 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   46 Citations

Abstract

Multiple lines of evidence document a role for glutamatergic input to the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVH) in stress-induced activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis. However, the neuroanatomical origins of the glutamatergic input have yet to be definitively determined. We have previously shown that vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (VGLUT2) is the predominant VGLUT isoform expressed in the basal forebrain and brainstem, including PVH-projecting regions, and that the PVH is preferentially innervated by VGLUT2-immunoreactive terminals/boutons. The present study employed a dual-labeling approach, combining immunolabeling for a retrograde tract tracer, Fluoro-Gold (FG), with in situ hybridization for VGLUT2 mRNA, to map the brainstem and caudal forebrain distribution of glutamatergic PVH-projecting neurons. The present report presents evidence for substantial dual labeling in the periaqueductal gray, caudal portions of the zona incerta and subparafascicular nucleus, and the lateral parabrachial nucleus. The current data also suggest that relatively few PVH-projecting neurons in ascending raphe nuclei, nucleus of the solitary tract, or ventrolateral medulla are VGLUT2 positive. The data reveal multiple brainstem origins of glutamatergic input to PVH that are positioned to play a role in transducing a diverse range of stressful stimuli.

Author List

Ziegler DR, Edwards MR, Ulrich-Lai YM, Herman JP, Cullinan WE

Author

William E. Cullinan PhD Adjunct Associate Professor in the Neurosurgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Animals
Brain Stem
Glutamic Acid
Male
Neural Pathways
Neuroanatomical Tract-Tracing Techniques
Neurons
Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus
Prosencephalon
RNA, Messenger
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Vesicular Glutamate Transport Protein 2