Elsevier

Neuroscience

Volume 71, Issue 3, April 1996, Pages 671-690
Neuroscience

Immunohistochemical localization of the cloned κ1 receptor in the rat CNS and pituitary

https://doi.org/10.1016/0306-4522(95)00464-5Get rights and content

Abstract

Several lines of evidence have demonstrated the presence of three opioid receptor types in the CNS and periphery. These receptors are referred to as μ, δ and κ, and have been implicated in a wide variety of functions. The present study examines the localization of the κ1 receptor-like protein using antibodies generated to the C terminal 42 amino acids of the cloned κ1 receptor, a region of the receptor that has little homology with μ and b receptors. Immunohistochemical studies in Zamboni-fixed rat tissue demonstrate immunoreactive perikarya and/or fibers in such regions as the deep layers of the parietal, temporal and occipital cortex, parasubiculum, central and medial amygdala, bed nucleus stria terminalis, nucleus accumbens, olfactory tubercle, endopiriform nucleus, claustrum, hypothalamic nuclei, median eminence, midline thalamic nuclei, zona incerta, central gray, caudal linear and dorsal raphe, substantia nigra, pars reticulata, ventral tegmental area, parabrachial nucleus, spinal trigeminal nucleus, nucleus of the solitary tract, spinal cord and the dorsal root ganglia. Specific κ1 receptor-like immunohistochemical staining is also observed in the pituitary, where immunoreactive perikarya and fibers are localized in the neural and intermediate lobes. Transfection and preabsorption controls suggest that the antibody is selective for the cloned κ1 receptor, and does not recognize μ or δ. This immunohistochemical localization corresponds well to previously described κ1 receptor mRNA and binding distributions and provides new insights into the cellular localization and pre- and postsynaptic organization of the κ1 receptor-like proteins in the rat brain and pituitary.

The functional implications of these results are discussed in light of the role K, receptors play in hormonal regulation, antinociception and reward.

References (68)

  • A. Mansour et al.

    Opioid-receptor mRNA expression in the rat CNS: anatomical and functional implications

    Trends Neurosci.

    (1995)
  • A. Mansour et al.

    Immunohistochemical localization of the cloned μ opioid receptor in the rat CNS

    J. Chem. Neuroanat.

    (1995)
  • A. Mansour et al.

    κ1 Receptor mRNA distribution in the rat CNS: comparison to κ receptor binding and prodynorphin mRNA

    Molec. Cell. Neurosci.

    (1994)
  • A. Mansour et al.

    Anatomy of CNS opioid receptors

    Trends Neurosci.

    (1988)
  • J. Manzanares et al.

    Activation of tuberohypophysial dopamine neurons following intracerebroventricular administration of the selective kappa opioid receptor antagonist norbinaltorphimine

    Life Sci.

    (1991)
  • M.J. Millan

    κ-Opioid receptors and analgesia

    Trends pharmac. Sci.

    (1990)
  • M. Minami et al.

    In situ hybridization study of κ-opioid receptor mRNA in the rat brain

    Neurosci. Lett.

    (1993)
  • B. Nock et al.

    [3HIU-69593 labels a subtype of kappa opiate receptor with characteristics different from that labeled by [3Hlethylketocyclazoeine

    Life Sci.

    (1988)
  • E. Ronken et al.

    Opioid receptor-mediated inhibition of evoked catecholamine release from cultured neurons of rat ventral mesencephalon and locus coeruleus

    Eur. J. Pharmac.

    (1993)
  • P. Schmidt et al.

    Immunohistochemical localization of κ opioid receptors in the human frontal cortex

    Brain Res.

    (1994)
  • N.A. Sharif et al.

    Discrete mapping of brain mu and delta opioid receptors using selective peptides: quantitative autoradiography, species differences and comparison with kappa receptors

    Peptides

    (1989)
  • L. Singh et al.

    The anticonvulsant action of CI-977, a selective κ-opioid receptor agonist: a possible involvement of the glycine/NMDA receptor complex

    Eur. J. Pharmac.

    (1990)
  • D.B. Smith et al.

    Single-step purification of polypeptides expressed in Eschericha coli as fusions with glutathione S-transferase

    Gene

    (1988)
  • R.C. Thompson et al.

    Cloning and pharmacological characterization of a rat μ opioid receptor

    Neuron

    (1993)
  • M. Wollemann et al.

    The kappa-opioid receptor: evidence for the different subtypes

    Life Sci.

    (1993)
  • P.L. Wood

    Multiple opiate receptors: support for unique mu, delta and kappa sites

    Neuropharmacology

    (1982)
  • B.-G. Zhao et al.

    Functional κ-opioid receptors on oxytocin and vasopressin nerve terminals isolated from the rat neurohypophysis

    Brain Res.

    (1988)
  • U. Arvidsson et al.

    δ-Opioid receptor immunoreactivity: distribution in brainstem and spinal cord, and relationship to biogenic amines and enkephalin

    J. Neurosci.

    (1995)
  • U. Arvidsson et al.

    Distribution and targeting of a μ-opioid receptor (MORI) in brain and spinal cord

    J. Neurosci.

    (1995)
  • C.J.C. Boersma et al.

    Characterization of opioid binding sites in the rat pituitary gland by quantitative receptor autoradiography

    J. Neuroendocr.

    (1993)
  • D.A. Carter et al.

    Selective cardiovascular and neuroendocrine effects of a κ-opioid agonist in the nucleus tractus solitarii of rats

    J. Physiol.

    (1985)
  • C.A. Chen et al.

    High efficiency transformation of mammalian cells by plasmid DNA

    Molec. Cell Biol.

    (1987)
  • A. Cupo et al.

    Moloclonal antiidiotypic antibodies against delta opioid receptors as an electron microscopy probe

    Eur. J. Cell Biol.

    (1992)
  • G. Di Chiara et al.

    Opposite effects of mu and kappa opiate agonists on dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens and in the dorsal caudate of freely moving rats

    J. Pharmac. exp. Ther.

    (1988)
  • Cited by (133)

    • Kappa opioid receptor activation in the amygdala disinhibits CRF neurons to generate pain-like behaviors

      2021, Neuropharmacology
      Citation Excerpt :

      Neuroplasticity in BLA and CeA has been linked to pain-like behaviors in different pain conditions (Allen et al., 2020; Corder et al., 2019; Neugebauer, 2020; Neugebauer et al., 2004; Thompson and Neugebauer, 2019; Wilson et al., 2019). The amygdala is one of the brain areas with particularly high expression of KOR based on radioligand binding, immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization (Cahill et al., 2014; Le Merrer et al., 2009; Mansour et al., 1995, 1996). Dynorphin, considered the endogenous ligand for KOR (Bruchas et al., 2010), is synthesized primarily in neurons in the lateral CeA (CeL) (Marchant et al., 2007), and one third of these neurons co-express corticotropin-releasing factor (Marchant et al., 2007).

    • Structure and function of the medial amygdala

      2020, Handbook of Behavioral Neuroscience
    • The amygdalar opioid system

      2020, Handbook of Behavioral Neuroscience
    • Kappa opioid receptors mediate yohimbine-induced increases in impulsivity in the 5-choice serial reaction time task

      2019, Behavioural Brain Research
      Citation Excerpt :

      Although the brain regions responsible for either of these effects are not clear, a potential candidate for the pro-impulsive effects of yohimbine is the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). The OFC contains DYN and KOR [60–62] and it plays a key role in yohimbine-induced increases in impulsivity in the 5-CSRTT [23]. A potential alternative explanation of increased premature responding produced by yohimbine and nicotine is that rats use a timing strategy to guide when they make their responses [63] and that drug-induced increases in premature responses reflect disruption of this strategy.

    View all citing articles on Scopus
    View full text