Distribution of nicotinic cholinergic receptors in the rat tel‐ and diencephalon: a quantitative receptor autoradiographical study using [3H]‐acetylcholine, [α‐125l]bungarotoxin and [3H]nicotine

A. HÄRFSTRAND, A. ADEM, K. FUXE, L. AGNATI, K. ANDERSSON, A. NORDBERG

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Abstract

The topographical distribution of [α:‐12T]bungarotoxin [125I]BTX, [3H]nicotine ([3H]Nic), [3H]acetylcholine ([3H]ACh) (in the presence of atropine) binding in rat teland diencephalon was investigated using a quantitative receptor autoradiographical technique. With the [3H|ACh and [3H]Nic radioligands, a strong labelling was observed in various thalamic nuclei, including the medial habenula, a moderate labelling in different areas of the cortex cerebri, the nucleus caudatus putamen, the nucleus accumbens and tuberculum olfactorium and a uniform weak labelling in the hypothalamus. When the binding data for [3H]Nic were plotted against binding data for [3H]ACh in various brain nuclei, a significant correlation was obtained. Considering [125I]BTX, the strongest labelling was observed in the lateral mammillary nucleus and the hilus gyrus dentatus of the hippocampal formation. A weak labelling occurred in areas such as the nucleus causatus putamen, the thalamus and the cerebral cortex. No significant correlation was therefore obtained between the degree of [125I]BTX binding in various brain nuclei and the degree of binding observed with [3H]Nic or [3H]ACh. The present results underline the view that the high‐affinity |3H]Nic and [3H]ACh binding sites label the same cholinergic nicotinic receptor binding site, while [125I]BTX labels another subpopulation of nicotinic cholinergic receptors, predominantly found in discrete areas of the hypothalamus and the limbic cortex.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1-14
Number of pages14
JournalActa Physiologica Scandinavica
Volume132
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 1988
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • [3HJacetylcholine
  • [3H]nicotine
  • [α‐I]bungarotoxin
  • brain
  • nicotinic receptors
  • quantitative receptor autoradiography
  • rat
  • subtypes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Physiology

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