Projections from the anterior basomedial and anterior cortical amygdaloid nuclei to melanin-concentrating hormone-containing neurons in the lateral hypothalamus of the rat
Projections from the anterior basomedial and anterior cortical amygdaloid nuclei to melanin-concentrating hormone-containing neurons in the lateral hypothalamus of the rat
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DOI：
10.1016/j.brainres.2012.08.011
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发表时间：
2012-10
期刊：
影响因子：
2.9
通讯作者：
Jian-guo Niu;S. Yokota;T. Tsumori;T. Oka;Y. Yasui
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Jian-guo Niu;S. Yokota;T. Tsumori;T. Oka;Y. Yasui
黑素浓缩激素(MCH)参与摄食行为和目标定向行为的调节，其神经元主要分布在下丘脑外侧区(LHA)。杏仁核的前基底内侧核(BMA)和皮质前核(CoA)构成了处理嗅觉、味觉和内脏信息的回路的一部分，BMA-LHA和CoA-LHA通路被认为与摄食行为的控制有关。然而，含MCH的LHA神经元是否受到BMA和CoA的直接影响尚不清楚。这里研究了从BMA和CoA到含MCH的LHA神经元的投射的组织。采用生物素化右旋糖胺顺行追踪和免疫组织化学相结合的方法，首次证实BMA纤维与CoA纤维在下丘脑的分布模式相似，且这些纤维与MCH免疫反应阳性神经元在下丘脑腹侧脚周区存在显著的重叠分布。我们进一步揭示了这些纤维和神经元之间存在着不对称的突触。采用霍乱毒素B亚单位逆行追踪和囊泡谷氨酸转运体(VGLUT)2mRNA的原位杂交相结合的方法，我们最终发现LHA投射的BMA和CoA神经元大部分表达VGLUT2 mRNA。这些结果表明，杏仁核的BMA和CoA可能对含有MCH的LHA神经元产生兴奋性影响，从而调节摄食行为。
Melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) is involved in the regulation of feeding behavior as well as in goal oriented behaviors, and MCH-containing neurons are distributed mainly in the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA). The anterior basomedial nucleus (BMA) and anterior cortical nucleus (CoA) of the amygdala form part of a circuit involved in processing olfactory, gustatory and visceral information, and the BMA-LHA and CoA-LHA pathways are suggested to be implicated in the control of feeding behavior. However, it is still unknown whether or not MCH-containing LHA neurons are under the direct influence of the BMA and CoA. Here the organization of projections from the BMA and CoA to MCH-containing LHA neurons was examined. Using a combined anterograde tracing with biotinylated dextranamine and immunohistochemistry for MCH, we first demonstrated that the distribution pattern of BMA fibers was almost similar to that of CoA fibers in the LHA, and a prominent overlapping distribution of these fibers and MCH-immunoreactive neurons existed in the ventral peripeduncular region of the LHA. We further revealed that asymmetrical synapses were made between these fibers and neurons. Using a combination of retrograde tract-tracing with cholera toxin B subunit and in situ hybridization for vesicular glutamate transporter (VGLUT) 2 mRNA, we finally showed that most of the LHA-projecting BMA and CoA neurons expressed VGLUT2 mRNA. These data suggest that the BMA and CoA of the amygdala may exert excitatory influence upon the MCH-containing LHA neurons for the regulation of feeding behavior.