Changes in the distribution of non-neuronal elements in rat median eminence and in anterior pituitary hormone secretion after activation of tuberoinfundibular dopamine neurones by brain stimulation or nicotine
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Abstract
In order to investigate the posssibility of acute functional changes in non-neuronal
elements (mainly tanycytes) of the median eminence, the proportion of portal capillary
surface covered by such elements was measured by quantitative electron microscopy
in ovariectomized, oestrogen-progesterone-pretreated rats. In some of these animals,
the functional state of the tuberoinfundibular dopamine (DA) neurones was assessed
by histochemical microfluorimetry. Serum concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH),
growth hormone (GH) and prolactin were determined by radioimmunoassay. Two different
types of treatment, i.e. systemic administration of nicotine (1 mg/kg, s.c.) or electrical
stimulation in the medial amygdaloid nucleus, markedly reduced the percentage of capillary
surface covered by non-neuronal profiles within 20 and 15 min, respectively. At the
same time, the tuberoinfundibular DA system responded by an increase in cellular fluorescence
intensity, reflecting neuronal activation. Medial preoptic stimulation had basically
the same effect but with more variability in the change in capillary coverage by tanycytes.
The action of nicotine was prevented by pretreatment with the DA receptor blocking
agent, pimozide (5 mg/kg), which indicates (1) that a dopaminergic mechanism was involved
in the nicotine effect and (2) that the tanycyte response was elicited by DA released
from nerve terminals acting at some receptor site. Nicotine also lowered serum levels
of GH and prolactin. Pimozide antagonized only the effect on prolactin. While the
reaction of DA neurones and capillary coverage by tanycytes were correlated with each
other in individual rats, no statistically significant correlation was observed between
tanycyte response and hormone levels, so that no conclusions can as yet be drawn as
to the neuroendocrine significance of the tanycyte reaction. These results indicate
that rapid changes in the proportion or portal capillary surface covered by non-neuronal
profiles can be elicited by stimulation of extrahypothalamic brain areas or by activation
of cholinergic mechanisms. The tanycyte response appears to be mediated at least in
part by the tuberoinfundibular DA neurones.