Nerve growth factor receptor in neural lobe of rat pituitary gland: immunohistochemical localization, biochemical characterization and regulation

Abstract

Nerve growth factor-receptor immunoreactivity was detected in the neural lobe of the pituitary gland in developing and adult rats of both sexes. The presence of nerve growth factor receptor in the neural lobe was further verified by a quantitative¹²⁵I-nerve growth factor/crosslink/immunoprecipitation assay and subsequent visualization by SDS-PAGE autoradiography. Nerve growth factor-receptor immunoreactivity was detected in the neural lobe of postnatal 5-day-old rats, had increased by 2 months and was much higher in 1-year-old rats. In 2-month-old rats, no immunoreactivity was observed in anterior or intermediate lobes. Pituitary stalk transection in young adult rats greatly increased the expression of nerve growth factor-receptor immunoreactivity in the neural lobe, although the staining pattern remained the same. This increase began 3 days after surgery, and reached peak levels at approximately 15 days. Other physiological or non-physiological changes did not alter the nerve growth factor-receptor immunoreactivity in the neural lobe; these changes included dehydration, pregnancy and lactation, castration of male rats, bilateral superior cervical ganglionectomy and intraventricular injection of colchicine. Intravenously injected¹²⁵I-nerve growth factor was specifically accumulated in both normal and denervated neural lobe. Nerve growth factor-receptor immunohistochemical electron microscopy showed that the receptor-positive cells are fusiform and found both inside and outside the basal lamina that delimits the neural lobe parenchyma. Based upon the anatomical localization, morphology and response to axotomy, we identify, at least the perivascular component, as microglia. These data suggest a role for nerve growth factor and/or nerve growth factor receptor in microglial function.