Effect of IDPN on the expression of POMC-derived peptides in rat motoneurones. |
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| Authors: | S Hughes M E Smith M G Simpson S L Allen |
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| Affiliation: | Department of Physiology, Medical School, University of Birmingham, England, UK. |
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| Abstract: | Immunocytochemistry was used to detect beta-endorphin and alpha-melanotropin (alpha-MSH) in lumbar spinal motoneurones in rats treated with beta,beta'-iminodiproprionitrile (IDPN), a neurotoxicant that targets motoneurones or corn oil, which has no known neurotoxicity. After IDPN treatment most of the motoneurones were immunoreactive for both peptides but after corn oil treatment immunostaining was negligible. It is suggested that increased expression of the POMC-derived peptides may be part of the regenerative repertoire of the damaged motoneurone regardless of the cause of the lesion. Alternatively the peptides may simply accumulate in the motoneurones as a result of impaired axoplasmic transport. |
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