EXPRESSION OF MGLUR2/3 METABOTROPIC GLUTAMATE RECEPTORS IN THE VENTROLATERAL PART OF A NUCLEUS TRACTUS SOLITARII IN RATS IN THE EARLY POSTNATAL PERIOD IN NORM AND IN PRENATAL SEROTONIN DEFICIENCY

Objective. To study the dynamics of mGluR2/3 metabotropic glutamate receptor expression in ventral and lateral respiratory subnuclei of a nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) in the early postnatal period in normal rats and in prenatal deficiency of a serotonin. Material and methods. The experiments were carried out on Wistar rats (n=19). For inhibition of tryptophan hydroxylase, animals were treated with para-chlorophenilalanine. Ventral and lateral respiratory subnuclei of NTS were examined at 5, 9 and 20 postnatal days. Immunocytochemical reaction was performed to demonstrate mGluR2 and mGluR3 metabotropic glutamate receptors. Results. During the first postnatal week in both subnuclei high level of expression was found. During the second postnatal week there was a sharp reduction of mGluR2/3 expression, and by the end of the third week it raised again. Serotonin deficit in the prenatal period influenced the intensity of mGluR2/3 expression in both NTS subnuclei. During the early postnatal period a significant (more than 2-fold) reduction of mGluR2/3 receptor expression was noted at all time intervals examined, which was more expressed in ventral subnucleus. Conclusions. During the early postnatal period the level of mGluR2/3 metabotropic glutamate receptor expression in the ventrolateral part of NTS changed. Serotonin deficiency induced a sharp reduction in mGluR2/3 receptor expression in the respiratory subnuclei during the early postnatal period.

brain, nucleus tractus solitarii, respiratory subnuclei, metabotropic glutamate receptors, serotonin