Ultrastructural immunolocalization of adenosine deaminase in histaminergic neurons of the tuberomammillary nucleus of rat

The Role of the Central Histaminergic System in Behavioral State Control

Histamine is a small monoamine signaling molecule that plays a role in many peripheral and central physiological processes, including the regulation of wakefulness. The tuberomammillary nucleus is the sole neuronal source of histamine in the brain, and histamine neurons are thought to promote wakefulness and vigilance maintenance - under certain environmental and/or behavioral contexts - through their diffuse innervation of the cortex and other wake-promoting brain circuits. Histamine neurons also contain a number of other putative neurotransmitters, although the functional role of these co-transmitters remains incompletely understood. Within the brain histamine operates through three receptor subtypes that are located on pre- and post-synaptic membranes. Some histamine receptors exhibit constitutive activity, and hence exist in an activated state even in the absence of histamine. Newer medications used to reduce sleepiness in narcolepsy patients in fact enhance histamine signaling by blunting the constitutive activity of these histamine receptors. In this chapter, we provide an overview of the central histamine system with an emphasis on its role in behavioral state regulation and how drugs targeting histamine receptors are used clinically to treat a wide range of sleep-wake disorders.

Expression pattern of histaminergic neurons in the human fetal hypothalamus at second and third trimester

Background

The hypothalamic nuclei constitute that part of the corticodiencephalic mechanism that activates, controls and integrates the peripheral, autonomic mechanisms, endocrine activity and many somatic functions. Their full integration into behavior requires the neocortex, in particular the limbic system.

Purpose

An antiserum against histamine was used to reveal the location and time of appearance of the amine in developing fetal hypothalamus. Although the expression pattern of histamine is well studied in mammals, less is known about it in humans. The neurotransmitter histamine plays a crucial role in co-ordinating mutiple inputs from various brain centres.

Methods

In the present investigations the hypothalamus was studied in the human fetus ranging from 19 weeks of gestation (GW) to term by using immunocytochemistry. Distinct neurons that stained with Pischinger’s methylene blue were obsereved from 19 GW to term. Sections adjacent to those that contained neurons were stained for histamine labeling. Immunoreactive neurons in the hypothalamus at 19 GW of gestation show relatively meager population.

Results

Histamine immunoreactive (His-ir) neurons of the hypothalamus were divisible in lateral and ventrolateral subgroups at 19 GW to 24 GW At 32 GW along with the neuronal cell bodies some beaded fibers were visible. There was progressive increase in the histamine expressing neurons as the fetus grows. In term fetal specimens, two to three small groups of his-ir neurons gradually merged in a single large ventrolateral group.

Conclusion

The findings of the present study provide for a better understanding of the chemoneuroarchitecture of histamine containing neurons in hypothalamus during second and third trimester of human fetal development.

Opioidergic projections to sleep-active neurons in the ventrolateral preoptic nucleus

Although opioids are known to influence sleep-wake regulation, the neuroanatomic substrate(s) mediating these effects remain unresolved. We hypothesized that the influence of opiates on sleep may be mediated, at least in part, by the ventrolateral preoptic nucleus (VLPO), a key cell group for producing behavioral sleep. By combining in situ hybridization for kappa and mu receptor mRNA with immunostaining of Fos expressed by VLPO cells during sleep we show that >85% of sleep-active VLPO neurons contain mRNA for either or both opioid receptors. Microinfusions of a kappa receptor agonist into the VLPO region increased NREM sleep by 51% during the subjective night, whereas a mu receptor agonist increased wakefulness by 60% during the subjective day. The sleep- and wake-promoting effects of the kappa and mu agonists were blocked by prior administration of their respective antagonist. Combining retrograde tracing from the VLPO with immunohistochemistry for dynorphin (Dyn, the endogenous kappa receptor agonist) or endomorphin 1 (EM1, the endogenous mu receptor agonist) we show that the central lateral parabrachial subnucleus (PBcl) provides Dyn inputs to the VLPO, whereas hypothalamic histaminergic neurons provide EM1 inputs to the VLPO. In summary, results from the present study suggest that central opioid inputs to the VLPO may play a role in sleep-wake regulation and that the VLPO likely mediates the hypnotic response to high levels of opioid analgesics.

Wake-related activity of tuberomammillary neurons in rats

Histaminergic neurons of the tuberomammillary nucleus (TMN) are hypothesized to promote wakefulness, but little is known about the activity of these cells during spontaneous behavior. We measured histaminergic neuron activity in the dorsomedial, ventrolateral, and caudal TMN at four different times using Fos and adenosine deaminase immunohistochemistry and recordings of sleep/wake behavior. Because circadian factors could influence neuronal activity, we then assessed TMN neuron activity in predominantly sleeping or awake animals, all killed at the same time of day. In both experiments, Fos expression in histaminergic neurons of all three TMN subnuclei was higher during periods of wakefulness. These results demonstrate that histaminergic neurons throughout the TMN are wake-active, and this activity is largely independent of the time of day.

Colocalization of orexin a and glutamate immunoreactivity in axon terminals in the tuberomammillary nucleus in rats

The orexins (also known as hypocretins) are peptide neurotransmitters made by hypothalamic neurons that are thought to play an important role in regulating wake-sleep states. One terminal area for orexin neurons is the tuberomammillary nucleus, a histaminergic cell group that is wake-active, but the relationship of the orexinergic terminals to the tuberomammillary neurons has not been examined in detail. We studied the ultrastructure of orexin A-immunoreactive axons and terminals in the tuberomammillary nucleus using pre- and post-embedding electron microscopic protocols. We confirmed an abundant projection of orexin-immunoreactive boutons to both dorsal and ventral divisions of the tuberomammillary nucleus. These terminals made asymmetric synaptic contacts with proximal and intermediate dendrites of tuberomammillary neurons. They contained small, clear synaptic vesicles and up to 30-40 dense core vesicles were seen per terminal in a single section. Both pre- and post-embedding immunostaining revealed that orexin immunoreactivity was localized to the dense core vesicles, which were always at a distance from the synaptic specialization. We also found glutamate immunoreactivity in the small synaptic vesicles which were at the active zone of the synapses of many of the same terminals. Orexinergic afferents to the tuberomammillary neurons contain separate populations of orexinergic and glutamatergic vesicles, suggesting that the release of these neurotransmitters may be differentially regulated.

The physiology of brain histamine

Histamine-releasing neurons are located exclusively in the TM of the hypothalamus, from where they project to practically all brain regions, with ventral areas (hypothalamus, basal forebrain, amygdala) receiving a particularly strong innervation. The intrinsic electrophysiological properties of TM neurons (slow spontaneous firing, broad action potentials, deep after hyperpolarisations, etc.) are extremely similar to other aminergic neurons. Their firing rate varies across the sleep-wake cycle, being highest during waking and lowest during rapid-eye movement sleep. In contrast to other aminergic neurons somatodendritic autoreceptors (H3) do not activate an inwardly rectifying potassium channel but instead control firing by inhibiting voltage-dependent calcium channels. Histamine release is enhanced under extreme conditions such as dehydration or hypoglycemia or by a variety of stressors. Histamine activates four types of receptors. H1 receptors are mainly postsynaptically located and are coupled positively to phospholipase C. High densities are found especially in the hypothalamus and other limbic regions. Activation of these receptors causes large depolarisations via blockade of a leak potassium conductance, activation of a non-specific cation channel or activation of a sodium-calcium exchanger. H2 receptors are also mainly postsynaptically located and are coupled positively to adenylyl cyclase. High densities are found in hippocampus, amygdala and basal ganglia. Activation of these receptors also leads to mainly excitatory effects through blockade of calcium-dependent potassium channels and modulation of the hyperpolarisation-activated cation channel. H3 receptors are exclusively presynaptically located and are negatively coupled to adenylyl cyclase. High densities are found in the basal ganglia. These receptors mediated presynaptic inhibition of histamine release and the release of other neurotransmitters, most likely via inhibition of presynaptic calcium channels. Finally, histamine modulates the glutamate NMDA receptor via an action at the polyamine binding site. The central histamine system is involved in many central nervous system functions: arousal; anxiety; activation of the sympathetic nervous system; the stress-related release of hormones from the pituitary and of central aminergic neurotransmitters; antinociception; water retention and suppression of eating. A role for the neuronal histamine system as a danger response system is proposed.

Innervation of histaminergic tuberomammillary neurons by GABAergic and galaninergic neurons in the ventrolateral preoptic nucleus of the rat

The tuberomammillary nucleus (TMN) is the major source of histaminergic innervation of the mammalian brain and is thought to play a major role in regulating wake-sleep states. We recently found that sleep-active neurons in the ventrolateral preoptic nucleus (VLPO) provide a major input to the TMN, but the specificity of this projection and the neurotransmitters involved remain unknown. In this study, we examined the relationship of VLPO efferents to the TMN using both retrograde and anterograde tracing, combined with immunocytochemistry. We found that the descending projection from the VLPO selectively targets the cell bodies and proximal dendrites of the histaminergic TMN. In addition, VLPO axons could be traced into the brainstem, where they provided terminals in the the serotoninergic dorsal and median raphe nuclei, and the core of the noradrenergic locus coeruleus. Approximately 80% of the VLPO neurons that were retrogradely labeled by tracer injections including the TMN were immunoreactive either for galanin or for glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD), the synthetic enzyme for GABA. Virtually all of the galaninergic neurons in the VLPO were also GAD positive. Our results indicate that the VLPO may provide inhibitory GABAergic and galaninergic inputs to the cell bodies and proximal dendrites of the TMN and other components of the ascending monoaminergic arousal system. Because these cell groups are simultaneously inhibited during sleep, the VLPO sleep-active neurons may play a key role in silencing the ascending monoaminergic arousal system during sleep.

Adenosine deaminase in rodent median eminence: detection by antibody to the mouse enzyme and co-localization with adenosine deaminase-complexing protein (CD26)

Adenosine deaminase in the hypothalamic tuberomammillary nucleus and median eminence of rat and mouse brains was investigated with two different antibodies generated against the enzyme derived from either calf or mouse. Both antibodies labelled neurons in the tuberomammillary nucleus and, as determined in rat, they immunolabelled the same neurons. In the median eminence, immunopositive fibres and terminals were detected with anti-mouse adenosine deaminase in both rat and mouse, while no such staining was seen in either species with antibody against the calf enzyme. These fibres were most concentrated in the external median eminence, had a more restricted distribution than those containing either galanin or tyrosine hydroxylase and only partially overlapped with oxytocin-positive fibres. By electron microscopy, adenosine deaminase was found in terminals containing both small, clear vesicles with diameters of 35 to 45 nm and large dense-core vesicles with diameters of 100 to 140 nm. Preadsorption of antibodies with purified enzyme derived from the species against which they were directed eliminated all staining in rat, while antibody adsorptions across species were less effective. Preadsorption of anti-mouse adenosine deaminase antibody with the mouse deaminase led to increased labelling in mouse median eminence, suggesting an interaction between tissue components and antibody-linked enzyme. Tests for the presence of adenosine deaminase-complexing protein (CD26) with an antibody against this protein gave positive labelling in the median eminence of both species and this labelling was co-distributed with that seen for adenosine deaminase. These results confirm the expression of adenosine deaminase in restricted populations of neurons in rodent brain as revealed with a novel antibody, suggest the presence of a distinct form or localization of the enzyme in the median eminence, and raise the possibility that it contributes, perhaps along with CD26, to purinergic regulation of hormone secretion in this structure.

Histamine mediates fast synaptic inhibition of rat supraoptic oxytocin neurons via chloride conductance activation

Axons from the histaminergic neurons of the tuberomammillary nucleus project to both the anterior and tuberal portions of the supraoptic nucleus. Histamine is known to activate vasopressin neurons via a histamine receptor subtype 1 and to increase release of vasopressin, but effects on oxytocin neurons have been previously unexplored. Here we investigated the effects of tuberomammillary nucleus electrical stimulation as well as of histamine antagonists on supraoptic nucleus oxytocin and vasopressin neurons in slices of rat hypothalamus. Electrical stimulation evoked short constant latency (approximately 5 ms), fast (4-6 ms onset to peak) inhibitory postsynaptic potentials in oxytocin neurons and, as shown previously, fast excitatory postsynaptic potentials in vasopressin neurons. These synaptic responses followed paired-pulse stimulus frequencies up to 100 Hz and were, thus, probably reflecting monosynaptic connections. Inhibitory postsynaptic potentials were selectively blocked by histamine receptor subtype 2 antagonists (either cimetidine or famotidine) and by picrotoxin but not by histamine receptor subtype 1 antagonists or bicuculline. Similar synaptic responses to tuberomammillary nucleus stimulation were found in 16 of 16 neurons immunocytochemically identified as oxytocinergic and in seven putative oxytocin neurons. Perifusion of the slice with low chloride medium (4.8 mM) reversed stimulus-evoked inhibitory postsynaptic potentials. We conclude that histaminergic neurons monosynaptically contact both oxytocin and vasopressin cells of the supraoptic nucleus and inhibit the former via activation of chloride channels which can be blocked by the histamine receptor subtype 2 antagonists, famotidine and cimetidine.