Endocrine Abstracts

Recent studies using the viral transneuronal tracing technique allowed to reveal brain neurons synaptically connected with the adrenal gland, via specific infections within functionally related chains of neurons. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether cerebral neurons involved in the innervation of the adrenal gland exhibit asymmetry or not. In order to label simultaneously the supraspinal neurons connected with the right- and left-sided adrenal glands, dual-virus tracer was applied in young female rats. Two genetically almost identical, however, histochemically distinguishable, newly constructed Bartha strains of pseudorabies virus (PRV) were used, each expressing a unique marker antigen in infected host cells (green fluorescent protein: BDG-strain or ß-galactosidase, BDL-strain). The virus suspensions were injected into the left- or right-sided adrenal, then the spinal cord and brain were investigated by immunofluorescent staining of the marker genes. In the brain stem the nucleus of the solitari tract, dorsal vagal, ambigus, parapyramidal nuclei, caudal raphe nuclei and the ventrolateral areas were labeled, mainly by monolabeled neurons. In addition, neurons of the A5, lateral hypothalamus, paraventricular (PVN), periventricular, arcuate nuclei were infected. In PVN many neurons were double-labeled. Viral infection of the above cell groups projecting to the left adrenal was more prominent compared to that of the right gland. Data suggest predominance in supraspinal innervation of the left adrenal gland.

Supported by grants from the National Research Found (OTKA T-046624), the Ministry of Health (ETT 448/2006) and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.