Abstract
THE peptides somatostatin and neurotensin were first described in extracts of mammalian hypothalamus1–3. The recent development of sensitive radioimmunassay techniques and the application of immunohistochemical studies have shown that these peptides are concentrated in nerve terminals in various regions of the central nervous system (CNS)4–12. Somatostatin-containing nerve terminals are particularly abundant in the median eminence of the hypothalamus, from which somatostatin seems to be released as a hypophysiotropic hormone controlling the secretion of growth hormone from the anterior pituitary7. Somatostatin is also present in a variety of glandular tissues, in the gastrointestinal tract8,9, and in nerve terminals in many areas of the CNS outside the hypothalamus4–6. Neurotensin is similarly present in high concentration in the hypothalamus, and is also found in other areas of the CNS, in the gastrointestinal tract and in pituitary gland10–12. Within the CNS, the unique localisation of these peptides in specific systems of neurones suggests that they may be released as neurotransmitters or neuromodulators, as has been proposed for other neuropeptides such as substance P (ref. 13) and the enkephalins14. So far, however, it has not been shown that somatostatin or neurotensin can be released from CNS neurones, although a calcium-dependent release of somatostatin was recently reported from neurohypophyseal tissue in vitro15. We describe here the release of both somatostatin and neurotensin from rat brain tissue in vitro by a calcium-dependent mechanism, thus lending further support to the hypothesis that they may normally be released from nerve terminals within the CNS.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Brazeau, P. et al. Science 179, 77–79 (1973).
Carraway, R. & Leeman, S. E. J. biol. Chem. 248, 6854–6861 (1973).
Leeman, S. E., Mroz, E. A. & Carraway, R. E. in Peptides in Neurobiology (ed. Gainer, H.) 99–144 (Plenum, New York, 1976).
Kobayashi, R. M., Brown, M. & Vale, W. Brain Res. 126, 584–588 (1977).
Brownstein, M., Arimura, A., Sato, H., Schally, A. V. & Kizer, J. S. Endocrinology 96, 1456–1461 (1975).
Hokfelt, T. et al. Neuroscience 1, 131–136 (1976).
Vale, W. et al. Rec. Progr. Hormone Res. 31, 365–397 (1975).
Hokfelt, T. et al. Acta Endocr. 80, suppl. 200, 5–41 (1975).
Arimura, A., Saton, H., Dupont, A., Nishi, N. & Schally, A. V. Science 189, 1007–1009 (1975).
Carraway, R. & Leeman, S. E. J. biol. Chem. 251, 7045–7052 (1976).
Uhl, G. R. & Snyder, S. H. Life Sci. 19, 1827–1832 (1976).
Uhl, G. R., Kuhar, M. J. & Snyder, S. H. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. (in the press).
Lembeck, F. N.S. Archs exp. Path. Pharmak. 219, 197–213 (1953).
Hughes, J. et al. Nature 258, 577–579 (1975).
Patel, Y. C., Zingg, H. H. & Dreifuss, J. J. Nature 267, 852–853 (1977).
Jessell, T. M., Iversen, L. L. & Kanazawa, I. Nature 264, 81–83 (1976).
Vale, W., Ling, N., Rivier, J., Villarreal, J., Rivier, C. & Brown, M. Metabolism 25, 1941–1944 (1976).
Brown, M. et al Clin. Res. 25, 147A (1977).
Geffen, L. B., Jessell, T. M., Cuello, A. C. & Iversen, L. L. Nature 260, 258–260 (1976).
Mulder, A. H. & Snyder, S. H. Brain Res. 76, 297–308 (1974).
Iversen, L. L., Iversen, S. D., Bloom, F. E., Vargo, T. & Guillemin, R. Nature 271, 679–681 (1978).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
IVERSEN, L., IVERSEN, S., BLOOM, F. et al. Calcium-dependent release of somatostatin and neurotensin from rat brain in vitro. Nature 273, 161–163 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1038/273161a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/273161a0
This article is cited by
-
Somatostatin release by glutamate in vivo is primarily regulated by AMPA receptors
British Journal of Pharmacology (2001)
-
Evidence that somatostatin sst2 receptors mediate striatal dopamine release
British Journal of Pharmacology (1999)
-
Possible neuronal mechanisms involved in neurotensin-induced catalepsy in mice
Psychopharmacology (1987)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.