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Expression of P2Y receptors in the rat anterior pituitary

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Abstract

In this study, the distribution patterns of P2Y1, P2Y2 P2Y4, P2Y6, P2Y12, and P2Y13 receptors in the anterior pituitary cells of rat were studied with double-labeling immunofluorescence and Western blot. The results showed that P2Y receptors were widely expressed in the anterior pituitary. P2Y1 and P2Y4 receptors were found to be expressed in the majority of gonadotrophs and thyrotrophs, P2Y2 receptors were expressed in a small subpopulation of lactotrophs and almost all the folliculo-stellate cells, that were also stained with S100 protein immunoreactivity. P2Y6 receptors were expressed in macrophages. P2Y13 receptors were expressed in a small subpopulation of cells in the rat anterior pituitary, the identity of which needs to be clarified. P2Y1 and P2Y4 receptors are co-expressed in some gonadotrophs and thyrotrophs. Corticotrophs and somatotrophs were found not to express P2Y receptors in this study. FSH and TSH were shown to coexist in the same endocrine cells in rat anterior pituitary. The present data suggests that purines and/or pyrimidines could be involved in regulating the functions of gonadotrophs and thyrotrophs via P2Y1 and P2Y4 receptors, some lactotrophs via P2Y2 receptors, and folliculo-stellate cells via P2Y2 receptors in the rat anterior pituitary.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurobiology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Ministry of Education, Neuroscience Research Centre of Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China

    Qiang Yu, Wei Guo, Xianmin Song, Xiaofeng Liu, Zhenghua Xiang & Cheng He

  2. Autonomic Neuroscience Centre, University College Medical School, Royal Free Campus, Rowland Hill Street, London, NW3 2PF, UK

    Geoffrey Burnstock

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  1. Qiang Yu
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  2. Wei Guo
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  3. Xianmin Song
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  4. Xiaofeng Liu
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  5. Zhenghua Xiang
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  6. Cheng He
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  7. Geoffrey Burnstock
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Correspondence to Zhenghua Xiang.

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Q. Yu and W. Guo contributed equally to this work.

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Yu, Q., Guo, W., Song, X. et al. Expression of P2Y receptors in the rat anterior pituitary. Purinergic Signalling 7, 207–219 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11302-011-9236-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11302-011-9236-9

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