PRESENCE OF NUCLEAR ANDROGEN RECEPTOR-LIKE IMMUNOREACTIVITY IN NEUROKININ B-CONTAINING NEURONS OF THE HYPOTHALAMIC ARCUATE NUCLEUS OF THE ADULT MALE-RAT

Dual label immunofluorescence was used in the brain of normal, non col chicine-treated, adult male rats in order to characterize the neurons possessing the nuclear androgen receptor in the hypothalamic arcuate n ucleus, The affinity purified PG21 rabbit serum to the rat androgen re ceptor (AR) was used in conjunction with a polyclonal guinea pig antis erum to peptide 2, a sequence within the precursor to neurokinin B (NK B). All NKB-containing neurons were also immunoreactive for the AR, an d made up a large proportion (about 60%) of the arcuate cells with det ectable and specific AR immunoreactivity.