CHARACTERIZATION OF MINERALOCORTICOID AND GLUCOCORTICOID RECEPTORS INPRIMATE BRAIN

Characteristics of neural corticosteroid receptors were studied in 51 adrenally-intact macaque monkeys using a modification of a corticoster oid receptor assay developed in this laboratory for rodent studies. Us ing cortisol as a ligand, two receptor subtypes could be distinguished and with similar K-d's to those observed in rodents, as measured with corticosterone. The time course showed maximum binding for mineraloco rticoid receptors at 24 h and for glucocorticoid at 4 h. There were re gional differences in the number of available binding sites for each r eceptor type, as well as an inverse correlation between the concentrat ion of cortisol in the blood at the time of death and the number of av ailable binding sites. In general this paper emphasizes the similariti es between such receptors in primate and those in other species, simil arities that could be detected despite the technical constraints of st udying tissue taken from non-adrenalectomized animals.