BOMBESIN RECEPTOR ANTAGONISTS DIFFERENTIATE RECEPTOR SUBTYPES IN RAT-BRAIN

Previous studies have shown that various bombesin receptor antagonists can distinguish between bombesin receptor subtypes in peripheral tiss ues. To determine whether these antagonists would be useful in differe ntiating bombesin receptor subtypes in the rat central nervous system, we used in vitro receptor autoradiography to examine the binding affi nities of several bombesin receptor antagonists for two brain regions we had characterized as possessing distinct bombesin receptor subtypes . Our results demonstrate that, consistent with peripheral bombesin re ceptors, bombesin receptor subtypes in the rat brain can be differenti ated by various bombesin receptor antagonists.