CELLULAR-ORIENTATION OF ATRIAL-NATRIURETIC-PEPTIDE IN THE HUMAN BRAIN

Many peptide hormones and neurotransmitters have been detected in huma n neuronal tissue. The localisation of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP ) in the human brain was considered to be both interesting and relevan t to the understanding of neurochemistry and brain water-electrolyte h omeostasis. This vasoactive peptide hormone has been localised in rat and frog neuronal tissue. in the present study, we report the immunohi stochemical localisation of ANP in autopsy samples of human brain tiss ue employing the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex technique, using an antibody against a 28 amino acid fragment of human ANP. The most inten se staining of immunoreactive ANP was detected in the neurones of preo ptic, supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei of the hypothalamus, epith elial cells of the choroid plexus and ventricular ependymal lining cel ls. Immunoreactive neurones were also observed in the median eminence, lamina terminalis, infundibular and ventromedial nuclei of the hypoth alamus, and in neurones of the brain stem, thalamic neurones and some neurones of the caudate nucleus. The network of ANP cells in numerous hypothalamic centres may regulate the salt and water balance in the bo dy through a hypothalamic neuro-endocrine control system. ANP in the b rain may also modulate cerebral fluid homeostasis by autocrine and par acrine mechanisms. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.