Production of monoclonal antibody to deltorphin-I and its immunocytochemical application to adult rat brain and cultured rat brain neurons

A monoclonal anti-deltorphin-I antibody specifically recognizing its NH2-te rminal region was produced. In the adult rat brain sections, it recognized immunoreactive nerve fibers mainly in the bed nucleus of stria terminalis, central nucleus of amygdala, lateral hypothalamus, hippocampus, substantia nigra, periaqueductal gray and locus ceruleus. Occasionally, positive somat a were localized in the bed nucleus of stria terminalis, central nucleus of amygdala, supraoptic and periventricular nuclei. In primarily cultured neu rons from various brain regions of new-born rats, the antibody immunostaine d strongly neuronal somata and processes. The abundant DADTI-immunoreactive substance in the cultured neurons promises to provide an alternative pathw ay to search for the counterpart of deltorphins in mammals. (C) 2000 Publis hed by Elsevier Science Inc.