Noradrenaline Transporter Expression in the Pons and Medulla Oblongata of the Rat: Localisation to Noradrenergic and Some C1 Adrenergic Neurones

Catecholaminergic neurotransmission is normally terminated by rapid re-uptake of the neurotransmitter by a high-affinity Na+/Cl--dependent plasma membrane transporter. Specific transporters have been cloned for both dopamine (DAT) and noradrenaline (NAT) in the rat. While DAT has been studied extensively, NAT expression has received less attention, particularly at the protein level. We used an antibody generated against a 49 residue segment of an extracellular loop region of NAT to study expression of the transporter protein throughout the rat pons and medulla oblongata. NAT was expressed in over 95% of noradrenergic neurones in the A1, A2/area postrema, A5, A6/locus subcoeruleus, and A7 noradrenergic groups. Approximately 10% of C1 adrenergic neurones located in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVL) also expressed NAT. Expression of NAT mRNA in bulbospinal C1 cells was confirmed using single-cell reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of acutely isolated RVL neurones. Spinally projecting neurones were identified by retrograde labelling with rhodamine beads, and C1 neurones were identified by RT-PCR using primers specific for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) or phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PNMT) mRNAs. Thirteen percent of adrenergic bulbospinal neurones tested expressed NAT mRNA. C1 neurones are potentially important in cardiovascular control and blood pressure regulation, and the identification of NAT expression in a sub-population of these neurones provides further evidence for the heterogeneity of this neuronal population.