Autoradiographic localization and characterization of tachykinin receptor binding sites in the rat brain and peripheral tissues

Quantitative receptor autoradiography using several radiolabeled tachykinins was used to localize and characterize tachykinin peptide receptor binding sites in rat CNS and peripheral tissues. Autoradiographic localization and displacement experiments using several radiolabeled tachykinins indicate that in the rat there are at least 3 distinct tachykinin receptor binding sites. One of these is present in both the CNS and peripheral tissues, one is present only in the CNS, and one is present only in peripheral tissues. The first tachykinin receptor binding site, which is detectable in both the CNS and peripheral tissues, appears to prefer substance P (SP) as an endogenous ligand. Areas expressing high concentrations of this binding site include the medial septum, superior colliculus, inferior olive, inner plexiform layer of the retina, external muscle of the bladder, and the muscularis externa of the esophagus. The second type of tachykinin receptor binding site, which is detectable only in the CNS appears to prefer either neuromedin K (NK) and/or substance K (SK) as the endogenous ligand. This receptor binding site is labeled by Bolton-Hunter conjugates of NK, SK, eledoisin, or kassinin and is found in high concentrations in laminae 4 and 5 of the cerebral cortex, the ventral tegmental area, laminae 1 and 2 of the spinal cord, and the inner plexiform layer of the retina. The third type of tachykinin receptor binding site is detectable only in peripheral tissues and appears to prefer SK as the endogenous ligand. This receptor binding site is labeled by SK, eledoisin, or kassinin radioligands and tissues that express high concentrations include the muscularis mucosae of the esophagus, the circular muscle of the colon, and the external muscle of the bladder. These data suggest that SP receptors are expressed in the brain and peripheral tissues, NK receptors are expressed in the CNS, and SK receptors are expressed in peripheral tissue. These data fit well with radioimmunoassay data that suggest that, whereas in the CNS SP, SK and NK are present in high concentrations, in peripheral tissues only SP and SK are present in detectable concentrations. The present classification of tachykinin receptors places a lower limit on the number of mammalian tachykinin receptor types and provides a functional/morphological framework for exploring the diverse actions of tachykinin peptides in both the CNS and peripheral tissues.