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Immunocytochemical Localization of Vasopressin V_1a Receptors in the Rat Pituitary Gonadotropes

Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique-Université Montpellier II, Unité Mixte de Recherche 5101, Biologie des Neurones Endocrines, Centre de Pharmacologie-Endocrinologie, Montpellier F-34094, France

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: A. Rabié, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique-Unité Mixte de Recherche 5101, CCIPE, 141 rue de la Cardonille, F-34094 Montpellier Cedex 5, France. E-mail: rabie{at}ccipe.montp.inserm.fr.

Immunocytochemical labeling using a specific antibody against vasopressin V_1a receptor allowed the localization of this receptor within a subset of cells from male rat anterior pituitary. The presence of transcripts of the corresponding gene in the anterior pituitary was confirmed by RT-PCR. Multiple immunocytochemical labeling combined with confocal microscopy allowed the identification of the V_1a-labeled cells as gonadotropes. At the subcellular level, the vasopressin V_1a receptor was mainly associated with cytoplasmic vesicles dispersed throughout the cell, which were not the secretory granules storing LH or FSH. In addition to effects exerted by vasopressin via central targets involved in the reproductive pathways, the presence of vasopressin V_1a receptors on gonadotropes supports the controversial hypothesis of a local direct action of the neuropeptide on this cell type.