Number, volume and size distribution of nucleoli in rat neurosecretory cells with suppressed and stimulated secretion

Deficient brain RNA polymerase and altered nucleolar structure persists until day 8 after perinatal asphyxia of the rat

RNA polymerases (POL) are integral constituents of the protein synthesis machinery, with POL I and POL III coding for ribosomal RNA and POL II coding for protein. POL I is located in the nucleolus and transcribes class I genes, those that code for large ribosomal RNA. It has been reported that the POL system is seriously affected in perinatal asphyxia (PA) immediately after birth. Because POL I is necessary for protein synthesis and brain protein synthesis was shown to be deranged after hypoxic-ischemic conditions, we aimed to study whether POL derangement persists in a simple, well-documented animal model of graded global PA at the activity, mRNA, protein, and morphologic level until 8 d after the asphyctic insult. Nuclear POL I activity was determined according to a radiochemical method; mRNA steady state and protein levels of RPA4O-an essential subunit of POL I and III-were evaluated by blotting methods; and the POL I subunit polymerase activating factor-53 was evaluated using immunohistochemistry. Silver staining and transmission electron microscopy were used to examine the nucleolus. At the eighth day after PA, nuclear POL I decreased with the length of the asphyctic period, whereas mRNA and protein levels for RPA4O were unchanged. The subunit polymerase activating factor-53, however, was unambiguously reduced in several brain regions. Dramatic changes of nucleolar morphology were observed, the main finding being nucleolar disintegration at the electron microscopy level. We suggest that severe acidosis and/or deficient protein kinase C in the brain during the asphyctic period may be responsible for disintegration of the nucleolus as well as for decreased POL activity persisting until the eighth day after PA. The biologic effect may be that PA causes impaired RNA and protein synthesis, which has been already observed in hypoxic-ischemic states.

Structural and functional compartmentalization of the cell nucleus in supraoptic neurons

It is well-established that the neuronal cell nucleus is organized in discrete compartments involved in transcription and RNA processing. The main nuclear compartments in neurons include the chromosome territories, the nucleolus, nuclear speckles of splicing factors, Cajal bodies, and nuclear rodlets. The supraoptic nucleus (SON) neurons provide a powerful model in vivo to study the organization of these nuclear compartments in response to variations of cellular activity. The upregulation of transcription in SON neurons under chronic hyperosmolar conditions is associated with 1) nuclear and nucleolar enlargement, 2) dispersion of chromatin, 3) reduction in the size of nuclear speckles, 4) increase in the number of Cajal bodies implicated in the maturation of splicing small nuclear ribonucleoproteins, and 5) proliferation of the fibrillar centers of the nucleolus, the sites of nucleolar transcription of ribosomal genes. These changes revert after the cessation of the activation by rehydration of animals. Under conditions of neuronal stress induced by hypertonic saline injection, SON neurons exhibit an early response of downregulation of transcription. This is accompanied by chromatin condensation, redistribution of splicing factors, reduction in the number of Cajal bodies, and microsegregation of the fibrillar and granular components of the nucleolus and disruption of its fibrillar centers, all of which are associated with a transitory expression of c-Fos. These changes progressively revert and at 24 hours after the stress induction a rebound upregulation of transcription is observed. These findings illustrate the transcription-dependent organization and behavior of nuclear compartments in the neuronal model of magnocellular neurosecretory cells of the hypothalamus.

Space flight affects magnocellular supraoptic neurons of young prepuberal rats: transient and permanent effects

Effects of microgravity on postural control and volume of extracellular fluids as well as stress associated with space flight may affect the function of hypothalamic neurosecretory neurons. Since environmental modifications in young animals may result in permanent alterations in neuroendocrine function, the present study was designed to determine the effect of a space flight on oxytocinergic and vasopressinergic magnocellular hypothalamic neurons of prepuberal rats. Fifteen-day-old Sprague-Dawley female rats were flown aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-90, Neurolab mission, experiment 150) for 16 days. Age-matched litters remained on the ground in cages similar to those of the flight animals. Six animals from each group were killed on the day of landing and eight animals from each group were maintained under standard vivarium conditions and killed 18 weeks after landing. Several signs of enhanced transcriptional and biosynthetic activity were observed in magnocellular supraoptic neurons of flight animals on the day of landing compared to control animals. These include increased c-Fos expression, larger nucleoli and cytoplasm, and higher volume occupied in the neuronal perikaryon by mitochondriae, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, lysosomes and cytoplasmic inclusions known as nematosomes. In contrast, the volume occupied by neurosecretory vesicles in the supraoptic neuronal perikarya was significantly decreased in flight rats. This decrease was associated with a significant decrease in oxytocin and vasopressin immunoreactive levels, suggestive of an increased hormonal release. Vasopressin levels, cytoplasmic volume and c-Fos expression returned to control levels by 18 weeks after landing. These reversible effects were probably associated to osmotic stimuli resulting from modifications in the volume and distribution of extracellular fluids and plasma during flight and landing. However, oxytocin levels were still reduced at 18 weeks after landing in flight animals compared to controls. This indicates that space flight during prepuberal age may induce irreversible modifications in the regulation of oxytocinergic neurons, which in turn may result in permanent endocrine and behavioral impairments.

Brain RNA polymerase and nucleolar structure in perinatal asphyxia of the rat

Ribosomes are integral constitutens of the protein synthesis machinery. Polymerase I (POL I) is located in the nucleolus and transcribes the large ribosomal genes. POL I activity is decreased in ischemia but nothing is known so far on POL I in perinatal asphyxia. We investigated the involvement of POL I in a well-documented model of graded systemic asphyxia at the level of activity, mRNA, protein, and morphology. Caeserean section was performed at the 21st day of gestation. Rat pups still in the uterus horns were immerged in a water bath for asphyctic periods from 5-20 min. Brain was taken for measurement of pH, nuclear POL I activity, and mRNA steady state, and protein levels of RPA40, an essential subunit of POL I and III. Silver staining and transmission electron microscopy with morphometry when appropriate were used to examine the nucleolus. Brain pH and nuclear POL I activity decreased with the length of the asphyctic period while POL-I mRNA and protein levels were unchanged. Accompanying the decrease in brain pH we found significant changes of nucleolar structure in the course of perinatal asphyxia at the light and electron microscopic level. As early as ten min following the asphyctic insult, morphological disintegration of the nucleolus was observed. The changes became more dramatic with longer duration of perinatal asphyxia. We conclude that severe acidosis may be responsible for decreased POL activity and for disintegration of nucleoli in neurons. This condition may lower the ribosome content in neonatal neurons and impair protein synthesis.

Changes in the nucleolar organizer regions in the tuberomammillar region after dehydration

The existence of efferent connections between tuberomammillary (TM) and the supraoptic (SON) nuclei led us to study the morphological changes at these levels during dehydration induced in rats by repeated administration of hypertonic saline. The dehydration effects are evaluated by three parameters: nucleus area, argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (Ag-NOR) area, and mean number of Ag-NORs. These parameters reflect the level of transcriptional activity of the rRNA genes, which in turn is closely related to the protein synthesis activity of the cell. The technique used is argyrophilic staining which labels the nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) of the nucleoli in the neurons and their area, permitting their quantification with an image analysis system. The statistical analysis reflects the sensitivity to dehydration of these structures at TM level. Our results support the regulatory role of vasopressin secretion by SON through the histaminergic pathways arising from TM in rat dehydration processes.

Effects of cycloheximide on the structural organization of the nucleolus and the coiled body in normal and stimulated supraoptic neurons of the rat

This study was designed to determine the effects of cycloheximide, a protein synthesis inhibitor that interferes with rRNA synthesis and processing, on the nucleoli and coiled bodies of supraoptic nucleus neurons from normally-hydrated and osmotically-stimulated rats. The number of nucleoli and the nucleolar size were estimated on smear preparations of previously silver-impregnated supraoptic nucleus. No significant differences were registered in the mean number of nucleoli per cell in cycloheximide-treated rats. The number of nucleoli per neuron remained constant, at about 1.3, in all animal groups, suggesting that the nucleoli number is strictly regulated in differentiated neurons. By contrast, a significant reduction in the average nucleolar volume of supraoptic nucleus neurons was detected in cycloheximide-treated groups of rats in comparison with their equivalent non-treated groups. By electron microscopy, most nucleoli and coiled bodies of supraoptic nucleus neurons exhibited cycloheximide-induced alterations in their fine structure and configuration. Nucleolar changes included the occurrence of a few large fibrillar centres, the formation of microspherules and small intranucleolar vacuoles or dilated interstices, and the partial segregation of nucleolar components coupled with the transformation of reticulated nucleoli--a nucleolar configuration characteristic of supraoptic nucleus neurons of non-cycloheximide-treated rats--into compact ones. The redistribution of nucleolar components might reflect the interference with rDNA transcription, and also supports the hypothesis that the normal assembly of these components into the nucleolus depends upon ongoing nucleolar transcription. Concerning coiled bodies, most of them revealed ultrastructural alterations, particularly segregation of the amorphous matrix, compactation of coiled threads and formation of coiled body-derived dense bodies of fibrillar nature. Moreover, cycloheximide also induced the formation of smaller dense bodies--here referred to as dense microbodies--which presumably represent a distinct nuclear entity different from coiled bodies. Ultrastructural silver staining of nuclear bodies showed a selective silver reaction on the dense fibrillar component of normal and altered coiled bodies, as well as on the dense microbodies. The possible relationship between the nucleolus and both coiled bodies and dense microbodies is discussed.

Ultrastructural evidence of sexual dimorphism in supraoptic neurons: a morphometric study

We have recently shown that in spite of the absence of receptors for gonadal steroids in the supraoptic nucleus (SON) of the rat hypothalamus, the volume of the nucleus and the size of its neurons are larger in males than in females, and that these differences between male and female rats are correlated with body weight and dependent on the vasopressinergic neurons. As supraoptic neurons and their organelles enlarge when they are engaged in active peptidergic secretion we have carried out a morphometric ultrastructural analysis to determine if cell structures involved in the synthesis and storage of neurosecretory material also display weight-dependent sex dimorphism. Groups of six male and six female rats aged 30, 60 and 180 days were used. Nucleoli, rough endoplasmic reticulum and neurosecretory granules were analysed and we estimated their volume or surface densities and the total volume of nucleoli and rough endoplasmic reticulum, and total surface area of rough endoplasmic reticulum. We found that, with the exception of neurosecretory granules, the densities of the organelles did not differ among the groups studied, but total values were higher in males. These differences were found to be weight-dependent. Since the organelles studied are regarded as reliable indicators of the neurosecretory activity of supraoptic neurons, our data fully support the view that the weight-dependent sexual dimorphism observed in this nucleus reflects greater synthetic activity of its vasopressinergic neurons associated with the need to maintain water balance in larger bodies.

Alpha and gamma motoneurons in the peroneal nuclei of the cat spinal cord: an ultrastructural study

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether ultrastructural features can be used as a guide to identify alpha- and gamma-motoneurons among the intermediate-size neurons of the peroneal motor nuclei. The peroneus brevis and peroneus tertius muscles of adult cats were injected with horseradish peroxidase, and motoneurons labeled by retrograde axonal transport were examined by electron microscopy. In both nuclei, the distributions of cell-body diameters, measured in the light microscope, were bimodal covering the range of 28-84 microns, with a trough around 50 microns. The sample of 25 motoneurons selected for the ultrastructural study included not only large (presumed alpha) and small (presumed gamma) neurons but also intermediate-size cell bodies with diameters in the 40-60 microns range. For each motoneuron, 2-5 profiles were reconstructed from ultrathin sections taken at 6-8 microns intervals. Synaptic boutons were counted and their lengths of apposition were measured. On the basis of three criteria, namely: (1) bouton types present on the membrane, (2) percentage of membrane length covered by synapses, and (3) the aspect of the nucleolus, all the examined motoneurons, including those with intermediate sizes, fell into one of two categories. Fourteen motoneurons, with cell-body diameters in a range of 55-84 microns, were contacted by all types of boutons (mainly S-type with spherical vesicles, F-type with flattened vesicles, and C-type with subsynaptic cistern); the synaptic covering of the somatic membrane was over 40% and the nucleus contained a vacuolated nucleolus. These were considered alpha-motoneurons. Eleven motoneurons, with only S and F boutons, a synaptic covering under 30%, a compact nucleolus and a cell-body diameter ranging between 28 and 50 microns, were considered gamma-motoneurons. No other combination of the three criteria was observed. These results show that unequivocal distinction of alpha- and gamma-motoneurons is possible in the peroneal nuclei, on the basis of morphological differences independent of cell-body size.

Organization of nucleoli and nuclear bodies in osmotically stimulated supraoptic neurons of the rat

This study has analyzed variations in the number of nucleoli and nuclear bodies, as well as in their ultrastructural and cytochemical organization, after the osmotically induced activation of supraoptic nucleus (SON) neurons of the rat. The number of nucleoli and nuclear bodies and also the nucleolar size were determined on smear preparations of previously block-impregnated SON. The mean number of nucleoli per cell was 1.35 +/- 0.6 (mean +/- SDM) in control rats. No significant variations in this value were registered either in dehydrated or rehydrated rats. The mean nucleolar volume and the total nucleolar volume per cell showed a significant increase in dehydrated rats with respect to the controls, whereas these two parameters tended to return to control values in rats rehydrated after dehydration. The mean number of nuclear bodies per cell increased significantly from 0.56 +/- 0.50 (mean +/- SDM) in control rats to 1.54 +/- 1.1 after 6 days of dehydration. By electron microscopy, SON neurons displayed a reticulated nucleolar configuration. After the osmotically induced neuronal activation, there was an increase in the proportion of the total nucleolar area occupied by the granular component, and also a reduction in the mean fibrillar-center area. The most characteristic nucleolar features in rehydrated rats were the tendency for the granular component to be segregated and the occurrence of intranucleolar vacuoles. Ultrastructural cytochemistry with a specific silver method revealed a selective silver reaction on the coiled threads of the nuclear bodies--identified as "coiled bodies"--and on the nucleolar fibrillar components in all animal groups studied. Since nucleoli play a major role in ribosome biogenesis, a relationship between these nucleolar changes and the level of cellular activity of SON neurons is proposed. Furthermore, the response of nuclear "coiled bodies" to neuronal activation suggests their participation in the processing and transport of rRNA precursors.

The supraoptic nucleus in hypothyroid and undernourished rats: an experimental morphometric study

The supraoptic nuclei of both male and female 30-day-old rats rendered hypothyroid by daily subcutaneous injection of propylthiouracil were studied and the results were compared with age- and sex-matched rats fed ad libitum (control rats) and with undernourished rats. Morphometric methods were used to evaluate the volume of the supraoptic nucleus and the areal and numerical densities of its neurons. These parameters allowed us to estimate the total number of neurons of this nucleus. In addition, the mean cross-sectioned area and mean nuclear diameter of the same neurons were also evaluated. The volume of the supraoptic nucleus was reduced both in hypothyroid and undernourished animals when compared with normal controls. The areal and numerical densities of neurons from the former groups were increased and the volume density of the neuropil was reduced. As a consequence, the total number of neurons was found to be identical in all groups studied. Furthermore, the mean nuclear diameters and cross-sectioned areas of the supraoptic neurons were similar in all groups. The volumetric differences and the increased packing found were always more marked for hypothyroid than for undernourished rats. Differences were not detected between male and female groups. The present results support the view that the increased cell packing in hypothyroid animals depends upon a reduction in the neuropil of the nucleus, as has been described under similar conditions in other central nervous system areas displaying identical patterns of neurogenesis. In addition, it was found that the effects of undernourishment cannot be discriminated from those dependent on neonatal hypothyroidism.