Two proteins previously known as Na⁺-dependent phosphate transporters have been identified recently as vesicular glutamate transporters (VGLUT1 and VGLUT2). Together, VGLUT1 and VGLUT2 are operating at most central glutamatergic synapses. In this study, we characterized a third vesicular glutamate transporter (VGLUT3), highly homologous to VGLUT1 and VGLUT2. Vesicles isolated from endocrine cells expressing recombinant VGLUT3 accumulated l-glutamate with bioenergetic and pharmacological characteristics similar, but not identical, to those displayed by the type-1 and type-2 isoforms. Interestingly, the distribution of VGLUT3 mRNA was restricted to a small number of neurons scattered in the striatum, hippocampus, cerebral cortex, and raphe nuclei, in contrast to VGLUT1 and VGLUT2 transcripts, which are massively expressed in cortical and deep structures of the brain, respectively. At the ultrastructural level, VGLUT3 immunoreactivity was concentrated over synaptic vesicle clusters present in nerve endings forming asymmetrical as well as symmetrical synapses. Finally, VGLUT3-positive neurons of the striatum and raphe nuclei were shown to coexpress acetylcholine and serotonin transporters, respectively. Our study reveals a novel class of glutamatergic nerve terminals and suggests that cholinergic striatal interneurons and serotoninergic neurons from the brainstem may store and release glutamate.

Before their exocytotic release during stimulation of nerve terminals, nonpeptide neurotransmitters are loaded into synaptic vesicles by specific transporters. Recently, a protein initially identified as brain-specific Na(+)-dependent inorganic phosphate transporter I (BNPI) has been shown to represent a vesicular glutamate transporter (VGLUT1). In this study, we investigated whether a highly homologous "differentiation-associated Na(+)-dependent inorganic phosphate transporter" (DNPI) is involved in glutamatergic transmission. Vesicles isolated from BON cells expressing recombinant DNPI accumulated l-glutamate with bioenergetical and pharmacological characteristics identical to those displayed by VGLUT1 and by brain synaptic vesicles. Moreover, DNPI localized to synaptic vesicles, at synapses exhibiting classical excitatory features. DNPI thus represents a novel vesicular glutamate transporter (VGLUT2). The distributions of each VGLUT transcript in brain were highly complementary, with only a partial regional and cellular overlap. At the protein level, we could only detect either VGLUT1- or VGLUT2-expressing presynaptic boutons. The existence of two VGLUTs thus defines distinct subsets of glutamatergic neurons.

Neurons expressing the m1, m2, and m4 muscarinic receptor genes in the adult rat striatum were identified and characterized by using several in situ hybridization and immunohistochemical procedures. Combined in situ hybridization for the simultaneous detection of two mRNAs in the same section or in adjacent sections as well as in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry on adjacent sections permitted us to identify the neurons containing m1, m2, or m4 receptor mRNA. Our observations demonstrate that m1, m2, and m4 receptor genes are expressed in one or several phenotypically distinct neuronal populations. The m1 receptor gene was the most widely expressed (85% of the striatal neurons). Most cholinergic neurons (80% or more) contain m1, m2, and m4 receptor mRNAs. Almost all the substance P neurons contain m1 and m4 receptor mRNA. All enkephalinergic neurons contained m1 receptor mRNA, but only 39% contained m4 receptor mRNA. Most somatostatin and neurotensin neurons expressed the m1 receptor gene, but only a few (15% and 9%, respectively) contained m4 receptor mRNA. The present study offers anatomical evidence that ACh may act directly in complex ways on the main neuronal populations of the striatum through muscarinic receptors. The m1, m2, and m4 receptors may act as autoreceptors to control ACh release and possibly other parameters of ACh neurons. On the other hand, the m1 and m4 receptors may act as heteroreceptors in cholinoceptive efferent neurons (enkephalin and substance P neurons) and other neurons (somatostatin/neuropeptide Y and neurotensin neurons). The presence of m4 receptor mRNA in only parts of the enkephalin, somatostatin, and neurotensin neuronal populations indicates that muscarinic receptor gene expression contributes to the functional and anatomical heterogeneity of the striatum that may relate to higher order of organization, including patch-matrix compartmentalization. The wide expression of m1 and m4 receptor genes in the striatum suggests that ACh may directly influence neurotransmitter release and synthesis in striatal efferent and intrinsic neurons. Our results imply that the specific pattern of expression of the muscarinic receptor genes mediates direct effects of ACh on activities and functions of chemically and topologically defined striatal neuronal populations. Since the expression of muscarinic receptors occurred in the three main neuronal populations of the striatum, namely ACh, enkephalins, and substance P neurons that also express dopamine receptors, it is highly probable that ACh and dopamine may act together at the single-cell level to influence striatal functions.

Glutamate released in the basal ganglia is involved in the expression of clinical symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s or Huntington’s. Neostriatal neurons are the targets of glutamatergic inputs derived from the cortex and the thalamus acting via AMPA-type as well as other glutamate receptors. To determine the location of subunits of the AMPA subclass of glutamate receptors (GluR) in the rat neostriatum, we applied multiple immunocytochemical techniques using anti-peptide antibodies against the GluR1, GluR2/3, and GluR4 subunits at both the light and electron microscopic levels. All medium spiny efferent neurons, some of which were identified as striatonigral neurons, displayed immunoreactivity for GluR1 and GluR2/3 subunits. Double immunofluorescence revealed that at least 70–90% of parvalbumin-immunopositive GABAergic interneurons were immunoreactive for each of GluR1, GluR2/3, or GluR4 subunits and that at least 40% of choline acetyltransferase-immunopositive cholinergic interneurons were immunopositive for GluR1 or GluR4 subunits. The majority of nitric oxide synthase-immunopositive neurons had no detectable immunoreactivity for any of the AMPA receptor subunits. Electron microscopic analysis confirmed the presence of immunoreactivity for GluR1 and GluR2/3 in the perikarya of spiny neurons and interneurons and GluR4 in perikarya of interneurons only. GluR1 and GluR2/3 subunits were detected in dendrites and spines. A significant population of extrasynaptic receptors was revealed by pre-embedding immunogold labeling along the plasma membranes of perikarya, dendrites, and spines. Receptors were concentrated in the postsynaptic membrane specialization of asymmetrical synapses, as revealed by the postembedding immunogold method. Quantitative analysis demonstrated that immunoreactivity for the GluR1 and GluR2/3 subunits is higher at the periphery than at the middle of the postsynaptic membrane specialization.Our results demonstrate that AMPA receptor subunits are distributed widely and heterogeneously among striatal neurons and are concentrated on the postsynaptic membrane of asymmetrical synaptic specializations, although extrasynaptic receptors are also present.