Taurine immunoreactivity in the rat supraoptic nucleus: prominent localization in glial cells

Taurine is an inhibitory amino acid that hyperpolarizes magnocellular neurosecretory neurons. To determine which cell types in the rat supraoptic nucleus contain taurine, we used a monoclonal antibody raised against a taurine conjugate. Preembedding immunocytochemistry was carried out at the light and electron microscopic levels using diaminobenzidine and gold-substituted silver-intensified peroxidase as markers. We report the presence of taurine in all cellular compartments of the supraoptic nucleus, except axons, with variable labeling intensities among the different compartments. Few cell bodies of magnocellular neurons were immunoreactive, but many distal dendrites and some proximal ones showed weak-to-moderate levels of immunoreactivity. Strong immunoreactivity was found over glial cell bodies and their processes, in particular in the ventral glial lamina of the supraoptic nucleus. Large astrocytic processes labeled with the taurine antibody included the endfeet participating in the glial limitans around capillaries and at the ventral surface of the hypothalamus. Other types of immunoreactive astrocytic profiles were found scattered within the neuropil where these processes participated in different interactions with the neuronal elements of the supraoptic nucleus. Immunoreactive glial expansions, sometimes even the main process of the glial cell, engulfed axonal boutons. Other labeled glial processes were found between two magnocellular perikarya or closely apposed to the membrane of axonal boutons contacting the neuronal cell bodies. The frequent finding of closely apposed glial and dendritic elements bearing different levels of taurine-like immunoreactivity suggests that exchange of taurine between those two compartments may occur. We propose that taurine could be released from supraoptic glia by a small decrease in osmolarity or by receptor-mediated mechanisms during conditions of low hormonal (vasopressin and/or oxytocin) needs. Such released taurine could then act on presynaptic or postsynaptic sites, or both, to exert its neuromodulatory actions.