Morphometry of a peptidergic transmitter system: dynorphin B-like immunoreactivity in the rat hippocampal mossy fiber pathway before and after seizures.

While the morphometry of classical transmitter systems has been extensively studied, relatively little quantitative information is available on the subcellular distribution of peptidergic dense core vesicles (DCVs) within axonal arbors and terminals, and how distribution patterns change in response to neural activity. This study used correlated quantitative light and electron microscopic immunohistochemistry to examine dynorphin B-like immunoreactivity (dyn B-LI) in the rat hippocampal mossy fiber pathway before and after seizures. Forty-eight hours after seizures induced by two pentylenetetrazol injections, light microscopic dyn B-LI was decreased dorsally and increased ventrally. Ultrastructural examination indicated that, in the hilus of the dentate gyrus, these alterations resulted from changes that were almost entirely restricted to the profiles of the large mossy-like terminals formed by mossy fiber collaterals (which primarily contact spines), compared to the profiles of the smaller, less-convoluted terminals found on the same collaterals (which primarily contact aspiny dendritic shafts). Dorsally, mossy terminal profile labeled DCV (/DCV) density dropped substantially, while ventrally, both mossy terminal profile perimeter and /DCV density increased. In all terminal profile examined, /DCVs also were closely associated with the plasma membrane. Following seizures, there was a reorientation of /DCVs along the inner surface of mossy terminal profile membranes, in relation to the types of profiles adjacent to the membrane: in both the dorsal and ventral hilus, significantly fewer /DCVs were observed at sites apposed to dendrites, and significantly more were observed at sites apposed to spines. Thus, after seizures, changes specific to: (1) the dorsoventral level of the hippocampal formation, (2) the type of terminal, and (3) the type of profile in apposition to the portion of the terminal membrane examined were all observed. An explanation of these complex, interdependent alterations will probably require evoking multiple interrelated mechanisms, including selective prodynorphin synthesis, transport, and release.