Autoradiographic detection of [125I]-secondary antiserum: a sensitive light and electron microscopic labeling method compatible with peroxidase immunocytochemistry for dual localization of neuronal antigens.

We examined whether autoradiographic localization of [125I]-antirabbit immunoglobulin (IgG) was suitable for light and electron microscopic detection of a rabbit antiserum to the catecholamine-synthesizing enzyme, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), and whether autoradiographic and peroxidase labeling could be combined for simultaneous immunocytochemical identification of TH and neuropeptides in brain. Adult rat brains were fixed by aortic arch perfusion with acrolein and paraformaldehyde. Vibratome sections of the fixed tissues were incubated with various dilutions of TH antiserum followed by [125I]-secondary IgG. These sections were then directly processed for autoradiography or were incubated with rabbit antiserum to substance P (SP) or methionine [Met5]-enkephalin (ME). These latter sections were then processed by the peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) or conjugated peroxidase methods followed by autoradiography. Exposure periods of 12-20 days for light microscopy or 90 days for electron microscopy yielded substantial accumulations of silver grains even at the highest (1:30,000) dilution of TH antiserum. At this dilution, immunoreactivity for TH was virtually nondetectable by PAP and conjugated peroxidase methods. The differential sensitivities of the autoradiographic versus peroxidase methods provided a means for separable identification of rabbit antiserum to TH and to SP or ME. Ultrastructural analysis of the catecholaminergic neurons in the medial nuclei of the solitary tract (NTS) showed selective cytoplasmic localization of silver grains for [125I]-labeling of TH in perikarya, dendrites, and terminals. Within single thin sections prepared for dual labeling, the peroxidase marker for SP and for ME was differentially localized with respect to autoradiographic labeling of TH.