Immunoreactive dynorphin in mammalian spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia.

The distribution of immunoreactive dynorphin (ir-dynorphin) has been determined in dorsal and ventral aspects of spinal cord and in dorsal root ganglia of rabbit and rat. Concentrations are highest in dorsal root, with intermediate levels in ventral cord and low levels in dorsal root ganglia of both species. Levels of ir-dynorphin are relatively uniform over examined segments (vertebrae C2-S3) of rabbit spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia. Gel permeation chromatography of extracts from rabbit dorsal and ventral spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia revealed at least three immunoreactive components of differing molecular size in all three structures. Multiple unilateral or bilateral dorsal rhizotomy (vertebrae C5-T1) in rat did not affect levels of ir-dynorphin in spinal cord. As reported [Goldstein, A. & Ghazarossian, V. E. (1980) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 77, 6207-6210], midthoracic spinal transection was without effect. Within the spinal cord, the neuropeptide appears, most probably, to be contained in short-axoned neurons. We surmise that this potent opioid peptide may participate in the processing of sensory information in spinal cord.