Species differences in the localization of soluble guanylyl cyclase subunits in monkey and rat brain

Nitric oxide (NO) exerts most of its physiological effects through activation of a predominantly soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC). In mammalian cells sGC exists as a heterodimer of α and β subunits. Currently, four subunits (α1, α2, β1, and β2) have been characterized. We used in situ hybridization with subunit‐specific 33P‐labeled oligonucleotide probes to compare the anatomical distribution of sGC subunit mRNAs in rat and monkey brains. Message for all subunits except β2 was detected in both species. The sGC subunit showing the highest expression and widest distribution was β1. High expression for all subunits was found in basal ganglia, olfactory system, hippocampus, cortex, and cerebellum. Minor species differences in the relative distribution of α subunits were observed. In general, the α1 message was more prominent in monkey brain and the α2 message in rat brain. This was more evident in limbic areas and cerebellar cortex. Some differences were also observed in subunit laminar distribution in cerebral cortex. The limited species differences in sGC subunit distribution suggest that in primates, as occurs in rodents, the NO‐cGMP signaling pathway will be involved in important brain functions such as memory formation, sensory processing, and behavior. J. Comp. Neurol. 500:942–957, 2007. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.