Neuroglobin and
cytoglobin are new members of the
heme-
globin family. Both
globins are primarily expressed in neurons of the brain and retina.
Neuroglobin and
cytoglobin have been suggested as novel therapeutic targets in various
neurodegenerative diseases based on their
oxygen binding and cell protecting properties. However, findings in
Neuroglobin-deficient mice question the endogenous neuroprotective properties. The expression pattern of
neuroglobin and
cytoglobin in the rodent brain is also in contradiction to a major role of neuronal protection. In a recent study,
neuroglobin was ubiquitously expressed and up-regulated following
stroke in the human brain. The present study aimed at confirming our previous observations in rodents using two post-mortem human brains. The anatomical localization of
neuroglobin and
cytoglobin in the human brain is much like what has been described for the rodent brain.
Neuroglobin is highly expressed in the hypothalamus, amygdale and in the pontine tegmental nuclei, but not in the hippocampus.
Cytoglobin is highly expressed in the habenula, hypothalamus, thalamus, hippocampus and the pontine tegmental nuclei. We only detected a low expression of
neuroglobin and
cytoglobin in the cerebral cortex, while no expression in the cerebellar cortex was detectable. We provide a neuroanatomical indication for a different role of
neuroglobin and
cytoglobin in the human brain.