Preprotachykinin gene expression in the mediobasal hypothalamus of estrogen-treated and ovariectomized control rats

• Published in: Experimental brain research Vol. 76; no. 1; p. 21
• Main Authors: Romano, G J, Bonner, T I, Pfaff, D W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany 01.01.1989
• Subjects: Animals; Drug Implants; Estradiol - pharmacology; Female; Gene Expression Regulation; Hypothalamus, Middle - cytology; Hypothalamus, Middle - drug effects; Hypothalamus, Middle - metabolism; Nucleic Acid Hybridization; Ovariectomy; Protein Precursors - metabolism; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Tachykinins - metabolism
• ISSN: 0014-4819; 1432-1106
• DOI: 10.1007/BF00253619

We have determined the localization of preprotachykinin (PPT) mRNA-containing neurons in the mediobasal hypothalamus of the rat. PPT mRNA-containing neurons are present in the ventromedial nucleus (with a concentration in the ventrolateral aspect (VL-VM], the dorsomedial nucleus, the lateral hypothalamus and the arcuate nucleus. This distribution is consistent with the findings of immunocytochemical studies of substance P-immunoreactive neurons in the hypothalamus. We have also examined whether PPT gene expression is regulated by estrogen in the VL-VM by comparing the levels of PPT mRNA in the VL-VM of ovariectomized rats and ovariectomized, estrogen-replaced rats. Both in situ hybridization and slot blot hybridization analysis revealed no changes in PPT mRNA content in the VL-VM following estrogen treatment. These results suggest that estrogen does not regulate lordosis behavior by affecting PPT gene expression in VL-VM neurons.