PMID: 3759944Oct 5, 1986Paper

Regulation of vasopressin gene expression in rat hypothalamic neurons. Response to osmotic stimulation.

The Journal of Biological Chemistry
H H ZinggG Almazan

Abstract

Although the steps involved in biosynthesis and secretion of the neuropeptide vasopressin (AVP) have been extensively studied, the factors which regulate AVP gene expression remain unknown. Therefore, we sought to determine the dynamics of AVP mRNA accumulation in response to a strong stimulus for AVP release, i.e. during salt imbibition and the ensuing period of rehydration. AVP mRNA levels were determined in terms of absolute amounts by a novel quantitative densitometric hybridization assay, using in vitro synthesized sense-strand RNA as a quantitative standard and complementary anti-sense RNA as a specific probe. The template used for RNA transcription consisted of a 196-base pair genomic DNA fragment corresponding to exon C of the rat AVP gene. Determination of basal hypothalamic AVP mRNA levels yielded 12.5 +/- 2.7 fmol/hypothalamus. Salt imbibition, which induced a 6% rise in blood osmolality and an 82% loss of pituitary AVP, resulted in a 3-fold increase of AVP mRNA to 35 +/- 5 fmol/hypothalamus. Following rehydration, plasma osmolality returned to control levels by day 2, pituitary AVP by day 6, and hypothalamic AVP by day 14. By contrast, AVP mRNA levels remained significantly elevated throughout the 30-day rehydration...Continue Reading

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