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Characterization of central and peripheral components of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis in the inbred Roman rat strains.
Characterization of central and peripheral components of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis in the inbred Roman rat strains.
- Source :
-
Psychoneuroendocrinology [Psychoneuroendocrinology] 2008 May; Vol. 33 (4), pp. 437-45. Date of Electronic Publication: 2008 Feb 13. - Publication Year :
- 2008
-
Abstract
- Several studies performed in outbred Roman high- and low-avoidance lines (RHA and RLA, respectively) have demonstrated that the more anxious line (RLA) is characterized by a higher hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) response to certain stressors than the less anxious one (RHA). However, inconsistent results have also been reported. Taking advantage of the generation of an inbred colony of RLA and RHA rats (RHA-I and RLA-I, respectively), we have characterized in the two strains not only resting and stress levels of peripheral HPA hormones but also central components of the HPA axis, including CRF gene expression in extra-hypothalamic areas. Whereas resting levels of ACTH and corticosterone did not differ between the strains, a greater response to a novel environment was found in RLA-I as compared to RHA-I rats. RLA-I rats showed enhanced CRF gene expression in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus, with normal arginin-vasopressin gene expression in both parvocellular and magnocellular regions of the PVN. This enhanced CRF gene expression is not apparently related to altered negative corticosteroid feedback as similar levels of expression of brain glucorticoid and mineralocorticoid receptors were found in the two rat strains. CRF gene expression tended to be higher in the central amygdala and it was significantly higher in the dorsal region of the bed nucleus of stria terminalis (BNST) of RLA-I rats, while no differences appeared in the ventral region of BNST. Considering the involvement of CRF and the BNST in anxiety and stress-related behavioral alterations, the present data suggest that the CRF system may be a critical neurobiological substrate underlying differences between the two rat strains.
- Subjects :
- Adrenocorticotropic Hormone blood
Amygdala metabolism
Analysis of Variance
Animals
Anxiety complications
Anxiety genetics
Arginine Vasopressin genetics
Arginine Vasopressin metabolism
Corticosterone blood
Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone genetics
Male
Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus metabolism
RNA, Messenger analysis
Rats
Rats, Inbred Strains
Receptors, Glucocorticoid genetics
Receptors, Glucocorticoid metabolism
Receptors, Mineralocorticoid genetics
Receptors, Mineralocorticoid metabolism
Selection, Genetic
Septal Nuclei metabolism
Species Specificity
Stress, Psychological complications
Stress, Psychological genetics
Anxiety metabolism
Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone metabolism
Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System metabolism
Pituitary-Adrenal System metabolism
Stress, Psychological metabolism
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 0306-4530
- Volume :
- 33
- Issue :
- 4
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Psychoneuroendocrinology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 18276081
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2008.01.001