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Changes in hypothalamic and extra-hypothalamic vasopressin content of water-deprived rats

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Summary

A correlative radioimmunoassay (RIA) and immunocytochemical (ICC) study was carried out on vasopressin (VP) distribution and content in brains of normal and 3-day water-deprived rats. By RIA there were statistically significant differences in brain VP per pg/mg between normal and osmotically stressed specimens in hypothalamus (338.4 versus 134.4), thalamus (4.8 versus 0.9), septum (18.0 versus 3.4), striatum (1.6 versus 0.7) and amygdala (17.3 versus 1.3), but not in other brain regions measured. Pituitary VP decreased from 71.1 to 8.7 ng/mg, and plasma VP rose from 3.6 to 19.3 pg/ml during water deprivation. Application of the peroxidase-anti-peroxidase ICC method of Sternberger to vibratome sections showed that VP-immunoreactivity in dehydrated specimens decreased in perikarya of paraventricular nucleus and suprachiasmatic nucleus, while intrahypothalamic immunoreactive magnocellular fibers appeared more conspicuous due to proliferation of large Herring bodies. In extrahypothalamic sites VP-immunoreactivity in water-deprived rats was visibly reduced in periventricular thalamus and septum. Thus it is apparent that both intra- and extrahypothalamic VP are affected by osmotic stress, and these results are discussed within the context of current ideas relating to co-activation of neurosecretory cells that project to different sites.

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Abbreviations

AVP:

arginine vasopressin

CNS:

central nervous system

HNS:

hypothalamic neurohypophysial system

ICC:

immunocytochemistry

OT:

oxytocin

PVN:

paraventricular nucleus

RIA:

radioimmunoassay

SCN:

suprachiasmatic nucleus

SON:

supraoptic nucleus

VP:

vasopressin

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Heller Institute of Medical Research, Chaim Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer, Tel Aviv University Medical School, Israel

    Y. Epstein

  2. Zoology Department, Institute of Life Sciences, Hebrew University, Jerusalem

    M. Castel, N. Sivan & R. Ravid

  3. Endocrinology Unit, Soroka Medical Center, Ben Gurion University Health Sciences Center, Beersheba, Israel

    S. M. Glick

Authors
  1. Y. Epstein
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  2. M. Castel
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  3. S. M. Glick
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  4. N. Sivan
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  5. R. Ravid
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Additional information

Research supported by the U.S.A.-Binational Science Foundation, grant 2325/80 to M.C., and by a grant from the Chief Scientist's Bureau, Israel Ministry of Health to S.M.G., an Established Investigator of the Bureau

The good advice and critical reading of the manuscript by Dr. Marshall Devor are greatly appreciated

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Epstein, Y., Castel, M., Glick, S.M. et al. Changes in hypothalamic and extra-hypothalamic vasopressin content of water-deprived rats. Cell Tissue Res. 233, 99–111 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00222235

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