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Corticotropin-releasing factor mRNA and substance P receptor binding in the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus, central nucleus of the amygdala, and locus coeruleus of sprague-dawley rats following restraint-induced stress

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Abstract

The central mechanism of stress is poorly understood. This study was designed to examine how corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) neurons, together with substance P (SP) receptors in the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVN), central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA), and locus coeruleus (LC), are affected by stress. Sprague-Dawley rats were restrained for 2 h. Animals were sacrificed by decapitation immediately after the 2-h restraint (the 0-h group) and 4, 24, or 48 h after restraint. Tissue sections were cut and collected on two sets of slides. Tissue sections of the first set were processed for studying CRF mRNA using 33P-labeled 60-mer oligonucleotide probe. Immediately adjacent tissue sections were processed for studying SP receptor-binding capacity using 125I-SP ligand. Quantitative results showed that CRF mRNAs in the PVN were significantly up-regulated at the 4- and 24-h stages, and they seemed not to be regulated by SP receptors. In addition, SP receptors in the CeA were up-regulated at the 24- and 48-h stages, whereas SP receptors were down-regulated in the LC at the same stages. In concert with the literature indicating SP antagonist’s antidepressive effects, up-regulated SP receptors in the CeA might contribute to the development of stress-related depression.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, 46202, Indianapolis, Indiana

    Bang H. Hwang

  2. Eli Lilly and Company, 46285, Indianapolis, IN

    Jason Katner & Smriti Iyengar

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  1. Bang H. Hwang
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  2. Jason Katner
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Correspondence to Bang H. Hwang.

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Parts of the results have been presented at the summer neuropeptide conference (June 8–12, 2003, Montauk, NY) as P-37 (Neuropeptides [2003] 37, 192).

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Hwang, B.H., Katner, J. & Iyengar, S. Corticotropin-releasing factor mRNA and substance P receptor binding in the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus, central nucleus of the amygdala, and locus coeruleus of sprague-dawley rats following restraint-induced stress. J Mol Neurosci 25, 239–250 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1385/JMN:25:3:239

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