title: Sex-related differences and thyroid hormone regulation of vasoactive intestinal peptide gene expression in the rat brain and pituitary.
abstract: To determine the effects of hypothyroidism and sexual dimorphism on the gene expression of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in the rat brain, VIP mRNA levels were measured in the cerebral cortex, hypothalamus and anterior pituitary of control and hypothyroid (thionamide-treated) rats. A tissue-specific increase in VIP mRNA level was observed in the hypothyroid pituitary. In addition, higher levels of VIP mRNA were found in the pituitaries of male rats suggesting a sex-related difference in VIP gene expression. Similar differences were not observed in the cortex or hypothalamus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital.
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Srivastava
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D009928:Organ Specificity / Q000502:physiology; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000502:physiology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000502:physiology*; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D013963:Thyroid Hormones; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide