title: Glucocorticoid regulation of proopiomelanocortin messenger ribonucleic acid content of rat hypothalamus.
abstract: We have verified the possibility that the POMC gene of the rat hypothalamus might be subject to regulation by glucocorticoids. Adrenalectomy increased the concentration of POMC mRNA in anterior pituitary and in hypothalamus, but not in the neurointermediate lobe of the pituitary gland. Dexamethasone and, to a slightly lesser extent, corticosterone treatments reversed the adrenalectomy-induced increase in POMC mRNA concentrations in both anterior pituitary and hypothalamus. Dexamethasone caused a slight decrease of POMC mRNA levels in the neurointermediate lobe of the pituitary gland, while corticosterone had no effect. These results indicate that the POMC gene of the rat brain hypothalamus is also under negative control by glucocorticoids.
authors.affiliation: Unité d'Ontogénèse et Génétique Moléculaires, Laval University Hospital Centre, Ste-Foy, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Beaulieu
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gagné
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Barden
mesh_terms: D000315:Adrenalectomy; D000818:Animals; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D005796:Genes / Q000187:drug effects*; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000378:metabolism; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012016:Reference Values; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin; D003907:Dexamethasone; D003345:Corticosterone