The influence of restraint stress on the expression of mRNAs for IL-6 and the IL-6 receptor in the hypothalamus and midbrain of the rat.
Using the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), we investigated the influence of restraint stress on the expression of the mRNA for interleukin-6 (IL-6) and the mRNA for the IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) in the rat brain. After rats had been restrained for 4 hours, the hypothalamus and midbrain were removed at fixed intervals up to 24 hours, and levels of IL-6 mRNA and of IL-6R mRNA in these regions were determined by RT-PCR. Restraint stress significantly enhanced the expression of IL-6 mRNA and reduced that of IL-6R mRNA in the midbrain, whereas the stress caused the reduced expression of IL-6R mRNA without any change in the level of IL-6 mRNA in the hypothalamus. After the stress, the expression of mRNAs for IL-6 and IL-6R continued to diminish in both regions. These findings indicate that the levels of mRNAs for both of IL-6 and IL-6R in the rat brain can be influenced by restraint stress.
Shizuya
K
K
Department of Psychiatry, Mie University School of Medicine, Tsu, Japan. shizuya@clin.medic.mie-u.ac.jp
Komori
T
T
Fujiwara
R
R
Miyahara
S
S
Ohmori
M
M
Nomura
J
J
D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005954:Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism*; D007103:Immobilization; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000378:metabolism*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000235:genetics*
D015703:Antigens, CD; D015850:Interleukin-6; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6; D005954:Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase