title: NGF content and expression in the rat pituitary gland and regulation by thyroid hormone.
abstract: The involvement of nerve growth factor (NGF) in neuroendocrine regulation is supported by several lines of evidence. In this paper, we investigated the NGF content and expression in the pituitary gland and other endocrine organs during dysendocrine states (thyroidectomized, adrenalectomized and gonadectomized male rats). We found an increase of NGF-IR in the pituitary gland and testis of hypothyroid rats whereas no differences were found in the adrenal gland and blood. Also, NGF mRNA expression had increased in the anterior pituitary of hypothyroid rats whereas it had not changed after adrenalectomy and gonadectomy. Moreover, other neurotrophins and neurotrophin high-affinity receptors were unchanged in the anterior pituitary of hypothyroid rats. These data indicate that pituitary NGF is selectively modulated by thyroid status of the animal, further supporting a close link between NGF and thyroid hormone.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Human Physiology, University of Cagliari, Italy. cefisnmo@mbox.vol.it
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Calzà
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Giardino
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Aloe
mesh_terms: D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000378:metabolism; D000315:Adrenalectomy; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009919:Orchiectomy; D009928:Organ Specificity; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000378:metabolism*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020801:Receptor, Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor; D020917:Receptor, trkA; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism; D013965:Thyroidectomy; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D020801:Receptor, Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D020917:Receptor, trkA