Increase of vasopressin mRNA in the hypothalamus of inbred polydipsic mice.
The genetically inbred polydipsic mice, STR/N strain, are characterized by extreme polydipsia and polyuria without arginine vasopressin (AVP) deficiency. The expression of AVP gene in the hypothalamus of polydipsic and non-polydipsic mice was examined by Northern blot analysis and in situ hybridization histochemistry. Northern blot analysis revealed that the total amount of AVP mRNA in the hypothalamus of the STR/N mice was approximately three-fold of that in the control, ICR mice. In situ hybridization histochemistry showed that the signals of AVP mRNA in the paraventricular (PVN) and supraoptic nuclei (SON) of the STR/N were stronger than those in the ICR. Although AVP gene transcripts were detected in the anteroventral parts of the PVN (avPVN) in the STR/N, there was a few AVP transcripts in the same area (avPVN) in the ICR. There were no differences in plasma osmolality and hematocrit between STR/N and ICR mice. These results suggest that upregulation of AVP mRNA in the hypothalamus of STR/N may be involved in the central mechanism responsible for the polydipsia in genetically polydipsic mice.
Nishi
R
R
Department of Physiology, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Kitakyushu, Japan.
Ueta
Y
Y
Serino
R
R
Nomura
M
M
Yamamoto
Y
Y
Shibuya
I
I
Koizumi
K
K
Yamashita
H
H
D000818:Animals; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D004326:Drinking / Q000502:physiology; D004327:Drinking Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000502:physiology; D006400:Hematocrit; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D011141:Polyuria / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D014868:Water Deprivation / Q000502:physiology
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin