title: Expression of delta opioid receptor mRNA and protein in the rat cerebral cortex and cerebellum is decreased by growth hormone.
abstract: Hormones released from the pituitary have been shown to regulate the expression of different proteins in the central nervous system. We wanted to examine whether peripheral administration of bovine growth hormone (bGH) regulates the expression of delta-opioid receptor (DOR) in the cerebral cortex and cerebellum. Expression of the DOR protein was quantified using Western blot densitometry. DOR mRNA was quantified with a solution hybridization RNase protection assay. Hypophysectomized (Hx) and untreated normal female rats were included in the study. All Hx rats were hormonally treated with cortisol (400 microg/kg/day) and L-thyroxine (10 microg/kg/day) for 19 days. Hypophysectomy resulted in a threefold increase in cerebral cortex and a twofold increase in cerebellum of the DOR protein compared with normal rats. One subgroup of Hx rats received bGH (1 mg/kg body weight) as a daily subcutaneous injection for 19 days. This treatment normalized the levels of DOR protein in the cerebral cortex and cerebellum. Immunohistochemical experiments showed that GH decreased DOR expression especially in layers II-VI in cerebral cortex and in stratum moleculare in cerebellum. Quantification of DOR mRNA by solution hybridization RNase protection assay corresponded to the DOR protein measurements. We conclude that the expression of DORs in cerebral cortex and cerebellum is regulated by GH.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Neuroscience, Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Anders I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Persson
authors.forename: N David
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Aberg
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Oscarsson
authors.forename: Olle G P
authors.initials: OG
authors.lastname: Isaksson
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rönnbäck
authors.forename: Fredrik
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Frick
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sonesson
authors.forename: Peter S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Eriksson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017465:Receptors, Opioid, delta / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D011506:Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017465:Receptors, Opioid, delta; D013006:Growth Hormone