Prepro-orexin mRNA expression in the rat brain is increased during pregnancy.
The purpose of this study was to investigate whether orexin expression in the rat brain was changed during pregnancy. Brain samples were obtained from 5 nonpregnant rats and 10 pregnant rats (5; day 10 of gestation, and 5; day 20 of gestation). Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis was performed to investigate the expression of prepro-orexin mRNA and the housekeeping gene in the rat brain. The signals were quantified by the densitometric analysis. The distribution and expression of orexin-A and orexin-B were determined using immunohistochemistry. The ratio of the prepro-orexin mRNA expressions to the housekeeping gene expression in pregnant rat brain were significantly higher than that in nonpregnant control. There was no significant difference between prepro-orexin mRNA levels of day 10 and day 20 of gestation. Immunohistochemical staining for orexin-A and orexin-B was present in neurons within and around the lateral and posterior hypothalamic areas in both nonpregnant and pregnant rats. These results suggest that increased prepro-orexin mRNA levels at early gestational age in the maternal rat has a role on energy metabolism during pregnancy.
Kanenishi
Kenji
K
Department of Perinatology and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University School of Medicine, 1750-1 Ikenobe, Miki, Kagawa 761-0793, Japan. kane@kms.ac.jp
Ueno
Masaki
M
Momose
Shuji
S
Kuwabara
Hiroko
H
Tanaka
Hirokazu
H
Sato
Chubun
C
Kobayashi
Toshiyuki
T
Hino
Okio
O
Sakamoto
Haruhiko
H
Hata
Toshiyuki
T
D000199:Actins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000068797:Orexins; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000378:metabolism*; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D000199:Actins; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D000068797:Orexins; D011498:Protein Precursors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone