Changes in PACAP levels in the central nervous system after ovariectomy and castration.
The aim of the present article was to investigate the influence of gonadectomy on pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) levels in different brain areas. In males, there seems to be an inverse relationship between gonadotropins and PACAP in the brain in the acute phase of castration: PACAP levels decreased in almost all brain areas examined within the first week after castration. In females, such pattern was observed in the hypothalamus, brain stem, and temporal cortex. In the pituitary, levels decreased only on the first day after ovariectomy, and later, as in the thalamus, increases were observed. Although the pattern of change showed gender differences, our results provide further evidence that levels of gonadotropins and possibly gonadotropin-releasing hormone influence PACAP levels and that PACAP is involved in the regulation of gonadal functions.
Nemeth
Jozsef
J
Department of Anatomy, University of Pécs, 7624 Pécs, Szigeti u 12. Hungary.
Tamas
Andrea
A
Jozsa
Rita
R
Horvath
Judit E
JE
Jakab
Balazs
B
Lengvari
Istvan
I
Arimura
Akira
A
Lubics
Andrea
A
Reglódi
Dora
D
D000818:Animals; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D010052:Ovariectomy; D051219:Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D051219:Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide