Peripheral oxytocin treatment affects the rat adreno-medullary catecholamine content modulating expression of vesicular monoamine transporter 2.
The neuropeptide oxytocin has been shown to influence on neuroendocrine function. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of peripheral oxytocin treatment on the synthesis, uptake and content of adreno-medullary catecholamine. For this purpose oxytocin (3.6μg/100g body weight, s.c) was administrated to male rats once a day over 14 days. In order to assess the effect of peripheral oxytocin treatment on adreno-medullary catecholamine we measured epinephrine and norepinephrine content and gene expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), norepinephrine transporter (NET) and vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) in the adrenal medulla. Our results show a significant increase of epinephrine (1.7-fold, p<0.05) and norepinephrine (1.5-fold, p<0.05) content in oxytocin treated animals compared to saline treated ones. Oxytocin treatment had no effect either on mRNA or protein level of TH and NET. Under oxytocin treatment the increase in VMAT2 mRNA level was not statistically significant, but it caused a significant increase in protein level of VMAT2 (3.7-fold, p<0.001). These findings indicate that oxytocin treatment increases catecholamine content in the rat adrenal medulla modulating VMAT2 expression.
Institute "VINCA", Department of Molecular Biology and Endocrinology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
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Jovanovic
Institute "VINCA", Department of Molecular Biology and Endocrinology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
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Spasojevic
Institute "VINCA", Department of Molecular Biology and Endocrinology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
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Stefanovic
Institute "VINCA", Department of Molecular Biology and Endocrinology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
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Bozovic
Institute of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
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Jasnic
Institute of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
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Djordjevic
Institute "VINCA", Department of Molecular Biology and Endocrinology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia. Electronic address: sladj@vinca.rs.
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Dronjak
D000313:Adrenal Medulla / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D008297:Male; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D050484:Norepinephrine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D050493:Vesicular Monoamine Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D050484:Norepinephrine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; C493454:Slc18a2 protein, rat; C493226:Slc6a2 protein, rat; D050493:Vesicular Monoamine Transport Proteins; D010121:Oxytocin; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine
Adrenal-medulla; Epinephrine; Norepinephrine; Oxytocin; Vesicular monoamine transporter 2