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Journal of Neuroscience, Vol 15, 5058-5064, Copyright © 1995 by Society for Neuroscience
Oxytocin receptor mRNA expression in the ventromedial hypothalamus during the estrous cycle
TL Bale, DM Dorsa and CA Johnston
Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle 98195, USA.
Changes in OR mRNA expression in the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) in
relation to the estrous cycle were measured by in situ hybridization with a
rat oxytocin receptor (OR) probe. Binding studies have localized ORs to
various brain regions, and have detected a high density of receptors in the
VMH, a nucleus containing large numbers of estrogen responsive neurons.
Previous studies in this lab have reported a significant increase in OR
mRNA expression in the VMH in ovariectomized rats treated with estrogen.
The present study was designed to determine whether changes in steroid
hormone levels across the estrous cycle result in induction of OR mRNA
expression. Autoradiographic studies revealed differences in OR mRNA
expression in the rostral and caudal as well as medial and lateral aspects
of the VMH. OR mRNA levels were highest in the caudal portion of the vIVMH
on the afternoon (16:00 hr) of proestrus. The rostral region exhibited a
high level of expression in the ventrolateral region of the VMH on the
morning (9:00 hr) of proestrus and in the dorsomedial region of the VMH on
the afternoon of proestrus. Little or no OR mRNA expression was evident in
the rostral or caudal VMH on the morning or evening of diestrus. These
results support previous findings which showed a regulation of OR binding
by gonadal steroids and suggest that this may be due to altered expression
of the OR gene. These effects suggest a possible role of ORs in the
oxytocin stimulated release of luteinizing hormone.
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