Journal of Neuroscience, Vol 8, 3797-3811, Copyright © 1988 by Society for Neuroscience
Differential expression of vasopressin alleles in the Brattleboro heterozygote
TG Sherman and SJ Watson
Mental Health Research Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 48109.
A solution hybridization/RNase protection assay for the molar quantitation
of vasopressin and oxytocin mRNAs, using synthetic complementary RNA
probes, is described. This assay was optimized to permit the identification
of vasopressin (AVP) mRNAs containing the frame-shift point deletion
causing inheritable diabetes insipidus in the Brattleboro strain of rat.
Examination of RNA from hypothalamic magnocellular tissue punches found
that of the 86.1 x 10(-18) mol [86.1 attomoles (amol)] of AVP mRNA detected
in the Brattleboro heterozygote paraventricular (PVN) nucleus, 5.2% could
be shown to be mutant AVP mRNA (AVPd RNA). The percentage of AVPd RNA
increased dramatically to 18.1% after 6 d of chronic intermittent
salt-loading. Similar percentages and percentage increases of AVPd RNA were
detected in the heterozygote supraoptic nucleus (SON). These values were
contrasted with those found in parallel studies in both Long Evans and
Brattleboro homozygotes, and compared with values for oxytocin (OT) mRNA in
all 3 AVP rat genotypes. The results of continued osmotic regulation of the
mutant AVP gene, the low native levels of AVPd RNA found in both the
Brattleboro heterozygote and homozygote, and the magnitudes of AVPd
expression change with chronic osmotic challenge were interpreted as
indicating that (1) in the diploid rat genome, both AVP alleles are
transcribed, (2) the osmotic regulation of the mutant AVP gene is normal,
and (3) the low levels of AVPd mRNA are consistent with a
shorter-than-control effective mRNA half-life.