mRNA expression of corticotropin-releasing factor and urocortin 1 after restraint and foot shock together with alprazolam administration

Author(s)

Cespedes, Isabel C. ^{[1, 2]} ; de Oliveira, Amanda R. ^[2] ; da Silva, Joelcimar M. ^[2] ; da Silva, Andre V. ^[2] ; Sita, Luciane V. ^[2] ; Bittencourt, Jackson C. ^{[2, 3]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Biosci, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Lab Chem Neuroanat, Dept Anat, Inst Biomed Sci, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Psychol, Ctr Neurosci & Behav, Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Peptides; v. 31, n. 12, p. 2200-2208, DEC 2010.
• Web of Science Citations: 19

Abstract

Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is expressed in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN), and act centrally to provoke stress-like autonomic and behavioral responses. Urocortins 1-3 are additional ligands to the CRF receptors 1 and 2. Ucn 1 neurons are primarily concentrated in the Edinger-Westphal (EW) nucleus and also have been associated with stress responses. It is also known that UCN 1 respond in different ways depending on the stressor presented. Benzodiazepines can act via the CRF peptidergic system and chronic administration of alprazolam does not interfere with CRF mRNA expression in the PVN, but significantly increase Ucn 1 mRNA expression in the EW. The aim of our study was to investigate the relationship between different stressor stimuli, foot shock (FS) and restraint (R), and the mRNA expression of CRF and Ucn 1 in the PVN and EW using alprazolam (A). We employed fos activation and in situ hybridization. Restraint group presented increased fos-ir and CRF mRNA expression in the PVN compared to FS group. The stress responses of R group were prevented by A. In the EW,fos-ir was higher in the FS group than in the R group, whereas Ucn 1 mRNA expression was higher in the R group than in the FS group. Alprazolam significantly increased fos-ir and Ucn 1 mRNA expression in both groups. Our results show that PVN and EW respond in different ways to the same stressors. Furthermore, EW of stressed animals replies in a complementary way comparing to PVN with the use of Alprazolam. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 04/13849-5 - Peptidergic pathways involved in the organization of feeding behavior
• Grantee: Jackson Cioni Bittencourt
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants