Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UNIPROT:P01189 (beta-endorphin)
 21,003 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The physiological consequences of activating corticotropin-releasing factor receptor type 2 (CRF2) are not fully understood. The neuroanatomic distribution of this CRF receptor family member is consistent with roles in mediating the actions of CRF and similar ligands on food intake control and integrative aspects of stress-related behaviors. However, CRF2 expression in the adult rat is not influenced by stress, corticosterone (CORT), or food intake. In immature rat we have demonstrated striking downregulation of CRF2mRNA in hypothalamic ventromedial nucleus (VMH) after 24 hr of maternal deprivation, a paradigm consisting of both physiological/psychological stress and food deprivation. The current study aimed to distinguish which element or elements of maternal deprivation govern CRF2mRNA expression by isolating the effects of food intake and discrete maternal sensory cues on CRF2mRNA levels in VMH and in reciprocally communicating amygdala nuclei. In maternally deprived pups, CRF2mRNA levels in VMH and basomedial (BMA) and medial (MEA) amygdala nuclei were 62, 72, and 102% of control levels, respectively. Sensory inputs of grooming and handling as well as of the pups' own suckling activity-but not food intake-fully restored CRF2mRNA expression in VMH. In contrast, all manipulations tended to increase CRF2mRNA levels in BMA of maternally deprived rats, and surrogate grooming increased CRF2mRNA expression significantly above that of nondeprived controls. CRF2mRNA expression was not influenced significantly by plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and CORT levels. Thus, in the immature rat, (1) CRF2 expression is regulated differentially in hypothalamic and amygdala regions, and (2) CRF2mRNA levels in VMH are governed primarily by maternal or suckling-derived sensory input rather than food intake or peripheral stress hormones. These findings indicate a region-specific regulation of CRF2mRNA, supporting the participation of the receptor in neurochemically defined circuits integrating sensory cues to influence specific behavioral and visceral functions.
 ...
PMID:Differential regulation of the expression of corticotropin-releasing factor receptor type 2 (CRF2) in hypothalamus and amygdala of the immature rat by sensory input and food intake. 1023 28

We have reported that hypoxia affects the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and behavior by driving the expression of central corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and its receptors in adult mammals, and this effect is modulated by other factors. Here, we address whether or not intermittent hypoxia (IH) or restraint (R) or a combination of both (IH+R) during gestation would result in differential alteration of the HPA axis and behavior of the adult male offspring. Gravid rats were exposed to IH in a hypobaric chamber (10.8% O(2), altitude of 5 km), R, or both, daily for 4 h for 21 days. Control parameters were set at sea level (20.9% O(2)). All the stressors significantly and differentially increased CRH and corticotropin-releasing factor receptor type 1 (CRHR1) expression but decreased corticotropin-releasing factor receptor type 2 (CRHR2) in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN), enhanced CRHR1 mRNA and CRHR2 mRNA expression in the anterior pituitary, and increased plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and corticosterone (CORT) levels and adrenal weight in adult male offspring aged 120 days. Furthermore, norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DA) levels significantly increased in the locus coeruleus (LC), while the percentage of entries into the open arms of the elevated-plus maze test (EPM) markedly declined. In all the above effects, the combination-induced effect was stronger than each stressor alone. Confocal imaging showed a rich colocalization of CRHR1 with CRH or urocortin I (Ucn I), and CRHR2 with CRH or urocortin III (Ucn III) in the PVN, and CRHR1 with CRH in the LC in EPM-tested groups. In conclusion, IH or R alone or both in combination during gestation sensitize the HPA axis and induce anxiety-like behavior of the adult male offspring, and the combined effects are significantly great than IH or R alone. The CRH-NE neural circuit between the PVN and LC through CRH receptor driving might partly be involved in the effects. The differential colocalization of CRH with CRHR1 might be the neural basis of these effects.
 ...
PMID:Gestational hypoxia alone or combined with restraint sensitizes the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and induces anxiety-like behavior in adult male rat offspring. 1940