Role of Cardiovascular-related Peptides in the Brain : Genetic, Molecular Biological, Morphological and Physiological Aspects.

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The purpose of the present study was to investigate the role of cardiovascular-related peptides in the central nervous system (CNS), using genetic, molecular biological, morphological and physiological approaches. These approaches focused on the integrative investigation of the role from the genetics to behavior of cardiovascular-related peptides in the CNS. The examined cardiovascular-related peptides were vasopressin, adrenomedullin, orexin/hypocretin, leptin, TRH, CRH, urocortin and PACAP. (1) The expression of the vasopressin gene in the hypothalamus was upregulated in genetically polydipsic mice. (2) Adrenomedullin-like immunoreactive cells were distributed in the hypothalamic area, including the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and supraoptic nucleus (SON) of rats. Central administration of adrenomedullin selectively activated oxytocin-secreting neurons in the PVN and the SON with elevation of plasma oxytocin. (3) Orexin/hypocretin was newly discovered orexigenic peptides. Orexin-pr … More oducing neurons were localized in the lateral hypothalamic area. Their axons project to various regions in the CNS. Central administration of orexin selectively activated hypothalamo-pituitary adrenal axis in rats. Neonatal development of orexin in rats were examined. The expression of the orexin gene was markedly increased 15 and 20 days after birth. (4) The food deprivation induced down-regulation of neuronal nitric oxide synthase gene, TRH gene and CRH gene in the PVN were prevented by replacement with leptin. (5) The immunoreactivity of urocotin-producing cells and fibers in the SON was increased in the SON of hypertensive salt sensitive Dahl rats. (6) Central administration of PACAP activated vasopressin-secreting cells in the PVN and the SON and caused an increase in vasopressin heteronuclear RNA in the PVN and the SON. Kainic acid-induced seizure caused a marked induction of the PACAP gene in the parvocellular division of the PVN of rats. Furthermore, it is important to examine the role of cardiovascular-related peptides in the CNS. Less