Expression of preproopiomelanocortin mRNA and preprodynorphin mRNA in brain of spontaneously hypertensive rats

AIM: To compare the expressions of prepropiomelanocortin (POMC) mRNA and
preprodynorphin (PPD) mRNA between 16-wk-old spontaneously hypertensive rats
(SHR) and age-matched normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY).
METHODS: The expression of POMC mRNA and PPD mRNA were detected with
nonradioactive in situ hybridization by digoxigenin-labeled RNA probe.
RESULTS: POMC mRNA mainly was expressed in arcuate nucleus, compared with WKY,
SHR had higher level of POMC mRNA (542). PPD mRNA was found in hippocampus,
hypothalamus, central gray, nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS), and thoracic
spinal cord (T4-T6). Compared with WKY, PPD mRNA level of SHR decreased in
dentate gyrus (2342), NTS (381), and medial preoptic area (467); no difference
was observed in arcuate nucleus (263), thoracic spinal cord (750-1800) and CA1,
CA2, CA3 of hippocampus (1674, 2014, 2626).
CONCLUSION: Increase of POMC mRNA in arcuate nucleus and decrease of PPD mRNA in
dentate gyrus of SHR may be associated with the genesis of spontaneous
hypertension.