Urocortin 2-deficient Mice Exhibit Gender-specific Alterations in Circadian Hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal Axis and Depressive-like Behavior.
From: Clayton Foundation Laboratories for Peptide Biology, The Salk Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA.
The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience
- Publish Date: May 2006
- ISSN: 1529-2401
- Volume: 26
- Issue: 20
- Pages: 5500-10
- Medium: Internet
- Language: English
- Citation (JAMA): Chen Alon, Zorrilla Eric, Smith Sean, et al. Urocortin 2-deficient Mice Exhibit Gender-specific Alterations in Circadian Hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal Axis and Depressive-like Behavior.. J. Neurosci. May 2006;26:5500-10
Abstract
Gender differences in hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activation and the prevalence of mood disorders are well documented. Urocortin 2, a recently identified member of the corticotropin-releasing factor family, is expressed in discrete neuroendocrine and stress-related nuclei of the rodent CNS. To determine the physiological role of urocortin 2, mice null for urocortin 2 were generated and HPA axis activity, ingestive, and stress-related behaviors and alterations in expression levels of CRF-related ligands and receptors were examined. Here we report that female, but not male, mice lacking urocortin 2 exhibit a significant increase in the basal daily rhythms of ACTH and corticosterone and a significant decrease in fluid intake and depressive-like behavior. The differential phenotype of urocortin 2 deficiency in female and male mice may imply a role for urocortin 2 in these gender differences.
Mesh Headings (Keywords): Adrenocorticotropic Hormone, Animals, Behavior, Animal, Brain, Cells, Cultured, Chimera, Circadian Rhythm, Corticosterone, Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone, Depressive Disorder, Disease Models, Animal, Drinking, Female, Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System, Ligands, Male, Mice, Mice, Knockout, Mice, Mutant Strains, Pituitary-Adrenal System, Sex Characteristics, Stress, Psychological, Urocortins
Check for Full Text / PubMed Unique Identifier (PMID): 16707802
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