Faculty Collaboration Database

The effect of adrenalectomy on stress-induced c-fos mRNA expression in the rat brain. Brain Res 1996 Jan 08;706(1):137-44

Date

01/08/1996

Pubmed ID

8720501

DOI

10.1016/0006-8993(95)01215-x

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-0030033964 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   42 Citations

Abstract

Previously, we determined the pattern of stress-induced c-fos mRNA expression throughout the brain in order to gain further insight into the identification of the neural circuits mediating stress-induced regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. In the present study, we determined if rapid effects of increased glucocorticoid levels after stress contribute to changes in c-fos mRNA expression. To this end, stress-induced c-fos expression was characterized in adrenalectomized (ADX) or adrenalectomized and corticosterone replaced (ADX/B) male rats. Animals were sacrificed 30 min post-onset of a 10 min swim stress, and in situ hybridization histochemistry was used to detect c-fos mRNA throughout the brain. The pattern of c-fos induction in the ADX and ADX/B animals was similar to that observed in the sham operated animals. Additionally, densitometric measurements were made to quantify the c-fos response in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus and the CA1/2 region of the hippocampus. We found that ADX did not alter the magnitude of the c-fos response to stress in these areas, but there was a slight dampening of the response in ADX/B animals. In sum, these results suggest that the pattern of c-fos expression observed 30 min post-stress is independent of stress-induced increases in circulating glucocorticoid concentrations.

Author List

Helmreich DL, Cullinan WE, Watson SJ

Author

William E. Cullinan PhD Adjunct Associate Professor in the Neurosurgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Acute Disease
Adrenal Glands
Adrenalectomy
Animals
Brain
Glucocorticoids
In Situ Hybridization
Male
Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos
RNA, Messenger
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Stress, Physiological