Expression of Corticosterone-binding Globulin in the Rat Hypothalamus

B. Möpert; Z. Herbert; J. D. Caldwell; G. F. Jirikowski

doi:10.1055/s-2006-925344

Hormone and Metabolic Research, Table of Contents

Horm Metab Res 2006; 38(4): 246-252
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-925344

Original

Expression of Corticosterone-binding Globulin in the Rat Hypothalamus

B. Möpert¹ , Z. Herbert² , J. D. Caldwell³ , G. F. Jirikowski¹

¹Dept. of Anatomy II, Friedrich Schiller University, FSU Jena, Germany
²Department Biology II., Neurobiology, Ludwig Maximilians University, LMU München, Germany
³Dept. Biomed. Sci, University of Illinois at Rockford, Medical School, Rockford IL, USA.

Abstract

We observed coexistence of corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG) with vasopressin (VP) and oxytocin (OT) in magnocellular neurons in rat hypothalamus by combined immunoperoxidase staining and immunofluorescence. A portion of the supraoptic and of the paraventricular neurons showed double immunostaining of CBG with either VP or with OT. CBG staining was intensified by pretreating animals with colchicine to block axonal transport. CBG was also observed in widespread axonal projections throughout the lateral hypothalamus, the median eminence and the posterior pituitary lobe. Single ependymal cells and some of the endocrine cells in the anterior lobe contained specific CBG immunoreactivity. In situ hybridization of semithin sections with a synthetic oligonucleotide probe to CBG mRNA provided staining of magnocellular hypothalamic neurons, but not ependymal cells or anterior lobe cells. Western blots of CBG extracted by affinity chromatography from hypothalamus homogenates showed a band at approximately 50 kDa. Our observations indicate the intrinsic expression of CBG in peptidergic hypothalamus neurons in rat. The multiple locations of CBG-expressing neurons indicate multiple functional properties, probably exceeding the role of a mere steroid transporter. CBG is likely to be subject to axonal transport and secretion in a neuropeptide-like fashion, perhaps involved in neuroendocrine regulation, which may include stress responses.

Key words

Corticosterone · steroid · vasopressin · oxytocin · posterior lobe · hypothalamus · axonal transport

Full Text

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Prof. Dr. G. F. Jirikowski

Inst. Für Anatomie II

Klinikum der FSU · Teichgraben 7 · 07749 Jena · Germany ·

Fax: +49 (3641) 93 85 52

Email: gjir@mti.uni-jena.de