help button home button Endocrine Society Endocrinology
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Request Copyright Permission
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Insel, T. R.
Right arrow Articles by Witt, D. M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Insel, T. R.
Right arrow Articles by Witt, D. M.

Endocrinology, Vol 130, 2602-2608, Copyright © 1992 by Endocrine Society

ARTICLES

Homologous regulation of brain oxytocin receptors

TR Insel, JT Winslow and DM Witt
Laboratory of Neurophysiology, National Institute of Mental Health, Poolesville, Maryland 20837.

Specific receptors for oxytocin have been identified in rat forebrain. Previous studies have demonstrated that in select regions, these receptors are dependent on heterologous induction by gonadal steroids. To investigate whether brain oxytocin receptors are homologously regulated by oxytocin, we measured oxytocin receptor binding after hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus lesions, repeated central injections of oxytocin, and continuous central infusion of oxytocin via osmotic minipump. Neither lesions of the paraventricular nucleus nor repeated oxytocin injections altered the binding of the selective oxytocin receptor ligand [125I]OTA [125I] d(CH2)5[Tyr(Me)2,Thr4,Tyr- NH2(9)] ornithine vasotocin, as measured by in vitro receptor autoradiography. After 10 days of continuous oxytocin infusion by osmotic minipump, oxytocin receptor binding decreased in every target field by at least 50%. This decrease appeared to represent a down- regulation of receptors and not displacement by exogenous peptide, as it persisted for at least 24 h after pump removal, and binding remained reduced in the presence of a saturating concentration of [125I] OTA. Reduction of oxytocin receptors in response to increased oxytocin release may represent an important physiological mechanism for the regulation of central oxytocin neurotransmission.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J. Neurosci.Home page
R. J. Windle, Y. M. Kershaw, N. Shanks, S. A. Wood, S. L. Lightman, and C. D. Ingram
Oxytocin Attenuates Stress-Induced c-fos mRNA Expression in Specific Forebrain Regions Associated with Modulation of Hypothalamo-Pituitary-Adrenal Activity
J. Neurosci., March 24, 2004; 24(12): 2974 - 2982.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USAHome page
J. Paquin, B. A. Danalache, M. Jankowski, S. M. McCann, and J. Gutkowska
Oxytocin induces differentiation of P19 embryonic stem cells to cardiomyocytes
PNAS, July 9, 2002; 99(14): 9550 - 9555.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Endocrinology Endocrine Reviews J. Clin. End. & Metab.
Molecular Endocrinology Recent Prog. Horm. Res. All Endocrine Journals
Copyright © 1992 by The Endocrine Society