This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Copyright Permission Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Jöhren, O. Articles by Dominiak, P. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Jöhren, O. Articles by Dominiak, P.

Prepro-Orexin and Orexin Receptor mRNAs Are Differentially Expressed in Peripheral Tissues of Male and Female Rats

Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical University Lübeck, D-23538 Lübeck, Germany

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Olaf Jöhren, Ph.D., Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical University Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, D-23538 Lübeck, Germany. E-mail: joehren{at}medinf.mu-luebeck.de

Orexins are produced specifically by neurons located in the lateral hypothalamus. Recent results suggested peripheral actions of orexins. Therefore, we analyzed the mRNA expression of prepro-orexin and the orexin receptor subtypes OX₁ and OX₂ in peripheral rat tissues. Using real-time quantitative RT-PCR we detected significant amounts of prepro-orexin mRNA in testis, but not in ovaries. OX₁ receptor mRNA was highly expressed in the brain and at lower levels in the pituitary gland. Only small amounts of OX₁ receptor mRNA were found in other tissues such as kidney, adrenal, thyroid, testis, ovaries, and jejunum. Very high levels of OX₂ receptor mRNA, 4-fold higher than in brain, were found in adrenal glands of male rats. Low amounts of OX₂ receptor mRNA were present in lung and pituitary. In adrenal glands, OX₂ receptor mRNA was localized in the zona glomerulosa and reticularis by in situ hybridization, indicating a role in adrenal steroid synthesis and/or release. OX₁ receptor mRNA in the pituitary and OX₂ receptor mRNA in the adrenal gland were much higher in male than in female rats. In the hypothalamus, OX₁ receptor mRNA was slightly elevated in female rats. The differential mRNA expression of orexin receptor subtypes in peripheral organs indicates discrete peripheral effects of orexins and the existence of a peripheral orexin system. This is supported by the detection of orexin A in rat plasma. Moreover, the sexually dimorphic expression of OX₁ and OX₂ receptors in the hypothalamus, pituitary, and adrenal glands suggests gender-specific roles of orexins in the control of endocrine functions.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				P. Silveyra, V. Lux-Lantos, and C. Libertun Both orexin receptors are expressed in rat ovaries and fluctuate with the estrous cycle: effects of orexin receptor antagonists on gonadotropins and ovulation Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, October 1, 2007; 293(4): E977 - E985. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Muller, N. Schweitzer, O. Johren, P. Dominiak, and W. Raasch Angiotensin II stimulates the reactivity of the pituitary-adrenal axis in leptin-resistant Zucker rats, thereby influencing the glucose utilization Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, September 1, 2007; 293(3): E802 - E810. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Silveyra, P. N. Catalano, V. Lux-Lantos, and C. Libertun Impact of proestrous milieu on expression of orexin receptors and prepro-orexin in rat hypothalamus and hypophysis: actions of Cetrorelix and Nembutal Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, March 1, 2007; 292(3): E820 - E828. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J E Digby, J Chen, J Y Tang, H Lehnert, R N Matthews, and H S Randeva Orexin receptor expression in human adipose tissue: effects of orexin-A and orexin-B. J. Endocrinol., October 1, 2006; 191(1): 129 - 136. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Voisin, A. E. Firar, V. Avondo, and M. Laburthe Orexin-Induced Apoptosis: The Key Role of the Seven-Transmembrane Domain Orexin Type 2 Receptor Endocrinology, October 1, 2006; 147(10): 4977 - 4984. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. Raasch, C. Wittmershaus, A. Dendorfer, I. Voges, F. Pahlke, C. Dodt, P. Dominiak, and O. Johren Angiotensin II Inhibition Reduces Stress Sensitivity of Hypothalamo-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats Endocrinology, July 1, 2006; 147(7): 3539 - 3546. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Spinazzi, P. G. Andreis, G. P. Rossi, and G. G. Nussdorfer Orexins in the regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Pharmacol. Rev., March 1, 2006; 58(1): 46 - 57. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G Sun, Z Tian, Y Yao, H Li, and T Higuchi Central and/or peripheral immunoreactivity of orexin-A in pregnant rats and women J. Mol. Endocrinol., February 1, 2006; 36(1): 131 - 138. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. R. Holland, S. Akerman, and P. J. Goadsby Orexin 1 Receptor Activation Attenuates Neurogenic Dural Vasodilation in an Animal Model of Trigeminovascular Nociception J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., December 1, 2005; 315(3): 1380 - 1385. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. L. Barreiro, R. Pineda, F. Gaytan, M. Archanco, M. A. Burrell, J. M. Castellano, H. Hakovirta, M. Nurmio, L. Pinilla, E. Aguilar, et al. Pattern of Orexin Expression and Direct Biological Actions of Orexin-A in Rat Testis Endocrinology, December 1, 2005; 146(12): 5164 - 5175. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Spinazzi, M. Rucinski, G. Neri, L. K. Malendowicz, and G. G. Nussdorfer Preproorexin and Orexin Receptors Are Expressed in Cortisol-Secreting Adrenocortical Adenomas, and Orexins Stimulate in Vitro Cortisol Secretion and Growth of Tumor Cells J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., June 1, 2005; 90(6): 3544 - 3549. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Karteris, R. J. Machado, J. Chen, S. Zervou, E. W. Hillhouse, and H. S. Randeva Food deprivation differentially modulates orexin receptor expression and signaling in rat hypothalamus and adrenal cortex Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, June 1, 2005; 288(6): E1089 - E1100. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. M. Taylor, J. R. Baker, and W. K. Samson Brain-derived adrenomedullin controls blood volume through the regulation of arginine vasopressin production and release Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, May 1, 2005; 288(5): R1203 - R1210. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Chen and H. S. Randeva Genomic Organization of Mouse Orexin Receptors: Characterization of Two Novel Tissue-Specific Splice Variants Mol. Endocrinol., November 1, 2004; 18(11): 2790 - 2804. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Rouet-Benzineb, C. Rouyer-Fessard, A. Jarry, V. Avondo, C. Pouzet, M. Yanagisawa, C. Laboisse, M. Laburthe, and T. Voisin Orexins Acting at Native OX1 Receptor in Colon Cancer and Neuroblastoma Cells or at Recombinant OX1 Receptor Suppress Cell Growth by Inducing Apoptosis J. Biol. Chem., October 29, 2004; 279(44): 45875 - 45886. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. W. Kok, F. Roelfsema, S. Overeem, G. J. Lammers, M. Frolich, A. E. Meinders, and H. Pijl Pulsatile LH release is diminished, whereas FSH secretion is normal, in hypocretin-deficient narcoleptic men Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, October 1, 2004; 287(4): E630 - E636. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. L. Barreiro, R. Pineda, V. M. Navarro, M. Lopez, J. S. Suominen, L. Pinilla, R. Senaris, J. Toppari, E. Aguilar, C. Dieguez, et al. Orexin 1 Receptor Messenger Ribonucleic Acid Expression and Stimulation of Testosterone Secretion by Orexin-A in Rat Testis Endocrinology, May 1, 2004; 145(5): 2297 - 2306. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Karteris, J. Chen, and H. S. Randeva Expression of Human Prepro-Orexin and Signaling Characteristics of Orexin Receptors in the Male Reproductive System J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., April 1, 2004; 89(4): 1957 - 1962. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Ehmke and A. Just The orexins: linking circulatory control with behavior Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, September 1, 2003; 285(3): R519 - R521. [Full Text] [PDF]

				O. Johren, N. Bruggemann, A. Dendorfer, and P. Dominiak Gonadal Steroids Differentially Regulate the Messenger Ribonucleic Acid Expression of Pituitary Orexin Type 1 Receptors and Adrenal Orexin Type 2 Receptors Endocrinology, April 1, 2003; 144(4): 1219 - 1225. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				O. Johren, C. Golsch, A. Dendorfer, F. Qadri, W. Hauser, and P. Dominiak Differential Expression of AT1 Receptors in the Pituitary and Adrenal Gland of SHR and WKY Hypertension, April 1, 2003; 41(4): 984 - 990. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Shirasaka, M. Takasaki, and H. Kannan Cardiovascular effects of leptin and orexins Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, March 1, 2003; 284(3): R639 - R651. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Ouedraogo, E. Naslund, and A. L. Kirchgessner Glucose Regulates the Release of Orexin-A From the Endocrine Pancreas Diabetes, January 1, 2003; 52(1): 111 - 117. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Xu, Q. Wang, M. Yan, M. Hernandez, C. Gong, W. C. Boon, Y. Murata, Y. Ueta, and C. Chen Orexin-A Augments Voltage-Gated Ca2+ Currents and Synergistically Increases Growth Hormone (GH) Secretion with GH-Releasing Hormone in Primary Cultured Ovine Somatotropes Endocrinology, December 1, 2002; 143(12): 4609 - 4619. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. P. Kukkonen, T. Holmqvist, S. Ammoun, and K. E. O. Akerman Functions of the orexinergic/hypocretinergic system Am J Physiol Cell Physiol, December 1, 2002; 283(6): C1567 - C1591. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]