scholarly journals Estrogens downregulate urocortin 2 expression in rat uterus

2013 ◽  
Vol 219 (3) ◽  
pp. 269-278 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenichiro Watanabe ◽  
Takahiro Nemoto ◽  
Shigeo Akira ◽  
Toshiyuki Takeshita ◽  
Tamotsu Shibasaki
Keyword(s):  
Mrna Expression ◽  
Passive Immunization ◽  
Estradiol Benzoate ◽  
Estrogen Receptor Α ◽  
Female Rats ◽  
Regulatory Mechanisms ◽  
Ovariectomized Rats ◽  
Expression Levels ◽  
Old Rats ◽  
Mrna Expression Levels

Urocortin 2 (Ucn2) is a member of the corticotropin-releasing factor peptide family and is expressed by various tissues, including reproductive tissues such as the uterus, ovary, and placenta. However, the regulatory mechanisms of Ucn2 expression and the physiological significance of Ucn2 in these tissues remain unclear. We previously showed that passive immunization of immature female rats by i.p. injection of anti-Ucn2 IgG induces earlier onset of puberty. Therefore, this study was designed to clarify the site and regulatory mechanisms of Ucn2 expression in the uterus. Expression levels of Ucn2 mRNA in the uterus were higher in immature (2- and 4-week-old) and aged (17-month-old) rats than in mature (9-week-old) rats in the proestrus phase. In 9-week-old rats, mRNA expression levels and contents in the uterus were lower in the proestrus phase than in the diestrus phase, while plasma Ucn2 concentrations did not differ between the two phases. Ucn2-like immunoreactivitiy was detected in the endometrial gland epithelial cells of the uterus. S.c. injection of estradiol benzoate or an estrogen receptor α (ERα) agonist significantly reduced mRNA expression levels and contents of Ucn2 in the uterus when compared with vehicle-injected ovariectomized rats. By contrast, estradiol benzoate increased Ucn2 mRNA expression levels in the lung. Thus, estrogens downregulate Ucn2 expression in the uterus in a tissue-specific manner, and Ucn2 may play a role in the regulatory mechanisms of maturation of the uterus through ERα and estrous cycle.

scholarly journals The role of CXCR3 and its ligands expression in Brucellar spondylitis

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xin Hu ◽  
Xiaoqian Shang ◽  
Liang Wang ◽  
Jiahui Fan ◽  
Yue Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protein Expression ◽  
Mrna Expression ◽  
Mononuclear Cells ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Inflammatory Infiltration ◽  
Peripheral Blood Mononuclear ◽  
Expression Levels ◽  
Inflammatory Damage ◽  
Ifn Γ ◽  
Mrna Expression Levels

Abstract Aim Brucellar spondylitis (BS) is one of the most serious complications of brucellosis. CXCR3 is closely related to the severity of disease infection. This research aimed to study the degree of BS inflammatory damage through analyzing the expression levels of CXCR3 and its ligands (CXCL9 and CXCL10) in patients with BS. Methods A total of 29 BS patients and 15 healthy controls were enrolled. Real-Time PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of IFN-γ, CXCR3, CXCL9 and CXCL10 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of BS patients and healthy controls. Hematoxylin-Eosin staining was used to show the pathological changes in BS lesion tissues. Immunohistochemistry staining was used to show the protein expression levels of Brucella-Ab, IFN-γ, CXCR3, CXCL9 and CXCL10 in BS lesion tissues. At the same time, ELISA was used to detect the serum levels of IFN-γ, CXCL9 CXCL10 and autoantibodies against CXCR3 in patients with BS. Results In lesion tissue of BS patients, it showed necrosis of cartilage, acute or chronic inflammatory infiltration. Brucella-Ab protein was abundantly expressed in close lesion tissue. And the protein expression levels of IFN-γ, CXCR3 and CXCL10 were highly expressed in close lesion tissue and serum of BS patients. At the same time, the mRNA expression levels of IFN-γ, CXCR3 and CXCL10 in PBMCs of BS patients were significantly higher than those in controls. Conclusion In our research, the expression levels of IFN-γ, CXCR3 and its ligands were significantly higher than those in controls. It suggested that high expression levels of IFN-γ, CXCR3 and its ligands indicated a serious inflammatory damage in patients with BS.

Unilateral labyrinthectomy induced changes on GDNF receptor complex proteins in the rat medial vestibular nuclei

2007 ◽  
Vol 16 (4-5) ◽  
pp. 171-177
Author(s):  
Adrian Lozada ◽  
Kaj Karlstedt ◽  
Pertti Panula ◽  
Antti A. Aarnisalo
Keyword(s):  
Mrna Expression ◽  
Vestibular Nucleus ◽  
Medial Vestibular Nucleus ◽  
Receptor Complex ◽  
Trophic Effect ◽  
Expression Levels ◽  
Protein Levels ◽  
Unilateral Labyrinthectomy ◽  
Ganglion Neurons ◽  
Mrna Expression Levels

In the auditory periphery, GDNF has been shown to have a trophic effect to spiral ganglion neurons, both during development and in adult animals. We have studied the effect of unilateral labyrinthectomy (UL) on protein levels and expression of GDNF multicomponent receptor complex: the ret tyrosine kinase and coreceptor GFRα-1 in the medial vestibular nucleus of the adult rat. GFRα-1 protein levels display an increasing trend in ipsilateral medial vestibular nucleus culminating at 48 h post UL. On the other hand, GFRα-1 mRNA expression levels in ipsi- and contralateral medial vestibular nucleus show a steadily decreasing trend that is significant at 1 week post-lesion. Protein levels for c-Ret isoforms also show an initial bilateral decreasing trend that ceases at 48 h in ipsilateral medial vestibular nucleus but persists on the contralateral side. c-Ret mRNA expression levels show a significant decrease at 4 h post UL followed by another significant decrease 1 week post UL. Our data would suggest that neurotrophins belonging to the GDNF family are involved in this model of post-lesional CNS plasticity.

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