GONADAL REGULATION OF SOMATOSTATIN RECEPTOR-1, RECEPTOR-2 AND RECEPTOR-3 MESSENGER-RNA LEVELS IN THE RAT ANTERIOR-PITUITARY

In order to investigate the gonadal regulation of pituitary somatostat in receptors (SSTRs)-gene expression, we studied the existence of sexu al dimorphism on SSTR1, SSTR2, and SSTR3 mRNA levels in the rat anteri or pituitary. The roles of testosterone and other non-androgenic testi cular factors were also evaluated. SSTR1, SSTR2 and SSTR3 mRNA content were assessed by in-situ hybridization in male rats lacking the influ ence of androgenic and/or non-androgenic testicular factors. We found that SSTR1 and SSTR3 mRNA levels in the anterior pituitary exhibited s exual dimorphism. Moreover, our data indicate that SSTR1 mRNA levels a re regulated by testosterone, while SSTR3 mRNA content is regulated by non-androgenic testicular factors. In contrast, SSTR2 levels are not influenced by gonadal function.