IDENTIFICATION OF C-TYPE NATRIURETIC PEPTIDE GENE TRANSCRIPTS IN GLIAL-CELLS

C-TYPE natriuretic peptide (CNP), a third member of the natriuretic pe ptide family, is found throughout the central nervous system (CNS), pa rticularly in those regions involved in neuroendocrine regulation. Ast rocytes, which have important physiological roles in normal neuronal f unctioning, express receptors of CNP. Using reverse transcription-poly merase chain reaction (RT-PCR), followed by hybridization with a digox igenin-labelled cDNA probe, we have demonstrated the expression of CNP gene transcripts in both cultured mouse astrocytes and rat C6 glioma cells, with the former expressing the gene at a considerably higher le vel than the latter. Our data raise the possibility that CNP may act i n autocrine and/or paracrine fashion in glial cell physiology and neur omodulate communication between glial cells and neurones.