STIMULATORY EFFECT OF SAIREITO ON PROOPIOMELANOCORTIN GENE-EXPRESSIONIN THE RAT ANTERIOR-PITUITARY GLAND

The effect of administration of Saireito, a Saiko agent, via a stomach cannula on adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) release and gene expression of proopiomelanocortin (POMC), the precursor for ACTH. in the anterior pi tuitary, as well as on the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) in the hypothalamus, was examined in pentobarbital anesthetized rats. Sairei to decreased the hypothalamic CRF level due to an early release of CRF and stimulated ACTH release and POMC gene expression but did not incr ease CRF gene expression. These results suggest that Saireito does not stimulate CRF gene expression, although it does stimulate CRF release , which in turn stimulates POMC gene expression in the anterior pituit ary and ACTH release.