CHRONIC ETHANOL INTAKE DECREASES VASOPRESSIN MESSENGER-RNA CONTENT INTHE RAT HYPOTHALAMUS - A PCR STUDY

Vasopressin mRNA content was studied by quantitative reverse transcrip tase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in the hypothalami of rats chr onically treated with ethanol (EtOH). Quantitative RT-PCR allows for t he accurate measurement of peptide mRNA levels in discrete regions of the brain of individual animals. EtOH markedly reduced the level of va sopressin mRNA. Furthermore, salt loading was ineffective in inducing a significant increase in vasopressin mRNA level in EtOH-treated rats, unlike in controls. The present results suggest that EtOH not only de creases vasopressin mRNA content in the rat hypothalamus, but also imp airs its capacity to respond to salt loading.