Correlation of hypothalamic somatostatin mRNA expression and peptide content with secretion: Sexual dimorphism and differential regulation by gonadalfactors
He. Murray et al., Correlation of hypothalamic somatostatin mRNA expression and peptide content with secretion: Sexual dimorphism and differential regulation by gonadalfactors, J NEUROENDO, 11(1), 1999, pp. 27-33
Sex differences in growth hormone (GH) secretion in the rat are thought to
be determined, to a large extent, by gonadal steroid-dependent sex differen
ces in somatostatin (SRIH) secretion from neurones in the periventricular n
ucleus (PeN) which project to the median eminence (ME). The present study a
imed to obtain direct evidence for sex differences and gonadal regulation o
f SRIH release within this pathway and to determine the relationships betwe
en SRIH mRNA expression, SRIH peptide content and SRIH secretion in the adu
lt rat. Somatostatin mRNA expression in the PeN and peptide content in both
PeN and ME were higher in males than females (P<0.05). However, both basal
and 56 mM K+-stimulated SRIH release in vitro from hypothalamic explants i
ncorporating the PeN-ME pathway were higher (P<0.01) in females. The gonade
ctomy of female rats resulted in significantly reduced basal levels of SRIH
release equivalent to that of males but had no effect on SRIH mRNA/peptide
content or K+-stimulated release. In contrast, gonadectomy of male rats re
duced SRIH mRNA and peptide contents and elevated K+-stimulated secretion (
P<0.01) to levels similar to that seen in intact females, without affecting
basal release. In summary, these results demonstrate that in the PeN-ME of
the adult rat: (1) SRIH mRNA and peptide content is well correlated and se
xually dimorphic but dependent on gonadal factors in the male only; (2) SRI
H secretion is sexually dimorphic and dependent on gonadal factors; but (3)
differences in mRNA/peptide content do not reflect secretory capacity; and
(4) gonadal factors differentially modulate SRIH secretory dynamics in mal
es and females.