DISTRIBUTION OF A GLUCOCORTICOID-INDUCED ORPHAN RECEPTOR (JP05) MESSENGER-RNA IN THE CENTRAL-NERVOUS-SYSTEM OF THE MOUSE

JP05 (originally referred to as glucocorticoid-induced receptor gene o r cDNA clone 4.2) designates a gene originally isolated from murine th ymoma WEHI-7TG cells after being treated with glucocorticoids and fors kolin. This gene is also induced by dexamethasone (a potent glucocorti coid receptor agonist) in isolated normal murine thymocytes. The predi cted amino acid sequence was found to share significant similarity to the family of G-protein-coupled receptors, in particular to the tachyk inin receptors NK-1, NK-2 and NK-3, with which it has an overall ident ity of 32%, 31% and 33%, respectively. The results of the present in s itu hybridization analysis reveal that JP05 mRNA containing cells are extensively distributed throughout the rostrocaudal extension of the b rain and spinal cord. However, the vast majority of the areas with hig h to moderate levels of JP05 mRNA were localized in the forebrain, pri marily within limbic system structures, the dorsal and ventral striatu m and in some hypothalamic nuclei. These results are discussed in rela tion to the central nervous system distribution of glucocorticoid rece ptor-containing cells and to the tachykinin system. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.