A Brain Region-Dependent Alteration in the Expression of Vasopressin, Corticotropin-Releasing Factor, and Their Receptors Might Be in the Background of Kisspeptin-13-Induced Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Activation and Anxiety in Rats

• Published in: Biomedicines 2023-09, Vol.11 (9), p.2446
• Main Authors: Csabafi, Krisztina, Ibos, Katalin Eszter, Bodnár, Éva, Filkor, Kata, Szakács, Júlia, Bagosi, Zsolt
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: ACTH; Amygdala; Anxiety; arginine vasopressin; Argipressin; Behavior; Brain; Brain research; Corticosterone; Corticotropin releasing hormone; corticotropin-releasing factor; Down-regulation; Experiments; Gene expression; Genes; Hippocampus; Hormones; Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis; Hypothalamus; Kiss1 protein; kisspeptin; Laboratory animals; Mediation; Methylene blue; mRNA; Nervous system; Neuropeptides; Open-field behavior; Pituitary; RNA; Scientific equipment and supplies industry; Stress; Stress response; Vasopressin
• ISSN: 2227-9059; 2227-9059
• DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11092446

Previously, we reported that intracerebroventricularly administered kisspeptin-13 (KP-13) induces anxiety-like behavior and activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in rats. In the present study, we aimed to shed light on the mediation of KP-13′s stress-evoking actions. The relative gene expressions of the corticotropin-releasing factor (Crf, Crfr1, and Crfr2) and arginine vasopressin (Avp, Avpr1a, and Avpr1b) systems were measured in the amygdala and hippocampus of male Wistar rats after icv KP-13 treatment. CRF and AVP protein content were also determined. A different set of animals received CRF or V1 receptor antagonist pretreatment before the KP-13 challenge, after which either an open-field test or plasma corticosterone levels measurement was performed. In the amygdala, KP-13 induced an upregulation of Avp and Avpr1b expression, and a downregulation of Crf. In the hippocampus, the mRNA level of Crf increased and the level of Avpr1a decreased. A significant rise in AVP protein content was also detected in the amygdala. KP-13 also evoked anxiety-like behavior in the open field test, which the V1 receptor blocker antagonized. Both CRF and V1 receptor blockers reduced the KP-13-evoked rise in the plasma corticosterone level. This suggests that KP-13 alters the AVP and CRF signaling and that might be responsible for its effect on the HPA axis and anxiety-like behavior.