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Ontogeny of Diazepam Binding Inhibitor/Acyl‐CoA Binding Protein mRNA and Peripheral Benzodiazepine Receptor mRNA Expression in the Rat 1
Author(s) -
B. Bürgi,
W. Lichtensteiger,
Lauber Me,
Margret Schlumpf
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
journal of neuroendocrinology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.062
H-Index - 116
eISSN - 1365-2826
pISSN - 0953-8194
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2826.1999.00292.x
Subject(s) - endocrinology , medicine , biology , brown adipose tissue , in situ hybridization , adipose tissue , gene expression , biochemistry , gene
The Diazepam Binding Inhibitor/Acyl‐CoA Binding Protein (DBI/ACBP) has been implicated in different functions, as acyl‐CoA transporter and as an endogenous ligand at the GABA A receptor and the peripheral benzodiazepine receptor (PBR). The latter is thought to be involved in control of steroidogenesis. We studied the ontogeny of DBI/ACBP and PBR mRNA expression in embryos and offspring of time‐pregnant Long Evans rats by in‐situ hybridization with 33 P‐endlabelled oligonucleotides. Both mRNAs were present in embryo and placenta at gestational day (G)11, the earliest stage studied. DBI/ACBP mRNA was strongly expressed from embryonic through mid‐foetal stages in central nervous system (maximum in neuroepithelium), cranial and sympathetic ganglia, anterior pituitary, adrenal cortex, thyroid, thymus, liver and (late foetal) brown adipose tissue, moderately in testis, heart, lung and kidney. In brain, a late foetal decrease of DBI/ACBP mRNA was followed by an increase at postnatal day 6. Peripheral benzodiazepine receptor mRNA expression started very low and increased to moderate levels in adrenal cortex and medulla, testis, thyroid, brown adipose tissue, liver, heart, lung, salivary gland at mid‐ to late‐foetal stages. Data suggest a significant role of DBI/ACBP at early developmental stages. Both proteins may be involved in the control of foetal steroidogenesis. However, differences in developmental patterns indicate that additional functions may be equally important during ontogeny, such as the involvement in lipid metabolism in the case of DBI/ACBP.