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Abstract
We determined whether estrogen regulates the expression of arginine-vasopressin (AVP)
receptor mRNA in the preoptic area (POA) of female rats. By reverse transcription-polymerase
chain reaction (PCR), we found that all three types of the AVP receptor mRNA, V1a,
V1b and V2, were expressed in the POA, though the amount of PCR products was apparently
different among them. In situ hybridization indicated that AVP V1a receptor mRNA was
densely expressed in the POA, especially in the anteroventral periventricular nucleus
of the POA; in contrast, AVP V1b and V2 receptor mRNAs were not abundant in this area.
Finally, we demonstrated by Northern blot that estrogen significantly increased the
expression of AVP V1a receptor mRNA in the POA of young ovariectomized rats. However,
this regulation by estrogen was lost in middle-aged rats, indicating an age-related
impairment in the regulation of AVP V1a receptor mRNA by estrogen in the POA.