Expression of Growth Hormone Receptor Gene in Rat Hypothalamus

Growth hormone receptor (GHR) mRNA‐expressing cells in the hypothalamus were observed using hybridization histochemistry in adult male rats. Digoxigenin‐labeled cRNA corresponding to the extracellular part of rat GHR was used as a probe. Northern blotting analysis of hypothalamic total RNA from adult male rats revealed that the 4.5 kilobase (kb) transcript of the GHR gene corresponding to the GHR messenger RNA (mRNA) predominated over the 1.2 kb transcript corresponding to GH‐binding protein mRNA. GHR mRNA‐containing cells were observed in the arcuate nucleus (ARC), the periventricular nucleus (PeV), ventrolateral region of the ventromedial nucleus, the paraventricular nucleus and the supraoptic nucleus. To further understand the significance of the GHR gene expression in the hypothalamus, the effect of in vivo manipulation of GH on the somatostatin (SS) gene expression in the ARC and PeV, and the GRF gene expression in the ARC was observed among adult male rats using in situ hybridization histochemistry. Ten days after hypophysectomy, the SS mRNA level in the ARC as well as PeV was significantly lower than that in the respective nuclei of sham‐operated control rats, while the GRF mRNA level in the ARC was significantly higher than that in the ARC of control animals. Subcutaneous injection of recombinant human GH (0.33 mg) to hypophysectomized rats every 12 h for 5 days restored the SS mRNA level in the ARC and PeV, and reduced the GRF mRNA level in the ARC to that of control animals. The data suggest that GH directly acts on the hypothalamic PeV and ARC, and alters the gene expression of SS and GRF.