Arginine vasotocin gene expression in neuroendocrine, reproductive and gastrointestinal tissues of the domestic fowl: detection by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction

Arginine vasotocin gene transcripts in various tissues of the domestic fowl were detected by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction followed by Southern blot analysis using a 209 bp fragment from the 3′-region of a cDNA encoding chicken arginine vasotocin as the probe. Relatively strong signals were observed with hypothalamic, adenohypophysial and proventricular RNA as the starting material. Lesser signals were obtained from RNA isolated from shell gland, adrenal gland, post-ovulatory follicles and ovarian thecal cells. Arginine vasotocin gene transcripts were undetectable in the posterior pituitary gland, small intestine and large intestine. These results suggest that in addition to its well-known antidiuretic and oxytocic actions, arginine vasotocin may act as a local neuromodulator or mediator and have other important autocrine or paracrine actions in non-hypothalamic tissues.