Ontogenic Expression of Somatostatin-Messenger RNA in the Intestinal Tract of Neonatal Rats |
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Authors: | Xi Yu Yin M.D. Takashi Koshimizu M.D. Yukifumi Yokota M.D. Keiko Shibayama M.D. Yukihide Ohyama M.D. Kimio Yashiro M.D. |
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Affiliation: | Department of Pediatrics. Kitasato University, School of Medicine, Sagamihara |
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Abstract: | Ontogenic expression of somatostatin (SRIF)—messenger RNA (mRNA) in the gastrointestinal tract was examined in neonatal rats aged from 1 day preterm to 60 days postpartum in comparison with that in the hypothalamus. SRIF-mRNA in the hypothalamus was already expressed in prenatal rats and its developmental change was relatively small. In contrast, a unique pattern of SRIF-mRNA expression was seen in the different intestinal regions, gastric antrum, duodenum, jejunum and colon. In the duodenum, SRIF-mRNA level was low at birth, markedly increased during the postnatal 3 days and declined to the previous level by day 21. Jejunal SRIF-mRNA was found in neonates but progressively decreased in a similar way to duodenum. On the contrary, gastric SRIF-mRNA level, which was low during early development, rose rapidly to a peak on day 21 and gradually declined to an adult level. In the colon age-related change was not conspicuous, remaining at a low level. These results indicate that (1) expression of SRIF gene in the intestinal tract is regulated by local factor(s) as well as developmental stage, and (2) shift of SRIF-mRNA pattern occurs during weaning from the duodenum-dominant infantile pattern to the gastric-dominant adult pattern. |
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Keywords: | Somatostatin, Perinatal period, Gastrointestinal tract, Ontogenic expression. |
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