Different effects of insulin and 2-deoxy-D-glucose administration on tyrosine hydroxylase gene expression in the locus coeruleus and the adrenal medulla in rats

The major brain norepinephrinergic nucleus, locus coeruleus, is an important integrating element of extero- and interoceptive stimuli in organisms facing different physiological challenges. We investigated the effects of single and repeated (seven times) exposure to immobilization stress (120 min daily), insulin (5 IU/kg, i.p. daily) or 2-deoxy-d-glucose (500 mg/kg, i.p. daily) administration on tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) mRNA levels, the rate-limiting enzyme in catecholamine biosynthesis, by in situ hybridization in locus coeruleus and by Northern blot analysis in the adrenal medulla of rats. Both the single and repeated immobilization caused a significant increase in TH mRNA levels in the locus coeruleus (1.5–2-fold; p < 0.05) and in the adrenal medulla (about 4-fold; p < 0.05) when compared with unstressed controls. Hypoglycemia induced by a single or repeated insulin administration led to about fourfold (p < 0.01) elevation in adrenal medullary TH mRNA levels, whereas TH mRNA in locus coeruleus remained unchanged when compared with saline-treated controls. In contrast to the effect of insulin-induced hypoglycemia, cellular glucoprivation caused by a single or repeated 2-deoxy-d-glucose administration significantly elevated TH mRNA levels in both the adrenal medulla (fourfold; p < 0.01) and the locus coeruleus (twofold; p < 0.01). Our data suggest that in contrast to immobilization or cellular glucoprivation caused by 2-deoxy-d-glucose administration, insulin-induced hypoglycemia is not a specific or quantitatively sufficient stimulus for induction of TH gene expression in the locus coeruleus, although all these stressors strongly activate the process in the adrenal medulla.