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PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
3
pubmed:dateCreated
2007-6-27
pubmed:abstractText
Oxytocin (OT) is one of the neuropituitary hormones and is synthesized in the neurons of the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and supraoptic nucleus (SON). Previous studies have shown that the mRNAs encoding OT are delivered from the soma to both dendrites and axons of the neurons in the PVN and SON. However, it has not been elucidated whether a translational regulation mechanism to enable local synthesis of the hormone exists in the axons of the neurons of PVN and SON. Elongation factor 2 (EF2) is essential for polypeptide synthesis during protein translation. Moreover, phosphorylation of EF2 by EF2 kinase enhances the translation of certain mRNA species. In the present study, in order to shed light on the mechanisms involved in the translational regulation of OT synthesis, we investigated the localization of phosphorylated EF2. Phospho-EF2 was localized in the soma of the neurons in PVN and SON, and in the swellings of the median eminence where axonal tracts of the neurons in the PVN and SON exist. The phosphorylated form was also observed in the rat hypophysis. Moreover, phospho-EF2 and OT were colocalized in a part of the neurons in the PVN and SON. These results suggest that OT may be partially translated in the axons of neurons in the PVN and SON, and then secreted from the pituitary.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Jun
pubmed:issn
0386-300X
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
61
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
161-6
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2007
pubmed:articleTitle
Colocalization of oxytocin and phosphorylated form of elongation factor 2 in the rat hypothalamus.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Physiology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama 700-8558, Japan.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article