Regulation of arginine vasopressin mRNA in rat fetal hypothalamic cell culture. Role of protein kinases and glucocorticoids.

Studies have been performed to investigate the regulation of arginine vasopressin (AVP) mRNA expression in fetal hypothalamic cultures. AVP mRNA-positive neurones were identified by in-situ hybridization histochemistry, and changes in mRNA expression were quantitated by nuclease protection assay. Both protein kinase C and protein kinase A activators increased the expression of AVP mRNA, in contrast to dexamethasone, which inhibited the responses to both protein kinase C and protein kinase A activation.