Corticotropin releasing factor binding protein (CRF-BP) is expressed in neuronal and astrocytic cells.

Corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) binding protein (CRF-BP) was measured in media and cell lysates of primary rat astrocytes, microglia and neurons with the use of a ligand immunoradiometric assay (LIRMA). A low basal level of CRF-BP was detected in the media and cell lysates from primary neuronal and astrocyte cells after 48 h in culture. No basal expression of CRF-BP was detected in cell lysates or media from primary microglial cultures. The CRF-BP expressed in cultured astrocytes and neurons had the same pharmacological characteristics as the human recombinant molecule. After forskolin, IBMX or forskolin/IBMX treatment, a robust increase in secreted CRF-BP levels in the media from astrocytes and neurons, but not microglia, was observed. An increase in CRF-BP-like immunoreactivity in cell lysates was also observed after IBMX/forskolin treatment. In situ hybridization analysis revealed that CRF-BP mRNA was increased in primary cultured astrocytes after IBMX/forskolin stimulation suggesting that regulation was at the level of gene transcription. 'Axon sparing' lesions produced with 0.12 M quinolinic acid in PBS injected intracerebrally (unilaterally into dorsal hippocampus) resulted in loss of CRF-BP expression in neurons. These data provide evidence for the differential localization and regulation of CRF-BP in different cell types in brain and suggest that CRF-BP expression may be locally increased in disease states associated with astrocytosis and gliosis.