Elsevier

Molecular Brain Research

Volume 72, Issue 1, 8 September 1999, Pages 97-102
Molecular Brain Research

Short communication
Discrete expression of insulin receptor substrate-4 mRNA in adult rat brain

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0169-328X(99)00160-6Get rights and content
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Abstract

The insulin receptor substrate (IRS) proteins are a family of important regulatory adapters that mediate the coupling between receptor-associated tyrosine kinases and downstream effectors including phosphatidylinositol-3′-kinases (PI-3-Ks). In the present study, the distribution of IRS-4 mRNA was determined in rat brain by in situ hybridization. IRS-4 mRNA was widely expressed throughout the hypothalamus, with the most dense labeling observed in the medial preoptic nucleus, ventromedial hypothalamus, and arcuate nucleus. In contrast, and unlike IRS-1 or IRS-2, expression of IRS-4 mRNA in other forebrain and midbrain regions was much more restricted. The expression of IRS-4 mRNA in the hypothalamus suggests a specific role for this factor in the signaling of one or more receptors involved hypothalamic functions including feeding, lactation, sexual and parental behaviors.

Keywords

Insulin receptor substrate family
Hypothalamus
Tyrosine kinase substrate
In situ hybridization

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