Transgenic mice expressing green fluorescent protein under the control of the corticotropin-releasing hormone promoter

Endocrinology. 2009 Dec;150(12):5626-32. doi: 10.1210/en.2009-0881. Epub 2009 Oct 23.

Abstract

CRH is widely expressed in the brain and is of broad functional relevance to a number of physiological processes, including stress response, parturition, immune response, and ingestive behavior. To delineate further the organization of the central CRH network, we generated mice expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) under the control of the CRH promoter, using bacterial artificial chromosome technology. Here we validate CRH-GFP transgene expression within specific brain regions and confirm the distribution of central GFP-producing cells to faithfully recapitulate that of CRH-expressing cells. Furthermore, we confirm the functional integrity of a population of GFP-producing cells by demonstrating their opposite responsiveness to nutritional status. We anticipate that this transgenic model will lend itself as a highly tractable tool for the investigation of CRH expression and function in discrete brain regions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain / anatomy & histology
  • Brain / cytology
  • Brain / metabolism*
  • Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / genetics*
  • Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / metabolism
  • Female
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / genetics*
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / metabolism
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • In Situ Hybridization / methods
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Inbred CBA
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Models, Anatomic
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic / genetics*
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism

Substances

  • RNA, Messenger
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins
  • Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone