Hypothalamic cocaine-amphetamine regulated transcript (CART) is regulated by glucocorticoids
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Updated: Sep 27, 2026

Stereotaxic Microinjection of Viral Vectors Expressing Cre Recombinase to Study the Role of Target Genes in Cocaine Conditioned Place Preference
Published on: July 30, 2013
Niels Vrang1, Philip J Larsen, Mads Tang-Christensen
1Rheoscience, Glerupvej 2, 2610, Rodovre, Denmark. nv@ccbr.dk
Abstract:
Cocaine-amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) is one of the most abundantly expressed mRNAs in the rat hypothalamus. CART mRNA expression in the arcuate nucleus has been shown to be regulated by leptin, and CART peptides have been implicated in feeding behavior and in the regulation of the HPA-axis. To more fully understand the physiological regulation of CART gene expression, we have examined the effects of adrenalectomy and different types of glucocorticoid substitution (corticosterone and dexamethasone) on hypothalamic CART and POMC mRNA levels. In situ hybridization revealed a reduction in CART mRNA levels in both the hypothalamic paraventricular and arcuate nuclei in adrenalectomized rats, which was fully restored upon dexamethasone treatment but not by a subcutaneous 25% corticosterone pellet. Unlike CART mRNA levels hypothalamic POMC expression was unaltered by adrenenalectomy. The present results show that the CART gene is influenced by glucocorticoids, presumably via a GR dependent mechanism.
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