Fig. 9: OT affected hypothalamus–pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis under pathological condition.
From: Endogenous oxytocin exerts anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects in rats
a ISH images of corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) in the PVN and pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) in the anterior pituitary (AP). Scale bar, 200 μm. PP posterior pituitary. Gene expression of CRH in the PVN (b) and POMC in the AP (c) after the s.c. injection of Saline or CNO (1 mg kg−1) (n = 12 slices from 6 rats, each). d Fos-ir (green), endogenous mCherry (red) and CRH-ir (blue) in the PVN at 120 min after the s.c. injection of Saline or CNO (1 mg kg−1). Scale bar, 200 μm. e Number of CRH-ir neurons co-expressed with Fos-ir neurons in the PVN (n = 12 slices from 6 rats, each). The serum concentration of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) (f) and corticosterone (CORT) (g) after the s.c. injection of Saline or CNO (1 mg kg−1) (n = 6 rats in each group at each time point). Serum concentrations of OT (h), CRH (i), ACTH (j), and CORT (k) after the s.c. injection of 5% formalin (100 µL) into right hind paw (n = 5 rats in each group at each time point). Saline or CNO (1 mg kg−1) was s.c. (systemically) administered at 0 min. *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01 vs. Saline at the same time point. See also Supplementary Fig. 10.
