| First Author | Karolyi IJ | Year | 1999 |
| Journal | Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A | Volume | 96 |
| Issue | 20 | Pages | 11595-600 |
| PubMed ID | 10500222 | Mgi Jnum | J:57963 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:1346249 | Doi | 10.1073/pnas.96.20.11595 |
| Citation | Karolyi IJ, et al. (1999) Altered anxiety and weight gain in corticotropin-releasing hormone-binding protein-deficient mice. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 96(20):11595-600 |
| abstractText | Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) is widely recognized as the primary mediator of the neuroendocrine and behavioral responses to stress, including stress-induced anxiety. The biological activity of CRH and other mammalian CRH-like peptides, such as urocortin, may be modulated by CRH-binding protein (CRH-BP). To assess directly the CRH-BP function, we created a mouse model of CRH-BP deficiency by gene targeting. Basal adrenocorticotropic hormone and corticosterone levels are unchanged in the CRH-BP-deficient mice, and the animals demonstrate a normal increase in adrenocorticotropic hormone and corticosterone after restraint stress. In contrast, adult male CRH-BP-deficient mice show significantly reduced body weight when compared with wild-type controls. CRH-BP-deficient mice also exhibit a significant increase in anxiogenic-like behavior as assessed by the elevated plus maze and defensive withdrawal tests. The increased anorectic and anxiogenic-like behavior most likely is caused by increased 'free' CRH and/or urocortin levels in the brain of CRH-BP-deficient animals, suggesting an important role for CRH-BP in maintaining appropriate levels of these peptides in the central nervous system. |
