Abstract

The newly described hypothalamic peptide, phoenixin, is produced in the hypothalamus and adenohypophysis, where it acts to control reproductive hormone secretion. Both phoenixin and its receptor GPR173 are expressed in the hypothalamic supraoptic (SON) and paraventricular (PVN) nuclei, suggesting additional, nonreproductive effects of the peptide to control vasopressin (AVP) or oxytocin (OT) secretion. Hypothalamo-neurohypophysial explants released AVP but not OT in response to phoenixin. Intracerebroventricular administration of phoenixin into conscious, unrestrained male and female rats significantly increased circulating AVP, but not OT, levels in plasma, and it increased immediate early gene expression in the supraoptic nuclei of male rats. Bath application of phoenixin in hypothalamic slice preparations resulted in depolarization of PVN neurons, indicating a direct, neural action of phoenixin in the hypothalamus. Our results suggest that the newly described, hypothalamic peptide phoenixin, in addition to its effects on hypothalamic and pituitary mechanisms controlling reproduction, may contribute to the physiological mechanisms regulating fluid and electrolyte homeostasis.

Department(s)

Biological Sciences

Publication Status

Open Access

Comments

National Institutes of Health, Grant HL-121456

Keywords and Phrases

Electrophysiology; Hypothalamus; Oxytocin; Phoenixin; Radioimmuno-assay; Vasopressin

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

1522-1490; 0363-6119

Document Type

Article - Journal

Document Version

Final Version

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2025 American Physiological Society, All rights reserved.

Creative Commons Licensing

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Publication Date

16 Apr 2018

PubMed ID

29364701

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