Chronic stimulation of the peroneal nerve in rats upregulates the pro-opiomelanocortin gene in spinal motoneurones.
Continuous unilateral stimulation of the peroneal nerve in rats for 8 h per day for 2 or 7 days caused significant increases in POMC mRNA and beta-endorphin immunoreactivity in both ipsilateral and contralateral motoneurones. Intermittent stimulation, for 10-min periods with 90-min rest periods, for 8 h per day for 2 days also caused upregulation of POMC mRNA. It is suggested that expression of POMC-derived peptides in motoneurones may be important for maintaining muscle contractile function.
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