The extraretinal photoreceptor OPSIN3 in the hypothalamus is involved in the regulation of water balance, body temperature and motor activity

To explore the role of the light-sensitive protein OPSIN3 in the supraoptic nucleus (SON) of the hypothalamus, we knocked down the gene encoding this protein (Opn3) in one SON of sprague dawley rats by delivering a Opn3 short hairpin RNA (shRNA). A non-targeting ShRNA was delivered to the opppsite SON in the same rat as a contros.We then performed gene expression profiling analysis using data obtained from RNA-seq of 5 different rats at one time point.