CRH and Sepsis: Gene expression of the AVP-R, through which signaling is assumed to potentiate CRH-induced POMC expression, did not differ between acute septic mice (1-day sepsis group) and healthy controls (p = 0.2), but increased substantially during the subacute and prolonged phase of sepsis (3-day, 5-day and 7-day groups, all p < 0.0001) (Fig. 5b).