GFAP mRNA levels following stab wounds in rat brain.
We previously reported that glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) levels increased significantly at 3 days after stab wounds, relative to sham-operated controls, reaching a maximum of 200% of control value at 5-7 days. They then fell to near-normal values by 21 days. To determine whether these protein changes correlated with changes in GFAP mRNA we performed Northern blot analyses. Total RNA, isolated from lesioned, sham-operated and intact rat forebrains, was hybridized with 32P-labeled mouse GFAP cDNA and quantified by densitometry. The maximum increase in total RNA content in lesioned animals was only 20% over controls at 12 h. GFAP mRNA levels increased to 2-fold control values at 6 h and reached 5-fold at 12 h. Thereafter they remained at 3.5- to 6-fold until 5 days and then declined to 1.5-fold by 21 days. The rapid increase of GFAP message at 12 h preceded a significant increase in GFAP by 2 days and the decrease of message after 5 days was more precipitate than the slow decrease in GFAP content. Sham-operated animals showed no significant changes in GFAP mRNA, compared to intact controls, during the period 3 h to 14 days postoperation. GFAP mRNA and GFAP in the stab-wound model reached levels similar to those found in the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) model, but returned to normal much more rapidly.
Hozumi
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I
Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461.
Aquino
D A
DA
Norton
W T
WT
D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000235:genetics*; D007700:Kinetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012016:Reference Values; D013997:Time Factors; D014951:Wounds, Stab / Q000378:metabolism*
D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D012333:RNA, Messenger