title: Electroconvulsive shock alters GABAA receptor subunit mRNAs: use of quantitative PCR methodology.
abstract: Electroconvulsive shock (ECS) may affect several neurotransmitter systems in brain, including the GABAergic inhibitory system. We used a quantitative PCR-based assay to evaluate mRNAs for five GABAa receptor subunits at 2 to 24 h after ECS. mRNAs for the alpha 1 and beta 2 subunits were significantly increased in cerebellum at 4 and 8 h after ECS, and returned to control levels at 24 h. No changes were observed in alpha 2, beta 3, gamma 1, or gamma 2 subunits, and no changes in any subunit evaluated were observed in cortex or hippocampus. These data corroborate prior results obtained for the alpha 1 subunit using Northern hybridization, and illustrate the utility of the PCR assay in quantitating low-abundance mRNAs.
authors.affiliation: Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Pratt
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: N G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Bazan
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000378:metabolism; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism; D004597:Electroshock; D005784:Gene Amplification; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D012313:RNA