Age-related changes in the relative abundance of NMDAR1 mRNA spliced variants in the rat brain.
We have investigated the age-dependent profile of two groups of NMDAR1 mRNA isoforms, the NR1(0)XX and the NR1(1)XX, which are characterized by the absence and the presence, respectively, of an N-terminal positioned 21 amino acid insert. mRNAs of the two spliced variants were investigated at different ages in discrete rat brain areas by means of the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The existence of regional variations was confirmed as well as a region-specific pattern of NR1(0)XX/1XX ratio and its age-dependent changes. At 6 months, the ratio was > 3 in prosencephalic structures and < 1 in metencephalic regions. The greatest age-related changes were found in the cerebellum that switched from a maximal ratio of 5.1 +/- 0.4 at day 6 through a progressive decay down to the value of 0.3 +/- 0.04 at 24 months. Age-dependent changes of the different NR1 spliced variant mRNAs are relevant to understand possible regulatory mechanisms of the pharmacological properties and functions of different NMDAR subtypes.
Della Vedova
F
F
Farmitalia Carlo Erba, CNS Research Group, Milano, Italy.
Bonecchi
L
L
Bianchetti
A
A
Fariello
R G
RG
Speciale
C
C
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001921:Brain / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D002525:Cerebellar Cortex / Q000737:chemistry; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000737:chemistry; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000737:chemistry; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000737:chemistry; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011149:Pons / Q000737:chemistry; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate