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.
Farmitalia Carlo Erba, CNS Research Group, Milano, Italy.
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Della Vedova
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Bonecchi
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Bianchetti
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Fariello
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Speciale
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