MK-801 does not attenuate immediate-early gene expression following an amygdala afterdischarge.
It has been suggested that the increased transient expression of immediate-early gene transcription factors seen in nerve cells following an afterdischarge may initiate longer lasting or permanent changes in gene expression which underly the development of kindling. Since the development of kindling is sensitive to pharmacological blockade of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor, we tested whether the increased expression of the immediate-early genes c-fos, jun-B, c-jun, krox-20, and krox-24 following a kindling afterdischarge was also sensitive to N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor blockade by MK-801. In this report we demonstrate that all five immediate-early genes are induced by an amygdala afterdischarge. N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor blockade by a dose of MK-801 that significantly retards the development of amygdala kindling failed to attenuate immediate-early gene expression. These results suggest that although expression of these five immediate-early genes occurs after an amygdala afterdischarge their expression is not involved in the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-mediated component of amygdala kindling.
Hughes
P
P
Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
Singleton
K
K
Dragunow
M
M
D000679:Amygdala / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004594:Electrophysiology; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D017781:Genes, Immediate-Early; D008297:Male; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D011506:Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate