title: Anticonvulsant agents, dizocilpine maleate, enadoline and HA 966 have different effects on N-methyl-DL-aspartate-induced immediate early gene induction in mice.
abstract: Administration of N-methyl-DL-aspartate (85 mg/ml) was given by infusion (0.14 ml/min) until a clonic seizure was elicited. In situ hybridization was used to assess regional levels of four immediate early gene messenger RNA levels (c-fos, c-jun, junB, and a nerve growth factor induced gene, NGFI-A). Messenger RNA levels were highest at 25 min following infusion of N-methyl-DL-aspartate. c-jun messenger RNA levels remained elevated for over 2 h; however, c-fos, junB and, NGFI-A messenger RNA levels had returned to control levels by this time. Expression was detected in the hippocampus, hypothalamus and piriform cortex. Pre-treatment (30 min prior to N-methyl-DL-aspartate) with the anticonvulsant drugs dizocilpine maleate (1 mg/kg) and HA 966 (200 micrograms, i.c.v.) resulted in significantly reduced immediate early gene messenger RNA levels in the hypothalamus and piriform cortex, and attenuated levels in the hippocampus. Pre-treatment with the anticonvulsant agent enadoline (3 mg/kg), given at an anticonvulsant dose, did not result in reduced immediate early gene messenger RNA levels. These results suggest that monitoring immediate early gene expression may lead to advances in the understanding of the mechanism of action of many pharmacological agents, such as the kappa-opioid agonist enadoline.
authors.affiliation: Parke-Davis Neuroscience Research Centre, Addenbrooke's Hospital Site, Cambridge, U.K.
authors.forename: V L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Woodburn
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Oles
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Poat
authors.forename: G N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Woodruff
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hughes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000494:pharmacology; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate / Q000494:pharmacology; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects*; D017781:Genes, Immediate-Early / Q000187:drug effects*; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D016202:N-Methylaspartate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000494:pharmacology; D011759:Pyrrolidines / Q000494:pharmacology; D011760:Pyrrolidinones / Q000494:pharmacology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D016622:Silver Staining
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D001572:Benzofurans; D011759:Pyrrolidines; D011760:Pyrrolidinones; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate; C001369:1-hydroxy-3-amino-2-pyrrolidone; C067110:enadoline