Preprotachykinin-A gene expression in the forebrain of Sardinian alcohol-preferring and -nonpreferring rats.
Increasing evidence suggests that TKergic mechanisms might play a role in ethanol intake control. Preprotachykinin-A (PPT-A) mRNA brain levels were measured in Sardinian alcohol-preferring (sP) and Sardinian alcohol-nonpreferring (sNP) rats. PPT-A mRNAs were about 50% lower in sP than in sNP rats in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), whereas levels in the olfactory tubercle (Tu) were about 30% higher in sP than in sNP rats. Our findings suggest that altered PPT-A gene expression might contribute to the different ethanol preference and intake of sP opposite to sNP rats.
Pompei
P
P
Department of Pharmacological Sciences and Experimental Medicine, University of Camerino, Via Scalzino 3, 62032 Camerino, Italy. pompei@cambio.unicam.it
Angeletti
S
S
Ciccocioppo
R
R
Colombo
G
G
Gessa
G L
GL
Massi
M
M
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D016548:Prosencephalon / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D015320:Tachykinins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*
D011498:Protein Precursors; D015320:Tachykinins; C044206:preprotachykinin