Effects of microgravity and bone morphogenetic protein II on GFAP in rat brain.
This study evaluated effects of bone morphogenetic protein II (BMP) on glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in the brain of female Fischer 344 rats during 14 days of spaceflight. GFAP mRNA decreased in vehicle-implanted rats flown on the space shuttle by 53 and 48% in the stratum moleculare and stratum lacunosum moleculare hippocampal subregions, respectively. GFAP mRNA was not significantly affected by BMP implantation during spaceflight. Rats returning from space exhibited a 56% increase in serum corticosterone. BMP treatment did not additively increase corticosterone elevations in microgravity but appeared to increase serum corticosterone and reduce GFAP mRNA in the stratum moleculare in control rats. These data suggest that exposure to microgravity reduces GFAP expression in hippocampal astrocytes.
Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA. jrd6@psu.edu
J R
JR
Day
A T
AT
Frank
J P
JP
O'Callaghan
B W
BW
DeHart
D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D048429:Cell Size / Q000187:drug effects; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000503:physiopathology; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D013026:Space Flight; D014893:Weightlessness / Q000009:adverse effects*
D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D003345:Corticosterone