title: Developmental regulation of BDNF and NT-3 expression by quinolinic acid in the striatum and its main connections.
abstract: Interactions between neurotrophic factors and neurotransmitters participate in the formation and maintenance of appropriate connections, as well as in neurodegenerative processes. Here we have measured changes in the developmental expression pattern of BDNF and NT-3 in the striatum, cortex, and substantia nigra induced by intrastriatal injection of the N-methyl-d-aspartate glutamate receptor agonist quinolinic acid (QUIN). Animals were injected at different postnatal ages, and BDNF and NT-3 mRNA levels were determined 6 h after lesion using a ribonuclease protection assay. Our results show a biphasic increase in BDNF mRNA levels in striatum and in the ipsilateral cortex at postnatal day (P)5 and P21. In contrast, although NT-3 expression did not change in the striatum, it was down-regulated in the ipsilateral cortex at P5 and P30. Intrastriatal QUIN injection did not induce changes in either BDNF or NT-3 expression in the ipsilateral substantia nigra. These findings show that neurotrophin expression is developmentally regulated after excitotoxic injury, which suggests that this endogenous response may be involved in different neuronal maturation and vulnerability during development.
authors.affiliation: Departament de Biologia Cel*lular i Anatomia Patològica, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat de Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Casanova 143, Barcelona, 08036, Spain.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Checa
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Canals
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alberch
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000378:metabolism; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020933:Neurotrophin 3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017378:Quinolinic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D009498:Neurotoxins; D020933:Neurotrophin 3; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017378:Quinolinic Acid