Electroconvulsive shock increases serotonin transporter in the rat frontal cortex.
The antidepressive action of electroconvulsive shock (ECS) is thought to involve the alteration in serotonin (5-HT) neurotransmission, including the increase in 5-HT release and uptake. In our previous study, 5-HT transporter (5-HTT) mRNA expression was decreased after single and repetitive ECS in rat raphe nucleus. In the present study, we investigated the effects of single and repetitive ECS on the protein levels of 5-HTT in the frontal cortex, hippocampus and raphe nucleus of rat brain using quantitative Western blot analysis. Single ECS did not alter 5-HTT protein expression in any brain regions examined. Repetitive ECS stably increased 5-HTT protein in the frontal cortex, but not in the hippocampus and raphe nucleus. Because ECS is known to facilitate the release of neurotransmitters, our results suggest that the increased 5-HTT protein expression in the frontal cortex might be a compensatory change against the enhanced 5-HT release by ECS in presynaptic terminals.
Shen
Hao wei
Hw
Division of Psychiatry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 980-8574, Sendai, Japan.
Numachi
Yohtaro
Y
Yoshida
Sumiko
S
Fujiyama
Ko
K
Toda
Shigenobu
S
Awata
Shuichi
S
Matsuoka
Hiroo
H
Sato
Mitsumoto
M
D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017931:DNA Primers; D004597:Electroshock; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011903:Raphe Nuclei / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D013997:Time Factors
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D017931:DNA Primers; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; C493232:Slc6a4 protein, rat