title: Differential regulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor transcripts during the consolidation of fear learning.
abstract: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been implicated as a molecular mediator of learning and memory. The BDNF gene contains four differentially regulated promoters that generate four distinct mRNA transcripts, each containing a unique noncoding 5'-exon and a common 3'-coding exon. This study describes novel evidence for the differential usage of alternative BDNF promoters and 5'-exons during the consolidation of learning. We found a selective increase in BDNF transcripts containing exons I and III in the amygdala 2 h following fear conditioning, while mRNA levels of BDNF exons II and IV remained unchanged. These results provide the first evidence of differential splicing and/or differential BDNF promoter usage in response to a behaviorally relevant learning paradigm.
authors.affiliation: Emory University School of Medicine, Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Yerkes Research Center, Atlanta, Georgia 30329, USA.
authors.forename: Lisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Rattiner
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Kerry J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Ressler
mesh_terms: D017398:Alternative Splicing / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D000679:Amygdala / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001245:Association Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005091:Exons; D005239:Fear / Q000502:physiology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D008297:Male; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012153:Retention, Psychology / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D012333:RNA, Messenger