Differential expression of the regulator of G protein signaling RGS9 protein in nociceptive pathways of different age rats.
Regulators of G protein signaling (RGS) proteins are GTPase-activating proteins which act as modulators of G-protein-coupled receptors. RGS9 has two alternative splicing variants. RGS9-1 is expressed in the retina. RGS9-2 is expressed in the brain, especially abundant in the striatum. It is believed to be an essential regulatory component of dopamine and opioid signaling. In this study, we compared the expression of RGS9 proteins in the nervous system of different age groups of rats employing immunocytochemistry. In both 3-week- and 1-year-old rats, RGS9 is expressed abundantly in caudate-putamen, nucleus accumbens, and olfactory tubercle. It is also expressed abundantly in the ventral horn of the spinal cord and the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) cells. Quantitative analysis showed that the intensities of RGS9 expression in 1-year-old rats are higher than those in the 3-week-old rats in caudate-putamen, nucleus accumbens, olfactory tubercle, periaqueductal gray, and gray matter of the spinal cord. In contrast, in thalamic nuclei and locus coeruleus, the intensities of RGS9 immunostaining in 3-week-old rats are higher than in 1-year-old rats. In DRG cells, there is no significant difference between the two age groups. These data suggest that RGS9 is differentially expressed with age. Such differential expression may play an important role in neuronal differentiation and development as well as in neuronal function, such as dopamine and opioid signaling.
Kim
Ki Jun
KJ
University of California, San Francisco, Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care, 513 Parnassus Avenue, Box 0464, Room S-455, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
Moriyama
Kumi
K
Han
Kyung Ream
KR
Sharma
Manohar
M
Han
Xiaokang
X
Xie
Guo-xi
GX
Palmer
Pamela Pierce
PP
D000344:Afferent Pathways / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009420:Nervous System / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000378:metabolism; D009619:Nociceptors / Q000502:physiology*; D010146:Pain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D020710:RGS Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000502:physiology
D020710:RGS Proteins; C116925:regulator of g-protein signaling 9