title: Localization of neuregulin-1alpha (heregulin-alpha) and one of its receptors, ErbB-4 tyrosine kinase, in developing and adult human brain.
abstract: Using immunohistochemistry, Western blot analysis, and RT-polymerase chain reaction, we studied the distribution of neuregulin-1 splice variant alpha (NRG-1alpha) and one of its putative receptors, ErbB-4 tyrosine kinase, in human brain. In the pre- and perinatal human brain immunoreactivity was confined to numerous neurons, with the highest cell density found in cortical gray matter, hypothalamus and cerebellum. In the adult brain, single cortical gray and white matter neurons showed NRG-1alpha immunoreactivity. Occasionally, immunoreactive oligodendrocytes were observed. NRG-1alpha-expressing neurons were also found in the hypothalamus, hippocampus, basal ganglia and brain stem. Application of two antibodies recognizing alpha and beta isoforms revealed a different distribution pattern in that many cortical and hippocampal pyramidal neurons were labeled. ErbB-4 immunoreactivity was expressed in both neurons and oligodendrocytes. Our data show that NRG-1alpha expression is lower in the adult human brain than in the developing brain, and, therefore, support a role for NRG-1alpha in brain development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Magdeburg, Germany. Hans-Gert.Bernstein@medizin.uni-magdeburg.de
authors.forename: Hans-Gert
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Bernstein
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Lendeckel
authors.forename: Iris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bertram
authors.forename: Alicja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bukowska
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kanakis
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dobrowolny
authors.forename: Renate
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stauch
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Krell
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mawrin
authors.forename: Eike
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Budinger
authors.forename: Gerburg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Keilhoff
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bogerts
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017398:Alternative Splicing; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001921:Brain / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D005333:Fetus; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008251:Macaca; D008297:Male; D020890:Neuregulin-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D009836:Oligodendroglia / Q000378:metabolism; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D066247:Receptor, ErbB-4; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D020890:Neuregulin-1; D020033:Protein Isoforms; C587689:ERBB4 protein, human; D066246:ErbB Receptors; C587691:Erbb4 protein, rat; D066247:Receptor, ErbB-4