Development of hippocampal alpha7 nicotinic receptors in C3H and DBA/2 congenic mice.
The time course and pattern of development of hippocampal alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors is discernibly different in C3H and DBA/2 mice. In C3H mice, the alpha7 receptor is initially expressed on embryonic day 13, exhibits an increase in density in area CA1 perinatally and is characterized by a dense, diffuse band of alpha-bungarotoxin binding at the CA3/CA1 border in the adult. In contrast, the alpha7 receptor is initially expressed on embryonic day 16 in DBA/2 mice, does not exhibit a transient perinatal increase in binding density in area CA1 and is characterized by alpha-bungarotoxin binding to numerous Nissl-stained structures in CA1 lacunosum/moleculare in the adult. Currently, it is not known whether these developmental differences occur solely as a result of the different alleles of the alpha7 receptor gene (Chrna7) expressed by the two strains or whether strain-specific background factors also play a role. The present study qualitatively examines this question by comparing alpha7 receptor development in congenic mice in which the DBA/2 allele of Chrna7 has been introgressed onto a C3H genetic background and, conversely, the C3H allele of Chrna7 has been introgressed onto a DBA/2 genetic background. The data suggest that hippocampal alpha7 receptor development is controlled predominantly by a region of mouse chromosome 7 that contains the strain-specific Chrna7 allele.
Adams
Catherine E
CE
Department of Psychiatry, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Denver, CO 80220, and University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center, Aurora, CO 80045, USA. cathy.adams@uchsc.edu
Yonchek
Joan C
JC
Stitzel
Jerry A
JA
D000818:Animals; D002038:Bungarotoxins / Q000378:metabolism; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000235:genetics*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D020297:Mice, Congenic; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics*; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013045:Species Specificity; D013997:Time Factors; D064569:alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor
D002038:Bungarotoxins; C579166:Chrna7 protein, mouse; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; D064569:alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor