title: Postnatal upregulation of alpha4 and alpha3 nicotinic receptor subunits in the brain of alpha7 nicotinic receptor-deficient mice.
abstract: The nicotinic receptor subtypes are important for several physiological functions in brain and may therefore play a critical role in brain development. The alpha7 nicotinic receptors which have high Ca2+ permeability are important for cognitive, neuroprotective and trophic functions. In this study, the brain development and the expression of alpha4, alpha3, alpha7, alpha5 and beta2 nicotinic receptors were investigated in the brains of alpha7 deficient (alpha7 -/-), alpha7 heterozygous null (alpha7 +/-) and alpha7 wild-type (alpha7 +/+) mice from postnatal days (P) 7-84. The specific binding of [3H] cytisine and [3H] epibatidine, as well as the expressions of alpha4 and alpha3 nicotinic receptor subunits at mRNA and protein levels, were significantly increased in the cortex and hippocampus of alpha7 -/- and alpha7 +/- mice compared with alpha7 +/+ mice. Furthermore, the alpha4 and alpha3 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subunits appeared to co-assemble with the alpha5 nAChR subunit in these above brain regions of these mice. No significant change in synaptophysin level was observed. These data suggest that increased levels of alpha4, alpha3-containing nAChRs, co-assembled with the alpha5 nAChR subunit, may contribute to the normal brain development of alpha7 -/- and alpha7 +/- mice.
authors: Karolinska Institutet, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, S-141 86 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors: W-F
authors: WF
authors: Yu
authors: Z-Z
authors: ZZ
authors: Guan
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Nordberg
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000470:Alkaloids / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001392:Azocines / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D018733:Nicotinic Antagonists / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D011725:Pyridines / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D011807:Quinolizines / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011869:Radioligand Assay / Q000379:methods; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D015854:Up-Regulation; D064569:alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor; D000093843:Quinolizidine Alkaloids
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D001392:Azocines; D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D018733:Nicotinic Antagonists; D011725:Pyridines; D011807:Quinolizines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; D064569:alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor; C579166:Chrna7 protein, mouse; C004712:cytisine; D000093843:Quinolizidine Alkaloids; C082748:epibatidine