title: Expression of GluR6 kainate receptor subunit in granular layer of weaver mouse cerebellum.
abstract: The Girk2 ( wv ) (weaver) mutation impairs migration of cerebellar granule cells from external to internal granular layer and induces neuronal death during the first 2 weeks of postnatal life. Kainate receptors are heteromeric ionotropic receptors of glutamate consisting of five subunits termed GluR5, GluR6, GluR7, KA1 and KA2. In order to investigate whether the weaver gene affects the expression of kainate receptors in weaver cerebellum, we determined mRNA expression levels of GluR6 kainate receptor subunit and [(3)H]kainic acid specific binding in the developing cerebellum, using in situ hybridization and receptor film autoradiography, respectively. In the weaver postnatal day 10 (P10) cerebellum, our data indicated lower levels of GluR6 mRNA expression and lower [(3)H]kainic acid specific binding in external granular layer (EGL) compared to normal EGL. Our results are indicative of either down-regulation of kainate receptors or modulation of their functional characteristics in weaver granule cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical School, University of Patras, 26500, Patras, Greece., spiliopk@yahoo.gr
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Spiliopoulos
authors.forename: Kleopatra
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fragioudaki
authors.forename: Panagiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Giompres
authors.forename: Elias
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kouvelas
authors.forename: Ada
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mitsacos
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001345:Autoradiography; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000378:metabolism*; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D051676:G Protein-Coupled Inwardly-Rectifying Potassium Channels / Q000235:genetics*; D015870:Gene Expression; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D007608:Kainic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008818:Mice, Neurologic Mutants; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D018092:Kainic Acid Receptors / Q000819:agonists / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D014316:Tritium; D000097806:GluK2 Kainate Receptor
chemical_list: D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists; D051676:G Protein-Coupled Inwardly-Rectifying Potassium Channels; D007608:Kainic Acid; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018092:Kainic Acid Receptors; D014316:Tritium; D000097806:GluK2 Kainate Receptor; C497069:Kcnj6 protein, mouse