title: Age-dependent expression of S100beta in the brain of mice.
abstract: S100beta is a soluble calcium binding protein released by glial cells. It has been reported as a neurotrophic factor that promotes neurite maturation and outgrowth during development. This protein also plays a role in axonal stability and in long term potentiation in the adult brain. The ability of S100beta to modulate neuronal morphology raises the important question whether there is an age-related difference in the expression of S100beta in the cerebral and cerebellar cortices of AKR strain mice and is this change is region specific. Our RT-PCR and Western blotting experiments show that the expression of S100beta gene in the cerebral and cerebellar cortices starts from 0 day, peaks at about 45 days. However, in 70-week old mice its expression is significantly up-regulated as compared to that of 20-week old mice. S100beta follows the same age-related pattern in both cerebral and cerebellar cortices. These results suggest that S100beta is important for brain development and establishment of proper brain functions. Up-regulation of S100beta in old age may have some role in development of age-related pathological systems in the brain.
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005 Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Prashant K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Modi
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kanungo
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001921:Brain / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000378:metabolism; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D064568:S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D064568:S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit; D009418:S100 Proteins