title: Changes in glycine receptor subunit expression in forebrain regions of the Wistar rat over development.
abstract: Glycine receptors (GlyRs) are pentameric membrane proteins in the form of either α-homomers or α-β heteromers. Four out of five subunits; α1-3 and β, have been found in the mammalian brain. Early studies investigating subunit composition and expression patterns of this receptor have proposed a developmental switch from α2 homomers to α1β heteromers as the CNS matures, a conclusion primarily based on results from the spinal cord. However, our previous results indicate that this might not apply to e.g. the forebrain regions. Here we examined alterations in GlyR expression caused by developmental changes in selected brain areas, focusing on reward-related regions. Animals of several ages (P2, P21 and P60) were included to examine potential changes over time. In accordance with previous reports, a switch in expression was observed in the spinal cord. However, the present results indicate that a decrease in α2 subunit expression is not replaced by α1 subunit expression since the generally low levels, and modest increases, of α1 could hardly replace the reduction in α2-mRNA. Instead mRNA measurements indicate that α2 continues to be the dominating α-subunit also in adult animals, usually in combination with high and stable levels of β-subunit expression. This indicates that alterations in GlyR subunit expression are not simply a maturation effect common for the entire CNS, but rather a unique pattern of transition depending on the region at hand.
authors.affiliation: Addiction Biology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Sweden. Susanne.Jonsson@neuro.gu.se
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jonsson
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Morud
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pickering
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Adermark
authors.forename: Mia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ericson
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Söderpalm
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D016548:Prosencephalon / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D021122:Protein Subunits / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018009:Receptors, Glycine / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D021122:Protein Subunits; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018009:Receptors, Glycine