title: 3-Nitropropionic acid modifies neurotrophin mRNA expression in the mouse striatum: 18S-rRNA is a reliable control gene for studies of the striatum.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to determine the changes in the mRNA levels of neurotrophins and their receptors in the striatal tissue of mice treated with 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP).
  
  
  METHODS
  At 1 and 48 h after the last drug administration, the mRNA expression of nerve growth factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, neurotrophin-3 and neurotrophin-4/5 as well as their receptors p75, TrkA, TrkB and TrkC, was evaluated using semi-quantitative (semi-Q) and real-time RT-PCR. β-actin mRNA and ribosomal 18S (18S rRNA) were tested as internal controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  3-NP treatment did not affect mRNA expression of all neurotrophins and their respective receptors equally. Also, differences in neurotrophin and receptor mRNA expression were observed between semi-Q and real-time RT-PCR. Real-time RT-PCR was more accurate in evaluating the mRNA expression of the neurotrophins than semi-Q, and 18S rRNA was more reliable than β-actin as an internal control.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Neurotrophins and their receptors expression is differentially affected by neuronal damage produced by inhibition of mitochondrial respiration with 3-NP treatment in low, sub-chronic doses in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Biomedicina, FES-I, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Los Reyes Iztacala, C. P. 54090, Tlalnepantla, México.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Espíndola
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vilches-Flores
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hernández-Echeagaray
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000633:toxicity*; D009574:Nitro Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*; D011422:Propionates / Q000633:toxicity*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
chemical_list: D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D009498:Neurotoxins; D009574:Nitro Compounds; D011422:Propionates; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S; C015392:3-nitropropionic acid