title: Region-specific regulation of the serotonin 2A receptor expression in development and ageing in post mortem human brain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The serotonin 2A receptor (HTR2A) is widely expressed in the brain and involved in the modulation of fear, mood, anxiety and other symptoms. HTR2A and HTR2A gene variations are implicated in depression, schizophrenia, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder. To understand HTR2A signalling changes in psychiatric or neurodegenerative disorders, its normal pattern of brain expression and region specificity during development and ageing needs to be clarified. The aim of the present study was to assess HTR2A expression through developmental and ageing stages in six brain regions in post mortem human brain samples from individuals with no clinical or neuropathological evidence of neuropsychiatric disorders and to investigate the interaction with the rs6311 HTR2A promoter polymorphism.
  
  
  METHODS
  DNA, RNA and protein were isolated from post mortem brain samples including six regions (frontal cortex, striatum, amygdala, thalamus, brain stem and cerebellum) from 55 individuals. HTR2A mRNA levels were assessed using quantitative real-time RT-PCR and HTR2A protein levels - with Western blot. The rs6311 HTR2A polymorphism was analysed with genotyping.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that HTR2A mRNA and protein levels are differentially regulated with age in different brain regions studied, but are not affected by gender. Significant changes in HTR2A expression with age were found in frontal cortex, amygdala, thalamus, brain stem and cerebellum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results show plasticity and region specificity of HTR2A expression regulation in human brain with age, which may be important for the interaction with other neurotransmitter systems and for the occurrence of developmental periods with increased vulnerability to neuropsychiatric or neurodegenerative disorders.
authors.affiliation: University Clinics for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Zoya
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Marinova
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropathology, Institute of Pathology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Camelia-Maria
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Monoranu
authors.affiliation: University Clinics for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Sonja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fetz
authors.affiliation: University Clinics for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.|Neuroscience Center Zürich, University of Zürich and ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Walitza
authors.affiliation: University Clinics for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.|Neuroscience Center Zürich, University of Zürich and ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.|Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Edna
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Grünblatt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D044402:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D044402:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A
keywords: ageing; development; post mortem human brain; serotonin 2A receptor; single nucleotide polymorphism