title: Differential expression of genes encoding neurotrophic factors and their receptors along the septal-temporal axis of the rat hippocampus.
abstract: The hippocampus plays a key role in learning and emotional regulation. The hippocampus' function varies along its septotemporal axis, with the septal pole being more frequently involved in spatial learning and memory, and the temporal pole playing a greater role in emotional behaviors. In this study, we present findings aimed at checking the expression level of the genes encoding neurotrophins and their receptors, including nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), and their receptors (TrkA, TrkB and TrkC) in the hippocampus along the septotemporal axis. Using real-time PCR, several different expression patterns were observed. Remarkably, the expression of both NT-3 and TrkA genes in the septal hippocampus was higher than in the middle and temporal hippocampus. Higher expression of NT-3 and TrkA may implicate active neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus (DG) of the septal hippocampus because more neurogenesis occurs in the septal than the temporal DG of rats. Finally, the results obtained in this study emphasize the importance of choosing the hippocampal portion along its septotemporal axis for any hippocampal molecular and biochemical experimental studies.
authors.affiliation: United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, Japan; College of Agriculture, Ibaraki University, Ibaraki, Japan; Ibaraki University Cooperation between Agriculture and Medical Science (IUCAM), Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Toyoda
authors.forename: Wataru
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Iio
authors.forename: Tatsuhiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Goto
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Koike
authors.forename: Takamitsu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsukahara
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001519:Behavior; D004644:Emotions; D015870:Gene Expression; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D055495:Neurogenesis; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor
keywords: RT-PCR; hippocampus; neurotrophin; rat