TY - JOUR
T1 - Regional Distribution of the GABAA/Benzodiazepine Receptor (α Subunit) mRNA in Rat Brain
AU - Montpied, Pascale
AU - Martin, Brian M.
AU - Cottingham, Sandra L.
AU - Stubblefield, Barbara K.
AU - Ginns, Edward I.
AU - Paul, Steven M.
PY - 1988/11
Y1 - 1988/11
N2 - Abstract: A human cDNA clone containing the 5’coding region of the GABAA/benzodiazepine receptor α subunit was used to quantify and visualize receptor mRNA in various regions of the rat brain. Using a [32P]CTP‐labelled antisense RNA probe (860 bases) prepared from the α subunit cDNA, multiple mRNA species were detected in Northern blots using total and poly A rat brain RNA. In all brain regions, mRNAs of 4.4 and 4.8 kb were observed, and an additional mRNA of 3.0 kb was detected in the cerebellum and hippocampus. The level of GABAA/benzodiazepine receptor mRNA was highest in the cerebellum followed by the thalamus = frontal cortex = hippocampus = parietal cortex = hypothalamus ≫ pons = striatum = medulla. In situ hybridization revealed high levels of α subunit mRNA in cerebellar gray matter, olfactory bulb, thalamus, hippocampus/dentate gyrus, and the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus. These data suggest the presence of multiple GABAA/benzodiazepine receptor α subunit mRNAs in rat brain and demonstrate the feasibility of studying the expression of genes encoding the GABAA/benzodiazepine receptor after pharmacological and/or environmental manipulation.
AB - Abstract: A human cDNA clone containing the 5’coding region of the GABAA/benzodiazepine receptor α subunit was used to quantify and visualize receptor mRNA in various regions of the rat brain. Using a [32P]CTP‐labelled antisense RNA probe (860 bases) prepared from the α subunit cDNA, multiple mRNA species were detected in Northern blots using total and poly A rat brain RNA. In all brain regions, mRNAs of 4.4 and 4.8 kb were observed, and an additional mRNA of 3.0 kb was detected in the cerebellum and hippocampus. The level of GABAA/benzodiazepine receptor mRNA was highest in the cerebellum followed by the thalamus = frontal cortex = hippocampus = parietal cortex = hypothalamus ≫ pons = striatum = medulla. In situ hybridization revealed high levels of α subunit mRNA in cerebellar gray matter, olfactory bulb, thalamus, hippocampus/dentate gyrus, and the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus. These data suggest the presence of multiple GABAA/benzodiazepine receptor α subunit mRNAs in rat brain and demonstrate the feasibility of studying the expression of genes encoding the GABAA/benzodiazepine receptor after pharmacological and/or environmental manipulation.
KW - GABA/Benzodiazepine receptor α sub‐unit
KW - Northern blot analysis
KW - cDNA probe
KW - mRNA
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0023819568&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/j.1471-4159.1988.tb01137.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1471-4159.1988.tb01137.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 2844998
AN - SCOPUS:0023819568
SN - 0022-3042
VL - 51
SP - 1651
EP - 1654
JO - Journal of Neurochemistry
JF - Journal of Neurochemistry
IS - 5
ER -