3-Nitropropionic acid modifies neurotrophin mRNA expression in the mouse striatum： 18S-rRNA is a reliable control gene for studies of the striatum

• Published in: Neuroscience bulletin 2012-10, Vol.28 (5), p.517-531
• Main Author: S. Espíndola A Vilches-Flores E. Hernández-Echeagaray
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anatomy; Anesthesiology; Animals; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Corpus Striatum - drug effects; Corpus Striatum - metabolism; Gene Expression Regulation; Human Physiology; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; mRNA表达水平; Nerve Growth Factors - biosynthesis; Nerve Growth Factors - genetics; Neurology; Neurosciences; Neurotoxins - toxicity; Nitro Compounds - toxicity; Original; Original Article; Pain Medicine; Propionates - toxicity; Reproducibility of Results; RNA, Messenger - biosynthesis; RNA, Messenger - genetics; RNA, Ribosomal, 18S - biosynthesis; RNA, Ribosomal, 18S - genetics; rRNA基因; 丙酸; 实时RT-PCR; 小鼠; 控制基因; 纹状体; 脑源性神经营养因子
• ISSN: 1673-7067; 1995-8218
• DOI: 10.1007/s12264-012-1259-x

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. Conclusion 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.