Exon-specific regulation of BDNF transcripts in the urocortin1 neurons of the non-preganglionic Edinger-Westphal nucleus
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1
Department of Anatomy , University of Pecs, Hungary
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2
Department of Cellular Animal Physiology , Donders Center for Neuroscience, Netherlands
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is regulated through the expression of nine exons that each have their specific promoter. BDNF expressed mainly in the limbic forebrain was implicated in the pathogenesis of stress-related mood disorders such as depression, which show a higher prevalence in females than in males. New insights into the site, gender, and exon-specific regulation of BDNF may add to our knowledge about psychopathologies. In the urocortin 1 (Ucn1) containing non-preganglionic Edinger-Westphal nucleus (npEW), a nucleus also involved in stress and stress-related mood disorders, BDNF expression was found to be decreased in male suicide victims but increased in female ones. Based on these we hypothesized that BDNF mRNA and protein contents of the npEW change upon stress and differ between male and female rats; in addition the BDNF gene is differentially regulated by the different types of stressors in the npEW. To confirm our hypotheses, we examined acutely and chronically stressed male and female rats vs. controls. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry revealed the presence of BDNF mRNA and protein in the Ucn1 neurons while RT-PCR demonstrated an increase in BDNF mRNA expression after chronic stress in males and after acute and chronic stress in females. RT-qPCR showed acute stress induced expression of exons 6 and 9 in both males and females, while expression of exons 1 and 2 were induced in males only. We therefore propose that BDNF plays a role in the response of npEW Ucn1 neurons to stress, in a stressor- and gender-specific fashion.
Conference:
12th Meeting of the Hungarian Neuroscience Society, Budapest, Hungary, 22 Jan - 24 Jan, 2009.
Presentation Type:
Poster Presentation
Topic:
Homeostatic regulatory mechanisms
Citation:
Gaszner
B,
Derks
N,
Muller
M,
Roubos
EW,
Eric
W and
Kozicz
T
(2009). Exon-specific regulation of BDNF transcripts in the urocortin1 neurons of the non-preganglionic Edinger-Westphal nucleus.
Front. Syst. Neurosci.
Conference Abstract:
12th Meeting of the Hungarian Neuroscience Society.
doi: 10.3389/conf.neuro.01.2009.04.108
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Received:
03 Mar 2009;
Published Online:
03 Mar 2009.
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Correspondence:
Balázs Gaszner, Department of Anatomy , University of Pecs, Pecs, Hungary, balazs.b.gaszner@aok.pte.hu