In situ hybridization analysis of c-fos and c-jun expression in the rat brain following transient forebrain ischemia.

Early induction of the mRNAs encoding the c-Fos and c-Jun nuclear proteins was examined in rat brain by in situ hybridization at various timepoints following global forebrain ischemia by the method of four-vessel occlusion. All animals were subjected to 20 min of transient ischemia. This produced a pattern of proto-oncogene activation that was most intense in the granule cells of the dentate gyrus 30 min after ischemia, while the hilar cells in the dentate and the pyramidal cells of the CA3 region in the hippocampus showed a more delayed but robust expression of these immediate early genes at 1 h. The neurons of the CA1 region exhibited a more moderate hybridization signal at 1-2 h postischemia. Very little hybridization signal for either immediate early gene could be detected in animals perfused with fixative immediately following ischemia, suggesting that cellular energy levels may have to be restored to a certain level before efficient de novo mRNA synthesis can occur. In the cerebellum, a similar temporal pattern was observed: the granule cells exhibited a prompt but patchy expression of c-fos and c-jun that was followed by a delayed signal in the Purkinje cells. Without exception c-fos and c-jun appeared to be expressed in unison, although the time course of c-fos and c-jun mRNA accumulation and decay was different in various brain regions: invariably the cerebellum returned rapidly to its baseline with virtually no remaining signal at 3 h postischemia, while c-fos and c-jun activation in the hippocampus remained high at 3 h and returned to baseline by 6 h. Several other brain regions showed early production of c-fos and c-jun mRNAs, such as the medial habenula, piriform cortex, the amygdala, the centromedian, lateral posterior, paracentral, intermediodorsal and reuniens nuclei of the thalamus and the ventromedial and dorsal nuclei of the hypothalamus; in the brainstem, the trapezoid body and the noradrenergic neurons of the locus ceruleus as well as the adrenergic neurons in the ventrolateral medulla (C1 group) and nucleus tractus solitarius (C2 group) regions displayed slightly less intense hybridization signals. In addition, the ependyma of the lateral ventricles and the third ventricle showed a prompt albeit short-lived production of c-fos and c-jun mRNAs. Sham-operated animals as well as animals that had survived to one week postischemia showed either no or only trace levels of hybridization signal.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

局灶脑缺血后胰岛素对c-fos、c-jun基因表达的影响

目的　观察胰岛素对局灶缺血性脑组织 c- fos、c- jun基因表达的影响。方法　 30只肾血管性高血压大鼠随机分 4组 ,在大脑中动脉闭塞 (MCAO)后即予胰岛素 (2 .1IU / kg,A组 )、葡萄糖和胰岛素 (2 .1IU / kg,B组 ;4.5 IU / kg,C组 )、生理盐水 (D组 ) ,采用原位杂交技术检测各组 MCAO后 3h脑组织 c- fos、c- jun基因的表达。结果　与其它组比较 ,A组血糖下降明显 (P<0 .0 1) ,MCAO后 1h、2 h、3h分别为 3.80± 0 .3mm ol/ L、3.6 8± 0 .3mm ol/L、3.6 9± 0 .3mm ol/ L。 c- fos m RNA被诱导出现于缺血侧皮层和尾壳核 ,C组 c- fos m RNA明显增加 (P<0 .0 1) ,皮层和尾壳核的灰度为 12 3.5 8± 8.72、141.0 8± 8.49;c- jun m RNA仅出现于缺血侧皮层 ,A、B、C组的 c- jun m RNA均增加明显 ,灰度分别为 171.82± 7.33、172 .5 6± 7.91、15 5 .0 9± 7.91,其中 C组的增加更为显著 (P<0 .0 1)。结论　胰岛素促进缺血脑组织 c- fos、c- jun基因表达可能是其神经保护作用机制之一。     

Preprotachykinin messenger RNA detected by in situ hybridization in striatal neurons of the human brain

Sections from postmortem human brain were processed for in situ hybridization histochemistry using a 35S-labelled RNA probe transcribed from a cDNA coding for the human preprotachykinin which contains both substance P and K. Labelled neurons were observed in the caudate nucleus and the putamen but not the cerebellum. The labelled cells were of medium size and their distribution and morphology were compatible with previous data on substance P-like immunoreactivity in the human brain. The results confirm the presence of preprotachykinin mRNA in a subpopulation of striatal neurons in the human and show that in situ hybridization can be used to detect specific neurotransmitter-related mRNAs in postmortem tissue from normal and diseased humans.     

Activation of adenosine receptors induces c-fos, but not c-jun, expression in neuron-glia hybrids and fibroblasts

Extracellular adenosine acts through specific cell surface receptors to modulate numerous physiological processes in both the CNS and peripheral tissues (e.g. neurotransmitter release and blood flow). Activation of A1 or A2 adenosine receptors leads to decreased or increased intracellular cAMP levels, respectively. Fos and Jun are nuclear proto-oncogene products, which, like cAMP, appear to act as intermediates in a number of signal transduction pathways. Since increases in both adenosine release and Fos and Jun expression occur in the brain following seizures, we wanted to determine whether Fos and Jun induction might occur as a result of adenosine receptor activation. 3T3 fibroblasts and NG108-15 neuroblastoma-glioma hybrid cells were chosen for study, since they were known to respond to adenosine agonists with changes in cAMP levels. The membranes of NG108-15 cells were shown to have A2-like binding activity in a competitive binding assay. Cultures of each cell line were treated with the adenosine agonists, CHA (A1-selective) and NECA (non-selective adenosine agonist). Both lines responded with a concentration-dependent transient increase in c-fos, but not c-jun, mRNA content after treatment with either agonist. The kinetics of the response were much more rapid for 3T3 cells (peak between 15 and 30 min) than for NG cells (peak between 60 and 90 min). The slower, more prolonged response in the NG108-15 cells is more similar to the time interval between adenosine release and the peak of c-fos mRNA induction in brains of animals following the administration of seizure-promoting drugs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

弥漫性轴索损伤后脑组织中c-fos与HSP70的表达

目的：鼠脑弥漫性轴索损伤（DAI）后c-foa mRNA和HSP70 mRNA的表达。方法：应用原位杂交技术探讨了鼠脑弥漫性轴索损伤后c-fos mRNA和HSP70mRNA的表达。结果：打击后10后钟时,皮层中即出现c-fos mRNA表达,2小时表达强度增加,6小时达高峰,24小时开始下降。海马、丘脑及脑干部位的c-fos mRNA表达方式与皮层相拟。打击后6小时,皮层与海马中开始出现HSP70mRNA的表达,24小时时表达强度增加,丘脑及脑干等部位未见HSP70 mRNA的表达。结论：（1）DAI后可出现脑组织中c-fos mRNA和HSP70mRNA的表达;（2）DAI后c-fos mRNA的表达早于HSP70mRNA;（3）c-fos mRNA于脑组织中的表达较为弥散,而HSP70mRNA的表达则局限于皮层和海马区;（4）c-fos mRNA和HSP70 mRNA在DAI后的表达,对神经细胞具有保护作用。     

Preprotachykinin-A mRNA expression in the human and monkey brain: An in situ hybridization study.

The mRNA expression for preprotachykinin-A (PPT-A) was studied throughout the human and cynomolgus monkey brain to assess the neuroanatomical expression pattern of the PPT-A gene in primates. In situ hybridization showed that the PPT-A mRNA is expressed highly in specific regions of the postmortem human brain, including the striatum, islands of Calleja, hypothalamus (posterior, premammillary, medial mammillary, and ventromedial nuclei), superior and inferior colliculi, periaqueductal gray, and oculomotor nuclear complex. PPT-A mRNA-expressing neurons also were present in the paranigralis (ventral tegmental area) and were scattered in the bed nucleus stria terminalis throughout the sublenticular substantia innominata region, including the diagonal band of Broca and the nucleus basalis of Meynert. In the hippocampus, high PPT-A mRNA expression was localized predominantly to the polymorphic layer of the dentate gyrus; no labeled cells were present in the granular layer. Positively labeled cells also were found scattered in the CA regions as well as in the amygdaloid complex. Neocortical expression of PPT-A mRNA was localized mainly to the deep laminae (layers V/VI), except for the striate cortex (labeling was seen also in superficial layers). The subiculum, thalamus, globus pallidus, ventral pallidum, substantia nigra pars compacta, red nucleus, pontine nuclei, and cerebellum were characterized by very weak to undetectable expression of PPT-A mRNA. An expression pattern was evident in the monkey forebrain similar to that observed in the human, except for the absence of PPT mRNA-expressing cells in the medial mammillary nucleus despite intense expression in supramammillary, lateral mammillary, and premammillary nuclei. Overall, more similarities than differences are apparent between primate species in the expression pattern of the PPT-A gene. J. Comp. Neurol. 411;56-72, 1999.     

Delayed c-fos proto-oncogene expression in the rat hippocampus induced by transient global cerebral ischemia: an in situ hybridization study

The relative levels of c-fos mRNA in individual neurons of the hippocampal formation of rats is dramatically increased following 20 min of cerebral ischemia induced by 4-vessel occlusion. After 24 h of recirculation, a number of scattered neurons in the dentate hilus became hybridization positive. This effect appeared to peak between 24 and 48 h. A few neurons in the pyramidal cell layer of CA1 expressed c-fos as early as 24 h, but the most intense labeling in this region was seen at 72 h of recirculation. These results correlate well with the known distribution of delayed ischemic necrosis in the brain.     

Quantitative in situ hybridization analysis of glutamic acid decarboxylase messenger RNA in developing rat cerebellum.

The appearance and relative amounts of GAD mRNA in rat cerebellar neurons during postnatal development was studied by in situ hybridization. GAD mRNA content within all GABAergic neurons increased during the first month of postnatal development, but the degree and time course of the increase varied among different neuronal types. In newborn rats, GAD mRNA was present only in the prenatally-formed Purkinje and Golgi cells. GAD mRNA in Golgi cells had reached adult levels by postnatal day 14, while GAD mRNA levels in Purkinje cells reached adult levels one week later. Most basket cells expressed GAD mRNA by postnatal day 14, and final levels were attained one week later. Stellate cells in the bottom two-thirds of the molecular layer attained their final GAD mRNA content by postnatal day 21 whereas stellate cells in close proximity to the pial surface were not yet mature at this age. No GAD mRNA was detected within the external granular layer at any time during development. In adult rat, approximately 40% of cerebellar GAD mRNA was contained within the Purkinje cell population, 38% within the stellate cells, 17% within the basket cells, and only 5% within the Golgi cells. Increases in GAD mRNA within GABAergic neurons during cerebellar development correlated with the timing of neuronal maturation and synaptogenesis in these cell populations, suggesting that synaptic activity affects GAD gene expression in developing cerebellum.     

NMDA-NR1 receptor subunit mRNA expression in rat brain after 6-OH-dopamine induced lesions: A non-isotopic in situ hybridization study

Antisense digoxigenin-labeled deoxyoligonucleotides probes and non-isotopic in situ hybridization (HIS) techniques have been used to explore the NMDA-NR1 receptor subunit mRNA distribution in different brain areas of rats which had their dopaminergic nigrostriatal pathway previously lesioned with intracerebral administration of 6-OH-dopamine (6-OH-DA). Intense and significant hybridization signals for NR1 mRNA were found in dentate gyrus and regions CA₁-CA₂-CA₃ of the hippocampus, in layers II-III and V-VI of the cerebral cortex, and in the cerebellum of sham-treated rats. Basal ganglia structures such as the striatum exhibited few NR1 mRNA hybridization signals as compared to the hippocampus and cerebral cortex. In contrast, both zona compacta and reticulata of substantia nigra (SN) showed a reduced number of cells with nevertheless intense NR1 mRNA HIS signals. The NR1 mRNA distribution in the brain was affected in a brain regional selective manner by 6-OH-DA induced lesions of DA neuronal systems. A striking increase in NR1 mRNA HIS signals was observed in both striata after unilateral lesioning with 6-OH-DA. Instead, in SN compacta but not in reticulata, a moderate but significant bilateral reduction of NR1 mRNA was observed after unilateral 6-OH-DA injection. No significant changes in NR1 mRNA were detected in cerebral cortex and other brain regions after 6-OH-DA treatment. These studies, and others reported in the literature, support the view that extensive lesions of nigrostriatal DA-containing neurons in the brain may trigger compensatory or adaptative responses in basal ganglia structures such as striatum and substantia nigra which involve glutamatergic neurons and the genic expression of NMDA receptors. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

In situ hybridization detection of estradiol-induced changes in ribosomal RNA levels in rat brain

In this study, quantitative assessment of estradiol (E₂)-induced changes in levels of ribosomal RNA within brain regions concentrating the hormone was accomplished by in situ hybridization with nick-translated tritiated ribosomal DNA probes and use of a computer-based image analysis system. Ovariectomized rats were either implanted with estradiol capsules for 6 h, 24 h, or 15 days, or sham-implanted under the same time course to serve as controls. The mean number of grains, somal area, and grain density of neurons within three E₂-concentrating brain regions, the ventrolateral portion of the ventromedial and the arcuate nuclei of the hypothalamus (VL-VMN and ARC, respectively) and the corticomedial nucleus of the amygdala (AMY) were determined. In the VL-VMN and ARC, levels of rRNA were significantly increased after 6 h of E₂ treatment (70% and 30%, respectively) and after 24 h of E₂ treatment (60% and 62%, respectively). However, these effects on rRNA levels in VL-VMN and ARC were not observed after prolonged exposure of 15 days to the hormone. Neuronal hypertrophy was present only after 24 h of E₂ treatment in the VL-VMN and ARC (32% and 14%, respectively). No changes were found in the AMY. As an additional internal control, measurements were also collected from the dorsomedial portion of the VMN (DM-VMN), a region with few E₂-concentrating neurons. No changes in any of the parameters were found in DM-VMN at any time after exposure to the hormone. By extending the in situ hybridization technique to the quantitative level, these findings demonstrate differential estrogenic regulation of a known gene product, rRNA, in rat brain that is temporally and regionally specific.     

In situ hybridization histochemical localization of prodynorphin messenger RNA in the central nervous system of the rat

The distribution of preprodynorphin messenger RNA-containing perikarya in the central nervous system of the rat was determined with in situ hybridization histochemistry using a ³⁵S-labelled complementary RNA probe. All of the regions of the central nervous system reported by other investigators to contain perikarya that synthesize prodynorphin-derived peptides, except the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus, the accessory trigeminal nucleus, and the ventral nucleus of the trapezoid body, also contained perikarya that synthesize preprodynorphin messenger RNA. However, the olfactory bulb, the anterior olfactory nucleus, the islands of Calleja, the CA1-CA3 fields of the hippocampus, the septohippocampal nucleus, the diagonal band of Broca, the basal and cortical amygdaloid nuclei, the entopeduncular nucleus, the subthalamic nucleus, the superior colliculus, the Edinger-Westphal nucleus, the dentate nucleus, the raphes linearis and pontis, the dorsal cochlear nucleus, the medial vestibular nucleus, the inferior olive, and the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve also contained preprodynorphin messenger RNA-synthesizing perikarya. These observations suggest that prodynorphin-derived peptides have a much more pervasive role in central nervous system function than previously suspected. However, before the physiological significance of these observations can be judged, it will be necessary to determine whether all of the novel sites of preprodynorphin messenger RNA synthesis are sites of prohormone synthesis and conventional processing. J. Comp. Neurol. 384:211-232, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Expression of vasopressin and opiates but not of oxytocin genes studied by in situ hybridization in embryonic rat brain primary cultures

Expression of arginine-vasopressin (AVP), oxytocin (OT), dynorphin and enkephalin genes was studied with the in situ hybridization technique in embryonic rat brain serum-free cultures. Neurones were prepared from hypothalamus and extrahypothalamic structures of 16-day-old rat embryos. After 7 days in culture, AVP gene expression occurred in hypothalamic cultures only, whereas ProOT mRNAs were undetectable. By contrast, prodynorphin and proenkephalin mRNAs could be detected in both hypothalamic and extrahypothalamic cultures, however, with a higher number of cells containing proenkephalin mRNAs. These observations demonstrated that AVP, dynorphin and enkephalin, but not OT genes, can be expressed in cultures prepared from embryonic rat brain as young as 16 days old. This is the first report of an early expression of opioid peptide genes within the central nervous system suggesting that opioids could be involved in the early phases of nervous system development.     

Distributions of mRNAs for alpha-2 adrenergic receptor subtypes in rat brain: An in situ hybridization study

Selective ³⁵S-labeled oligonucleotide probes were designed to sequences of the rat alpha-2A (RG20), alpha-2B (RNG), and alpha-2C (RG10) adrenoreceptor mRNAs for use in in situ hybridization experiments on sections of unfixed rat brain, spinal cord and kidney. After hybridized sections were exposed to film or dipped in autoradiographic emulsion, specific and selective labeling patterns characteristic for each probe and region of the central nervous system were observed. Alpha-2A mRNA labeling was most pronounced in neurons in layer six of the cerebral cortex, hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus, reticular thalamic nucleus, pontine nuclei, locus coeruleus, vestibular nuclei, trapezoid nuclei, deep cerebellar nuclei, nucleus tractus solitarii, ventrolateral medullary reticular formation, and the intermediolateral cell column of the thoracic spinal cord. In some of these locations, the receptor mRNA, in all probability, is present in noradrenaline and perhaps adrenaline neurons. The alpha-2B probe, which primarily labels the kidney, gave only a very light signal in the thalamus in the central nervous system after extended exposure times. Alpha-2C mRNA labeling was primarily observed in the olfactory bulb, cerebral cortex, islands of Calleja, striatum, hippocampal formation, cerebellar cortex, and dorsal root ganglia. Labeling patterns disappeared when excess unlabeled probes were added to their respective radiolabeled probes, or when sense probes were employed. When a hybrid antisense probe homologous to all three alpha-2 probes was used, labeling patterns also disappeared. The present study therefore justifies the pharmacological subclassification of alpha-2 receptors by providing anatomical evidence for specific and selective cell groups in the rat central nervous system containing mRNA for three alpha-2 receptor subtypes. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Localization of tyrosine hydroxylase and its messenger RNA in the brain of rainbow trout by immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization

This report describes the distribution of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-expressing structures in the brain of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). TH neurons have been localized by the use of two complementary techniques, immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization of TH messenger RNA. Results obtained from in situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry were in agreement. TH cells were observed in many areas of the brain, with a higher density at the level of the olfactory bulbs where TH-positive neurons are abundant in the internal cell layer. In the telencephalon, two populations of TH neurons can be distinguished: one group is located in the area ventralis telencephali pars dorsalis, and the other group is located in the area ventralis telencephali pars ventralis and extends laterally in the area ventralis telencephali pars lateralis. Many labeled neurons are also seen in the preoptic area as well as in the hypothalamus, where several clusters of TH-positive cells are observed. Some of these neurons located in the paraventricular organ grow a short cytoplasmic extension directed to the ventricular wall and are known to be cerebrospinal fluid-contacting cells. The most caudal TH neurons are observed at the level of the locus caeruleus. At the level of the pituitary, TH-positive fibers are observed in the neurohypophysis. The TH-immunoreactive innervation at the level of the pituitary provides a neuroanatomic basis for the effects of dopamine and/or norepinephrine on the release of pituitary hormones in fish.