Alterations in BDNF and NT-3 mRNAs in rat hippocampus after experimental brain trauma (original) (raw)

Hippocampal neurotrophin levels after injury: Relationship to the age of the hippocampus at the time of injury

Journal of Neuroscience Research, 2004

Aging impairs the competence of the hippocampus for synaptic reorganization after injury. This potentially is due to the inability of the aging hippocampus to up‐regulate the critical neurotrophic factors for prolonged periods after injury to levels at which they can stimulate neurite outgrowth and facilitate synaptic reorganization. We hypothesize that the concentrations of neurotrophins in the hippocampus after injury depend on the age at the time of injury. We quantified the concentrations of brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), nerve growth factor (NGF), and neurotrophin‐3 (NT‐3) in the hippocampus of young, middle‐aged, and aged Fischer 344 rats at 4 days after kainic acid (KA)‐induced injury. In comparison with the age‐matched intact hippocampus, the KA‐lesioned hippocampus exhibited increased levels of BDNF and NGF in all three age groups. In contrast, the NT‐3 concentration was unaltered after KA lesion. Notwithstanding similar percentage increases in BDNF after injury,...

Analysis of long-term gene expression in neurons of the hippocampal subfields following traumatic brain injury in rats

Neuroscience, 2005

After experimental traumatic brain injury (TBI), widespread neuronal loss is progressive and continues in selectively vulnerable brain regions, such as the hippocampus, for months to years after the initial insult. To clarify the molecular mechanisms underlying secondary or delayed cell death in hippocampal neurons after TBI, we compared long-term changes in gene expression in the CA1, CA3 and dentate gyrus (DG) subfields of the rat hippocampus at 24 h and 3, 6, and 12 months after TBI with changes in gene expression in sham-operated rats. We used laser capture microdissection to collect several hundred hippocampal neurons from the CA1, CA3, and DG subfields and linearly amplified the nanogram samples of neuronal RNA with T7 RNA polymerase. Subsequent quantitative analysis of gene expression using ribonuclease protection assay revealed that mRNA expression of the anti-apoptotic gene, Bcl-2, and the chaperone heat shock protein 70 was significantly downregulated at 3, 6 (Bcl-2 only),...

Developmental traumatic brain injury decreased brain derived neurotrophic factor expression late after injury

Metabolic Brain Disease, 2012

Pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of acquired cognitive dysfunction in children. Hippocampal Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) is important for normal cognition. Little is known about the effects of TBI on BDNF levels in the developing hippocampus. We used controlled cortical impact (CCI) in the 17 day old rat pup to test the hypothesis that CCI would first increase rat hippocampal BDNF mRNA/protein levels relative to SHAM and Naïve rats by post injury day (PID) 2 and then decrease BDNF mRNA/protein by PID14. Relative to SHAM, CCI did not change BDNF mRNA/protein levels in the injured hippocampus in the first 2 days after injury but did decrease BDNF protein at PID14. Surprisingly, BDNF mRNA decreased at PID 1, 3, 7 and 14, and BDNF protein decreased at PID 2, in SHAM and CCI hippocampi relative to Naïve. In conclusion, TBI decreased BDNF protein in the injured rat pup hippocampus 14 days after injury. BDNF mRNA levels decreased in both CCI and SHAM hippocampi relative to Naïve, suggesting that certain aspects of the experimental paradigm (such as craniotomy, anesthesia, and/or maternal separation) may decrease the expression of BDNF in the developing hippocampus. While BDNF is important for normal cognition, no inferences can be made regarding the cognitive impact of any of these factors. Such findings, however, suggest that meticulous attention to the experimental paradigm, and possible inclusion of a Naïve group, is warranted in studies of BDNF expression in the developing brain after TBI.

Glucocorticoids modulate BDNF mRNA expression in the rat hippocampus after traumatic brain injury

NeuroReport, 2000

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in rat hippocampus is increased after experimental traumatic brain injury (TBI) and may be neuroprotective. Glucocorticoids are important regulators of brain neurotrophin levels and are often prescribed following TBI. The effect of adrenalectomy (ADX) on the expression of BDNF mRNA in the hippocampus after TBI has not been investigated to date. We used¯uid percussion injury (FPI) and in situ hybridization to evaluate the expression of BDNF mRNA in the hippocampus 4 h after TBI in adrenal-intact or adrenalectomized rats (with or without corticosterone replacement). FPI and ADX independently increased expression of BDNF mRNA. In animals undergoing FPI, prior ADX caused further elevation of BDNF mRNA and this upregulation was prevented by corticosterone replacement in ADX rats. These ®ndings suggest that glucocorticoids are involved in the modulation of the BDNF mRNA response to TBI. NeuroReport 11:3381±3384 &

Rapid induction of BDNF expression in the hippocampus during immobilization stress challenge in adult rats

Hippocampus, 2003

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is strongly expressed in the hippocampus, where it has been associated with memory processes. In the central nervous system, some learning processes, as well as brain insults, including stress, induce modifications in BDNF mRNA expression. Because stress and memory appear to share some neuronal pathways, we studied BDNF mRNA and BDNF peptide variations in response to short times of immobilization stress. Using an RNase protection assay, we demonstrated that short-time stress application induced a significant increase (at 60 min) in BDNF mRNA levels in the whole rat hippocampus. Changes in BDNF mRNA content appear to reflect increased expression of BDNF transcripts containing exons I, II, and III, that were also significantly modified at this time. The time course of stress-induced changes in BDNF transcript levels revealed that mRNA containing exon III was the first increased, significantly elevated by 15 min, attaining maximal levels at 60 min, as BDNF transcripts containing exons I and II. However, at longer times of stress (180 min), BDNF mRNA levels were decreased as well as mRNA containing exon IV. In situ hybridization analysis of discrete hippocampal layers demonstrated that BDNF mRNA expression increased as early as 15 min in most hippocampal regions, with no modification in the number of labeled cells. The same signal pattern, although less pronounced, was determined at 60 min, but at this time a significant increase in BDNF-positive cells was visualized in the CA3 layer. The peptide, measured by immunoassay, was significantly augmented after 180 min of stress exposure whereas at 300 min, levels were similar to those measured in control animals. These data suggest that rapid changes in BDNF expression may be part of a compensatory response to preserve hippocampal homeostasis or a form of neuronal plasticity to cope with new stimuli. Hippocampus 2003;13:646 -655.

Coordinated expression of messenger RNAs for nerve growth factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neurotrophin-3 in the rat hippocampus following transient …

Neuroscience, 1993

A~traet---Changes in nerve growth factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neurotrophin-3 messenger RNA expression in the rat hippocampus following 20 rain of transient forebrain ischemia were evaluated using Northern blot analysis and in situ hybridization histochemistry. Twelve hours after the insult, the level of nerve growth factor messenger RNA increased markedly in the granular cell layer of the dentate gyrus and by day 2 returned to control levels. The level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor messenger RNA showed a persistent and moderate increase. The highest expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor messenger RNA was seen in the dentate granule cells on day 2 after the insult, and then the expression returned to the control levels. At 2 days post-ischemia, contents of messenger RNAs for nerve growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor were reduced in the CA 1 region, which may represent delayed loss of vulnerable CAI pyramidal neurons. In contrast to brain-derived neurotrophic factor and nerve growth factor messenger RNA expression, the level of neurotrophin-3 messenger RNA declined in the CA1, the CA2 and the dentate granular layer immediately after ischemic insult. In the CAI region, the reduced expression persisted for at least seven days, but in the dentate gyrus, neurotrophin-3 messenger RNA expression returned to the control levels after two days of post-ischemic recovery.

Time-course of GDNF and its receptor expression after brain injury in the rat

Neuroscience Letters, 2008

The aim of the present work was to perform, by in situ hybridization, a time-course analysis of the glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and its receptor mRNA expression in two models of brain injury in the rat: (a) excitotoxic lesion by ibotenic acid injection in the hippocampal formation; (b) mechanical lesion by needle insertion through the cerebral cortex including the white matter of the corpus callosum. The time-course analysis, ranging from 6 h to 8 days, showed that the GDNF and its receptor (RET, GFR␣-1 and GFR␣-2) mRNA expressions were differentially up-regulated in both models of lesion. This in vivo regulation of the GDNF and its receptor mRNA expression indicates their involvement in the process of neuronal protection and regeneration occurring after brain injury.

Regional changes in the expression of neurotrophic factors and their receptors following acute traumatic brain injury in the adult rat brain

Brain Research, 1999

. Ž . We have analyzed the effect of severe traumatic brain injury TBI on the levels of mRNA expression of neurotrophic factors NTFs : Ž . Ž . Ž . brain-derived neurotrophic factor BDNF , nerve growth factor NGF , ciliary neurotrophic factor CNTF and their respective receptors: trkB, trkA and CNTFRa. The expression was examined in the region of the lesion as well as a region remote from the lesion at 12, 24, and 36 h following the injury. Our data suggest that after the brain injury, the expression of NGF and BDNF mRNAs were early, transiently and significantly upregulated while that of CNTF was a slow and less amplified response in both areas of the brain. We also found that trkA mRNA expression was only upregulated significantly in the remote area; trkB mRNA showed no significant change in either area except an upregulation at 12 h in the remote area. CNTFRa was downregulated significantly by 24-36 h in the lesion area and by 24 h in the remote area. These changes suggest that TBI regulates the expression of NTFs and their receptors. These alterations in expression may be involved in modulating the neuronal response after brain injury. q