학술논문
Expression profile of neurotransmitter receptor and regulatory genes in the prefrontal cortex of spontaneously hypertensive rats: Relevance to neuropsychiatric disorders.
Document Type
Article
Author
Leite Santoro, Marcos; Santos, Camila Maurício; Ota, Vanessa Kiyomi; Gadelha, Ary; Stilhano, Roberta Sessa; Cepollaro Diana, Mariana; Silva, Patrícia Natália; Spíndola, Letícia Maria Nery; Melaragno, Maria Isabel; Affonseca Bressan, Rodrigo; Sang Won Han; Costhek Abílio, Vanessa; Belangero, Sintia Iole
Source
Subject
*NEUROBEHAVIORAL disorders
*NEUROTRANSMITTER receptors
*GENETIC regulation
*PREFRONTAL cortex
*HYPERTENSION
*PATHOLOGICAL physiology
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Language
ISSN
0165-1781
Abstract
The spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) strain was shown to be a useful animal model to study several behavioral, pathophysiological and pharmacological aspects of schizophrenia and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. To further understand the genetic underpinnings of this model, our primary goal in this study was to compare the gene expression profile of neurotransmitter receptors and regulators in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and nucleus accumbens (NAcc) of SHR and Wistar rats (control group). In addition, we investigated DNA methylation pattern of promoter region of the genes differentially expressed. We performed gene expression analysis using a PCRarray technology, which simultaneously measures the expression of 84 genes related to neurotransmission. Four genes were significantly downregulated in the PFC of SHR compared to Wistar rats (Gad2, Chrnb4, Slc5a7, and Qrfpr) and none in nucleus accumbens. Gad2 and Qrfpr have CpG islands in their promoter region. For both, the promoter region was hypomethylated in SHR group, and probably this mechanism is not related with the downregulation of these genes. In summary, we identified genes that are downregulated in the PFC of SHR, and might be related to the behavioral abnormalities exhibited by this strain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]