Stress-induced hippocampus Npas4 mRNA expression relates to specific psychophysiological patterns in stress response.

Stress-induced hippocampus Npas4 mRNA expression relates to specific psychophysiological patterns in stress response.
Brain Res. 2017 Nov 28;:
Authors: Drouet JB, Peinnequin A, Faure P, Denis J, Fidier N, Maury R, Buguet A, Cespuglio R, Canini F
Abstract
Neuronal Per-Arnt-Sim (PAS) domain protein4 (Npas4) is a key protein that intervenes in GABA synapse scaling and neurotrophicity enhancing. Since GABA and neurotrophicity are implicated in stress response and Npas4-deficient rodents exhibit behavioral alterations, an investigation was designed in rats to verify whether stress-induced spontaneous hippocampus Npas4 mRNA expression would be associated with specific patterns of stress response. The rats were exposed to one of three stressor levels: no stress (CTL, n=15), exposure to a footshock apparatus (Sham, S, n=40) and footshock (F, n=80). After stress exposure the S and F rats were tested in an activity cage, and subsequently in an elevated plus maze (EPM), just prior to the sacrifice. The animals being already assigned to a stress level were also distributed into 2 subgroups depending on their Npas4 mRNA levels using cluster analysis. The low (L) and high (H) Npas4 expression subgroups were identified in the S and F groups, the CTL group being independent from the Npas4 levels. The Npas4 effect was studied through the interaction between stress (S and F) and Npas4 level (L and H). The biological stress response was similar in H an...

Source: Brain Research - November 28, 2017 Category: Neurology Authors: Drouet JB, Peinnequin A, Faure P, Denis J, Fidier N, Maury R, Buguet A, Cespuglio R, Canini F Tags: Brain Res Source Type: research