GLUTAMIC-ACID DECARBOXYLASE (GAD-67) GENE-EXPRESSION IN THE PANCREAS AND BRAIN OF THE NONOBESE DIABETIC MOUSE

A quantitative PCR was developed to measure GAD 67 mRNA levels in panc reas from NOD mice. Two nonautoimmune mouse strains were used as contr ols. An internal standard, rat GAD 67 mRNA, was prepared to quantify t he reaction. In NOD mice GAD 67 expression in the pancreas was in the order of 2 x 10(6) molecules/mu g of total RNA; this expression was fi ve times less in the two control mouse strains, whatever the age. The overexpression of GAD 67 characterized in the NOD mouse could be restr icted to the pancreas since similar analysis performed in mouse brain did not reveal a large difference between the three mouse strains stud ied. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.