LIMITED RESPONSES OF NEURONAL MESSENGER-RNAS TO UNILATERAL LESIONS OFTHE RAT ENTORHINAL CORTEX

Following unilateral electrolytic lesioning of the rat entorhinal cort ex, we assessed changes in messenger RNA (mRNA) levels for four neuron -associated proteins, GAP-43, SCG10, 68 kDa neurofilament (NF68), and alpha(1)-tubulin that encode proteins of importance to synaptic remode lling. The mRNA levels for GAP-43 and SCG10 were reduced in the septal nuclei, while those of SCG10 and alpha(1)-tubulin were elevated in th e hippocampus; at most, the changes ranged from -40% to +50% of contro ls. Changes in NF68 mRNA levels were not significant. Correlations wer e found between mRNA for SCG10 and both GAP-43 and NF68. In view of th ese modest changes in most mRNA levels examined, we suggest that post- translational regulation may also be important in responses to injury.