EXPRESSION AND ACTIVITY-DEPENDENT CHANGES OF A NOVEL LIMBIC-SERINE PROTEASE GENE IN THE HIPPOCAMPUS

A novel murine cDNA which encodes a protein designated neuropsin was c loned, Northern and in situ hybridization analyses demonstrated that n europsin mRNA is expressed specifically in the limbic system of mouse brain and is localized at highest concentration in pyramidal neurons o f the hippocampal CA1-3 subfields. Direct hippocampal stimulation and kindling induced by amygdaloid stimulation caused a significant bilate ral change in neuropsin mRNA level in the hippocampal pyramidal neuron s, The activity-dependent changes and the specific localization indica te that neuropsin is involved in hippocampal plasticity.