ANALYSIS OF TRANSCRIPTIONAL INITIATION AND TRANSLATABILITY OF BRAIN-DERIVED NEUROTROPHIC FACTOR MESSENGER-RNAS IN THE RAT-BRAIN

The rat brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene consists of four 5' exons linked to separate promoters and one 3' exon encoding the pr epro-BDNF protein. In the present study, using RNase protection analys is, we show that the same major transcription initiation sites are use d for each BDNF exon mRNA in different brain regions and that in addit ion to hippocampus and cerebral cortex, kainate differentially induces the expression of BDNF exon mRNAs in thalamus, cerebellum and striatu m. The 4.2 kb transcripts, are less enriched in the polysomal fraction of rat brain than the shorter 1.6 kb transcripts suggesting their tra nslational discrimination.