GLUCOCORTICOID MODULATION OF NEUROTROPHIN EXPRESSION IN IMMORTALIZED MOUSE HIPPOCAMPAL-NEURONS

To see whether glucocorticoid hormones can influence the regulation of neurotrophin expression in hippocampal neurons, we have used reverse- transcription followed by polymerase chain reaction to investigate cha nges in the mRNA levels of nerve growth factor (NGF) and neurotrophin- 3 (NT-3) in immortalized hippocampal neurons after dexamethasone appli cation. Our results show that NGF mRNA levels rise in both embryonic a nd postnatal neurons, but with different time courses, while NT-3 leve ls rise in the embryonic but not in the postnatally derived cell line. Modulation of NT expression by glucocorticoids may therefore be devel opmentally regulated.