EXPRESSION OF MESSENGER-RNA FOR THE ELAV-LIKE NEURAL-SPECIFIC RNA-BINDING PROTEIN, HUD, DURING NERVOUS-SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT

The expression of mRNA for the neuronal antigen HuD (Elav14) associate d with paraneoplastic encephalomyelitis and sensory neuronopathy was e valuated in the developing and adult rat nervous system. Using RNase p rotection assay and non-radioactive in situ hybridization histochemist ry HuD expression was shown to be expressed at high levels at the earl iest time point observed (E15), but declined significantly during the first postnatal week to levels which were maintained into adulthood. I n the adult, HuD expression became restricted primarily to large pyram idal-like neurons. Exceptions of note were many smaller neurons within a variety of thalamic nuclei. Expression of HuD was observed to be co incident with terminal differentiation of all neuronal structures eval uated regardless of the timing of their development, providing correla tive evidence for a role in neuronal differentiation or the maintenanc e of neuronal phenotype. The marked restriction of HuD mRNA expression with maturity suggests that its functional role in adult neurons vari es significantly throughout the CNS. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. Al l rights reserved.