Negative regulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor mRNA expression by kainic acid in substantia nigra

By using in situ hybridization, we have demonstrated that kainic acid (KA) administration decreases brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA expr ession in the substantia nigra pars compacta of adult rat. In addition, RT- PCR analysis indicated that transcripts derived from exons la and Ic of the BDNF gene were strongly decreased after KA treatment. Conversely, in denta te gyrus this treatment increased the expression of BDNF mRNAs derived from exons Ib, Ic and Id. Our data show, contrarily to what is observed in most brain structures, that KA exerts a negative regulatory effect on BDNF mRNA expression in the adult substantia nigra, (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. A ll rights reserved.