L. Tapia-arancibia et al., Effects of alcohol on brain-derived neurotrophic factor mRNA expression indiscrete regions of the rat hippocampus and hypothalamus, J NEUROSC R, 63(2), 2001, pp. 200-208
Chronic alcohol consumption has adverse effects on the central nervous syst
em, affecting some hippocampal and hypothalamic functions. In this study we
tempted to demonstrate that some of these modifications could involve impa
irment of neurotrophic factors. Three experimental groups of male Sprague D
awley rats were studied: one control group, one chronically treated with al
cohol vapor according to a well-established model that induces behavioral d
ependence, and a third group treated similarly but killed 12 hr after alcoh
ol withdrawal. In all groups, changes in brain-derived neurotrophic factor
mRNA expression occurring in the hippocampus and supraoptic nucleus were fi
rst analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and then by
in situ hybridization. In parallel, we used ribonuclease protection assay
to measure mRNA levels encoding trkB in the two central nervous system regi
ons. We showed that chronic alcohol intoxication decreases brain-derived ne
urotrophic factor mRNA expression in discrete regions of the rat hippocampu
s (CA1 region and dentate gyrus) and in the supraoptic nucleus of the hypot
halamus. We also showed a global up-regulation of trkB mRNA expression enco
ding the high-affinity brain-derived neurotrophic factor receptor (TrkB), a
fter applying the same treatment. Following 12 hr of alcohol withdrawal, a
significant increase in BDNF mRNA expression was observed in the dentate gy
rus and CA3 region of hippocampus and in the hypothalamic supraoptic nucleu
s. These findings suggest that chronic alcohol intake may modify hippocampa
l and hypothalamic neuronal functions through modifications in growth facto
rs and its receptors. (C) 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.