Adrenergic Receptor Characterization of Rat Hippocampal CA3 Pyramidal Neurons Using Real Time Single Cell RT‐PCR

Abstract

The CA3 region of the rat hippocampus is implicated in learning and memory, as well as the initiation and propagation of seizure activity. The endogenous catecholamine neurotransmitter norepinephrine (NE) has been shown to both enhance certain memory processes and have potent anticonvulsant actions in the hippocampal CA3 region. Conflicting results have been reported as to which adrenergic receptor (AR) subtypes (α1, α2 and β) are responsible for these effects. Delineating the specific AR subtype(s) involved in these actions of NE has significant therapeutic potential. Using the single cell, real time RT-PCR technique we attempted to characterize the mRNA for the AR subtype(s) expressed by hippocampal CA3 pyramidal neurons. Over 50% of the pyramidal neurons expressed mRNA for α2AAR, but none expressed α2BAR mRNA. These results suggest that only a select number of AR subtypes are transcriptically expressed in the pyramidal CA3 neurons. This study was supported by the American Epilepsy Society (KLH), NSF CAREER Award 0347259 (VAD), ND EPSCoR through NSF EPS-0447679 and NIH 5P20RR017699 from the COBRE program (JEP, VAD).