Postnatal distribution of cpp32/caspase 3 mRNA in the mouse central nervous system: an in situ hybridization study
- PMID: 10379822
- DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1096-9861(19990705)409:3<339::aid-cne1>3.0.co;2-q
Postnatal distribution of cpp32/caspase 3 mRNA in the mouse central nervous system: an in situ hybridization study
Abstract
Apoptotic cell death is a major feature of the developing nervous system and of certain neurodegenerative diseases. Various gene effectors and repressors of this type of cell death have been identified. Among them, bcl-xl and bax, which encode for antiapoptotic and proapoptotic proteins, respectively, play major roles during development. The gene cpp32 encodes for the caspase 3 cysteine protease and is a critical mediator of cell death during embryonic development in the mammalian brain. To gain insight into the possible implications of these cell death genes during the postnatal development, we investigated the expression of bax, bcl-xl, and cpp32 mRNAs by in situ hybridization in the mouse brain from birth to adulthood. Whereas bax and bcl-xl mRNAs were expressed widely in neonates and adult mice, our results showed that cpp32 mRNA levels were decreased strongly from 12 postnatal days. From 1 postnatal day to 12 postnatal days, cpp32 mRNA was expressed ubiquitously in all brain nuclei, including areas where neurogenesis occurred. A positive correlation between areas displaying high levels of mRNA and apoptotic nuclei also was shown. In the adult, cpp32 mRNA was restricted to the piriform and entorhinal cortices, the neocortex, and to areas where neurogenesis is observed (e.g., olfactory bulb and dentate gyrus). The same pattern of expression was observed in adult mice over-expressing the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2. These results demonstrate that the expression of cpp32 mRNA is highly regulated during the mouse postnatal period, leading to a specific distribution in the adult central nervous system. Moreover, the prevention of cell death by Bcl-2 likely is not linked to the regulation of caspase mRNA levels.
Similar articles
-
cpp32 messenger RNA neosynthesis is induced by fatal axotomy and is not regulated by athanatal Bcl-2 over-expression.Neuroscience. 1999 May;90(2):653-64. doi: 10.1016/s0306-4522(98)00445-x. Neuroscience. 1999. PMID: 10215167
-
The mouse cpp32 mRNA transcript is early up-regulated in axotomized motoneurons following facial nerve transection.Neurosci Lett. 1999 Apr 30;266(1):65-8. doi: 10.1016/s0304-3940(99)00264-5. Neurosci Lett. 1999. PMID: 10336185
-
Bcl-xL is a negative regulator of caspase-3 activation in immature neurons during development.Brain Res Dev Brain Res. 1999 Aug 5;116(1):69-78. doi: 10.1016/s0165-3806(99)00076-0. Brain Res Dev Brain Res. 1999. PMID: 10446348
-
Apoptosis and brain development.Ment Retard Dev Disabil Res Rev. 2001;7(4):261-6. doi: 10.1002/mrdd.1036. Ment Retard Dev Disabil Res Rev. 2001. PMID: 11754520 Review.
-
More alive than dead: non-apoptotic roles for caspases in neuronal development, plasticity and disease.Cell Death Differ. 2017 Aug;24(8):1411-1421. doi: 10.1038/cdd.2017.64. Epub 2017 Jun 23. Cell Death Differ. 2017. PMID: 28644437 Free PMC article. Review.
Cited by
-
MiR-138-5p Upregulation during Neuronal Maturation Parallels with an Increase in Neuronal Survival.Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Nov 20;24(22):16509. doi: 10.3390/ijms242216509. Int J Mol Sci. 2023. PMID: 38003699 Free PMC article.
-
Caspase-3 activation as a bifurcation point between plasticity and cell death.Neurosci Bull. 2012 Feb;28(1):14-24. doi: 10.1007/s12264-012-1057-5. Neurosci Bull. 2012. PMID: 22233886 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Differential expression of apoptotic protease-activating factor-1 and caspase-3 genes and susceptibility to apoptosis during brain development and after traumatic brain injury.J Neurosci. 2001 Oct 1;21(19):7439-46. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.21-19-07439.2001. J Neurosci. 2001. PMID: 11567033 Free PMC article.
-
A pivotal role of calcineurin signaling in development and maturation of postnatal cerebellar granule cells.Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2005 Apr 19;102(16):5874-9. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0501972102. Epub 2005 Apr 4. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2005. PMID: 15809415 Free PMC article.
-
Epigenetic regulation of caspase-3 gene expression in rat brain development.Gene. 2010 Jan 15;450(1-2):103-8. doi: 10.1016/j.gene.2009.10.008. Gene. 2010. PMID: 19909801 Free PMC article.
Publication types
MeSH terms
Substances
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Research Materials