Expression of tachykinin NK1 receptor mRNA in dorsal root ganglia of the mouse

Abstract

We examined whether mRNA coding for tachykinin NK1 receptor is expressed in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) of the mouse, using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Both the RT-PCR of the total RNA from the DRGs using four pairs of primers and the digestion of these products with the restriction enzymes gave bands with the predicted length. Further amplification (nested PCR) of part of one PCR product also gave a band with the predicted length. Southern blot hybridization of RT-PCR products of total RNA from the DRG and several CNS regions revealed that the expression level of NK1 receptor mRNA in the DRG was similar to the cerebellum and less than the olfactory bulb, cerebral cortex, medulla oblongata and spinal cord. The present results suggest that NK1 receptor mRNA is expressed in the mouse DRG, although the level is relatively low.