Neurochemical Research

, Volume 31, Issue 7, pp 921–924 | Cite as

Regional Variations of 5HT Concentrations in Rora sg (staggerer) Mutants

Original Paper
First Online:
Accepted:

Abstract

Ataxic Rora sg (staggerer) mouse mutants, containing a deletion of the Rora gene which encodes a retinoid-like nuclear receptor, were compared to non-ataxic controls for concentrations of 5-hydroxytryptamine (HT), its main metabolite (5-hydroxy-indole acetic acid, 5HIAA), and its precursor (tryptophan) in cerebellum, brainstem, and forebrain. In Rora sg cerebellum, 5HT concentrations increased relative to controls, while tryptophan concentrations decreased. 5HIAA concentrations increased in mutant cerebellum and brainstem, but the 5HIAA/5HT ratio declined only in cerebellum. These results indicate that 5HT turnover decreased in cerebellum of an ataxic mutant, perhaps indicative of presynaptic accumulation and compromised neurotransmission and susceptible to be modified by 5HT pharmacotherapy.

Keywords

Cerebellar mutant Cerebellum Retinoid-like nuclear receptor Rora Serotonin Biogenic amines 
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Notes

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a grant from NSERC to RL.

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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media, Inc. 2006

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Faculté de Médecine et de PharmacieUniversité de RouenRouen CedexFrance
  2. 2.CHUM/St-LucUnité de Recherche en Sciences NeurologiquesMontreal, Que.Canada
  3. 3.Laboratoire de Pathologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire en NutritionUniversité Henri PoincaréVandoeuvre-les-NancyFrance
  4. 4.Faculté de Médecine, Service de Microscopie ElectroniqueVandoeuvre-les-NancyFrance

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