Cellular Localization of Proenkephalin mRNA in Rat Brain: Gene Expression in the Caudate-Putamen and Cerebellar Cortex

• Published in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS Vol. 83; no. 16; pp. 6221 - 6225
• Main Authors: Shivers, Brenda D., Harlan, Richard E., Romano, Gary J., Howells, Richard D., Pfaff, Donald W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 01.08.1986; National Acad Sciences
• Subjects: Animals; Autoradiography; Biological and medical sciences; Brain; Caudate Nucleus - metabolism; Cell physiology; Cerebellar cortex; Cerebellar Cortex - metabolism; Complementary DNA; DNA - metabolism; Enkephalins - genetics; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene expression; Genes; In situ hybridization; Male; Messenger RNA; Molecular and cellular biology; Neurons; Neuroscience; Neurotransmission; Nucleic Acid Hybridization; Phosphorus Radioisotopes; Protein Precursors - genetics; Purkinje cells; Putamen - metabolism; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; RNA, Messenger - analysis; RNA, Messenger - genetics; Sodium; Transcription, Genetic; Rat; Rodentia; Central nervous system; Proenkephalin; Gene expression; Putamen; Vertebrata; Cerebellar cortex; Mammalia; Caudate nucleus; Messenger RNA; Animal; Neurotransmitter; Localization
• ISSN: 0027-8424; 1091-6490
• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.83.16.6221

The cellular locations of proenkephalin mRNA have been determined for the caudate-putamen and cerebellar cortex of the rat brain by in situ hybridization. In the caudate-putamen, more than half of the neurons express the proenkephalin gene. Morphologically, they are medium-sized cells that may represent projection neurons. In the cerebellar cortex, proenkephalin mRNA is present in a subpopulation of neurons in the granule layer that appear to be Golgi cells--i.e., inhibitory interneurons. The presence of [Met]enkephalin, a pentapeptide derived from proenkephalin, in these two brain areas is consistent with a synthetic role for this mRNA and implicates proenkephalin gene expression in the control of motor function.