Mapping Patterns of c-fos Expression in the Central Nervous System after Seizure

• Published in: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Vol. 237; no. 4811; pp. 192 - 197
• Main Authors: Morgan, James I., Cohen, Donna R., Hempstead, James L., Curran, Tom
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States The American Association for the Advancement of Science 10.07.1987; American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Subjects: Analysis; Animals; Anticonvulsants; Biochemistry; Brain; Brain Chemistry - drug effects; Central nervous system diseases; Dentate gyrus; Diazepam - pharmacology; DNA-Binding Proteins - biosynthesis; DNA-Binding Proteins - genetics; Dosage; Drug therapy; Epilepsy; Fluorescent Antibody Technique; Gels; Gene Expression Regulation; Medical research; Messenger RNA; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Neurons; Neurons - metabolism; PC12 cells; Pentobarbital - pharmacology; Pentylenetetrazole - antagonists & inhibitors; Pentylenetetrazole - toxicity; Physiological aspects; Protein research; Proto-Oncogene Proteins - biosynthesis; Proto-Oncogene Proteins - genetics; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; Receptors, GABA-A - drug effects; RNA; Seizures; Seizures - chemically induced; Seizures - metabolism; Spasm; Spasms
• ISSN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203
• DOI: 10.1126/science.3037702

A dramatic and specific induction of c-fos was observed in identifiable neuronal populations in vivo after administration of the convulsant Metrazole. This effect was time- and dose-dependent and was abolished by prior treatment with the anticonvulsant drugs diazepam or pentobarbital. About 60 minutes after administration of Metrazole, c-fos messenger RNA reached a maximum and declined to basal levels after 180 minutes. A further decrease below that in normal brain was observed before a return to basal levels after 16 hours. While Metrazole still elicited seizures during this period, reinduction of c-fos was largely refractory. At 90 minutes, c-fos protein was observed in the nuclei of neurons in the dentate gyrus, and in the pyriform and cingulate cortices. Subsequently, c-fos protein appeared throughout the cortex, hippocampus, and limbic system. Thus, seizure activity results in increased c-fos gene expression in particular subsets of neurons.