Maternal separation suppresses TGF alpha mRNA expression in the prefrontal cortex of male and female neonatal C57BL/6 mice

Russell D Romeo; John A Fossella; Helen S Bateup; Helene M Sisti; Wayne G Brake; Bruce S McEwen

doi:10.1016/j.devbrainres.2004.05.007

Maternal separation suppresses TGF alpha mRNA expression in the prefrontal cortex of male and female neonatal C57BL/6 mice

Brain Res Dev Brain Res. 2004 Aug 18;152(1):73-7. doi: 10.1016/j.devbrainres.2004.05.007.

Authors

Russell D Romeo¹, John A Fossella, Helen S Bateup, Helene M Sisti, Wayne G Brake, Bruce S McEwen

Affiliation

¹ Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Ave, Box 165, New York, NY 10021, USA. romeor@rockfeller.edu

PMID: 15283997
DOI: 10.1016/j.devbrainres.2004.05.007

Abstract

Male C57BL/6 mice that undergo maternal separation (MS) early in life demonstrate higher levels of anxiety upon reaching adulthood compared to normally reared offspring. This study reports that neonatal males and females that undergo MS have reduced mRNA levels of transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF alpha) in the prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain implicated in emotionality, compared to normally reared animals. TGF alpha expression was unaffected by MS in the hippocampus. These data indicate that MS leads to a brain region-specific suppression of TGF alpha expression early in development.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Animals, Newborn
Female
Male
Maternal Deprivation*
Mice
Mice, Inbred C57BL
Prefrontal Cortex / metabolism*
RNA, Messenger / analysis
Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
Transforming Growth Factor alpha / biosynthesis*

Substances

RNA, Messenger
Transforming Growth Factor alpha