Neurotransmitter receptor analysis in transgenic mouse models

Methods Mol Biol. 2004:277:231-60. doi: 10.1385/1-59259-804-8:231.

Abstract

One of the characteristic findings in human Huntington's disease (HD) is the alteration of neurotransmitter receptors. To a remarkable degree, transgenic HD mouse models recapitulate neurotransmitter receptor alterations. Neurotransmitter receptors can be assessed at the protein level by using receptor-binding autoradiography. One can also measure levels of receptor messenger RNA with in situ hybridization (ISH), employing either oligonucleotide or ribonucleotide probes. Both of these techniques-receptor-binding autoradiography and in situ hybridization-yield quantitative and regionally specific information regarding neurotransmitter receptors. We describe techniques for performing receptor-binding autoradiography and two types of in situ hybridization using oligonucleotide and ribonucleotide probes. With receptor binding and ISH, one can obtain quantitative region-specific assessments of neurotransmitter receptor alteration, a key pathologic event in HD pathogenesis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Autoradiography
  • Base Sequence
  • DNA Probes
  • Humans
  • Huntington Disease / genetics
  • In Situ Hybridization
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Receptors, Neurotransmitter / genetics*

Substances

  • DNA Probes
  • Receptors, Neurotransmitter