Michihisa Tohda, Zhao Qi and Hiroshi Watanabe
Department of Pharmacology, Institute for Wakan-yaku, Toyama Medical
and Pharmaceutical University, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama 930 - 0194, Japan
Abstract: The differential display method was used to identify
the intrinsic factor that changes its mRNA expression level in rat brain
after a 14-day oral administration of 20 mg/kg imipramine. The expression
of a 180-bp band was markedly enhanced by imipramine. The results of sequencing
and a data base search revealed that the isolated clone was glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate
dehydrogenase (GAPDH) with a one-base difference. Enhancement of the expression
by imipramine was observed in the amygdala. Quantitative PCR showed that
imipramine treatment significantly elevated the GAPDH/β-actin ratio in
the cortex. These findings suggest that long-term treatment with imipramine
stimulates GAPDH mRNA expression.
Keywords: Differential display, Antidepressant, Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate
dehydrogenase