Stimulation of immediate early gene expression by desipramine in rat brain

Biol Psychiatry. 1997 Sep 1;42(5):317-23. doi: 10.1016/S0006-3223(96)00361-7.

Abstract

The stimulation of immediate early gene expression in brain and neuronal cell culture systems has been reported after various experimental paradigms such as chemiconvulsant-provoked seizures or specific drug applications. In particular, the induction of immediate early genes by adrenergic model substances has been demonstrated by several investigators. This report demonstrates that a single dose of desipramine (10 or 25 mg/kg), a classical tricyclic antidepressant drug acting on the adrenergic system, induced c-fos and zif268 expression in rat hippocampus without affecting c-jun. The observed immediate early gene response might reflect part of a signal transduction cascade involved in long-term neuroadaptive and behavioral changes after antidepressant drug treatment.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / pharmacology*
  • Brain Chemistry / drug effects*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / biosynthesis
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • Desipramine / pharmacology*
  • Early Growth Response Protein 1
  • Gene Expression Regulation / drug effects*
  • Genes, Immediate-Early / drug effects*
  • Hippocampus / drug effects
  • Hippocampus / metabolism
  • Immediate-Early Proteins*
  • Locus Coeruleus / drug effects
  • Locus Coeruleus / metabolism
  • Male
  • Oligonucleotide Probes
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / biosynthesis
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / biosynthesis
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / biosynthesis
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Stimulation, Chemical
  • Transcription Factors / biosynthesis
  • Transcription Factors / genetics

Substances

  • Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Early Growth Response Protein 1
  • Egr1 protein, rat
  • Immediate-Early Proteins
  • Oligonucleotide Probes
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Transcription Factors
  • Desipramine