Stimulatory effects of 4-methylcatechol, dopamine and levodopa on the expression of metallothionein-III (GIF) mRNA in immortalized mouse brain glial cells (VR-2g)

Chiharu Sogawa, Tohru Nakanishi, Norio Sogawa, Kazuhiro Ishii, Norio Ogawa, Masaharu Takigawa, Hiroaki Furuta

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

19 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Metallothionein (MT)-III, originally discovered as a growth inhibitory factor (GIF), is a brain specific isomer of MTs and is markedly reduced in the brain of Alzheimer's disease patients (AD) and in several other neurodegenerative diseases. We analyzed the level and regulation of mRNA expression of MT-III in immortalized fetal mouse brain glial cells (VR-2g) by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The basal expression level of MT-III mRNA is very low in VR-2g cells. 4-Methylcatechol, dopamine (DA) and levodopa (L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine), which stimulate the synthesis of nerve growth factor (NGF), further increased the expression of MT-III mRNA in VR-2g cells.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)335-339
Number of pages5
JournalBrain Research
Volume792
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - May 11 1998

Keywords

  • 4- Methylcatechol
  • Dopamine
  • Glial cell
  • Growth inhibitory factor
  • Levodopa
  • Metallothionein-III

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Neuroscience(all)
  • Molecular Biology
  • Clinical Neurology
  • Developmental Biology

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