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Differential expression of diacylglycerol kinase iota and L18A mRNAs in the brains of alcohol-preferring AA and alcohol-avoiding ANA rats

Molecular Psychiatry volume 6, pages 103–108 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

Ethanol preference and behavioral disinhibition in AA (alcohol accepting) animals is a behavioral constellation similar to that seen in human type II alcoholism, for which considerable genetic loading has been shown. In search of novel neural substrates for this phenotype, we compared gene expression in the cerebral cortex of the AA rat with two groups of control animals, the ANA (alcohol non-accepting) line and heterogeneous Wistar animals, by differential display RT-PCR. We identified two transcripts, ribosomal protein L18a mRNA and diacyglycerol kinase iota mRNA, which are differentially expressed between AA and ANA rats. Ribosomal protein L18A mRNA is evenly expressed throughout the brain, but strongly reduced in cortex of AA rats vs controls. Diacylglycerol kinase iota is exclusively found in the brain, and expressed in a distinct regional pattern. Its cortical expression is about 25% higher in AA than ANA rats. Differential display RT-PCR seems to provide a feasible strategy to identify previously unknown genes whose differential expression correlates with behavioral phenotypes related to dependence.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by Pharmacia & Upjohn Corp. WS is especially grateful to Drs E Donovan-Wright and HA Robertson, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada, for the generous and joyful introduction into the DD RT-PCR world.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. NEUROTEC, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, 141 86, Sweden

    W Sommer, C Arlinde, L Caberlotto, A Thorsell & M Heilig

  2. Dept of Alcohol Research, National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland

    P Hyytia

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  1. W Sommer
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  2. C Arlinde
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  3. L Caberlotto
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  4. A Thorsell
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  5. P Hyytia
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  6. M Heilig
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Correspondence to W Sommer.

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Sommer, W., Arlinde, C., Caberlotto, L. et al. Differential expression of diacylglycerol kinase iota and L18A mRNAs in the brains of alcohol-preferring AA and alcohol-avoiding ANA rats. Mol Psychiatry 6, 103–108 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.mp.4000823

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