First Author | Takahashi E | Year | 2006 |
Journal | Comp Med | Volume | 56 |
Issue | 3 | Pages | 168-75 |
PubMed ID | 16774125 | Mgi Jnum | J:144894 |
Mgi Id | MGI:3832145 | Citation | Takahashi E, et al. (2006) Enhanced expression of Ca2+ channel alpha1A and beta4 subunits and phosphorylated tyrosine hydroxylase in the adrenal gland of N-type Ca2+ channel alpha1B subunit-deficient mice with a CBA/JN genetic background. Comp Med 56(3):168-75 |
abstractText | Electrophysiologic studies have demonstrated that adrenal medulla chromaffin cells express voltage-dependent P/Q-, N-, L-, and R-type Ca2+ channels and that these channels regulate release of norepinephrine and epinephrine. However, N-type Ca2+ channel alpha1B-deficient mice with a CBA/JN background show normal plasma norepinephrine and epinephrine levels, presumably owing to compensation by other gene(s). To examine the expression patterns of the P/Q-type alpha1A, L-type alpha1C/alpha1D, and R-type alpha1E, beta1, beta2, beta3, and beta4 subunits, as well as of tyrosine hydroxylase (Th), dopamine beta hydroxylase (Dbh), and phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase (Pnmt) in the adrenal gland of alpha1B-deficient mice, we used real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analyses. The expression levels of alpha1A, beta4, Th, and Th phosphorylated at serine 40 were higher in homozygous mice than in wild-type and heterozygous mice, but the expression levels of alpha1C, alpha1D, alpha1E, beta1, beta2, beta3, Dbh, and Pnmt did not differ among wild-type, heterozygous, and homozygous mice. These results suggest that the compensatory mechanisms to maintain normal levels of epinephrine and norepinephrine in the adrenal gland of N-type Ca2+ channel alpha1B-deficient mice include increased expression of alpha1A and beta4 subunits and increased catecholamine biosynthetic activity. |