Expression of metabotropic glutamate receptors in the rat and chick visual system after ocular enucleation.

Author(s)

Rhowena Jane Barbosa de Matos

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB/SDI)
• Defense date: 2007-11-21

Examining board members

Luiz Roberto Giorgetti de Britto; Raul Manhães de Castro; Dania Emi Hamassaki; Alexandre Hiroaki Kihara; Sara Joyce Shammah Lagnado

• Advisor: Luiz Roberto Giorgetti de Britto

Abstract

The metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) are involved in neuronal plasticity and neuroprotection. We analyzed the expression of mGluRs in the visual system of rats and chicks in several periods after ocular enucleation. The localization and expression of mGluR1, 5, 2/3 and 7 receptors were evaluated by standard immunoperoxidase, immunoblotting and real-time PCR protocols. The immunorreativity, protein and gene expression of mGluR1, 5 and 7 receptors in the superior colliculus showed an increase, whereas no changes were seen in the lateral geniculate nucleus. For mGluR3, gene expression was decreased. In the TeO, mGluR1 and 5 increased for all survival periods analyzed. Immunoblotting analyses confirmed the increases for mGluR1 and 5, decreases for mGluR2/3. These results indicate that the expression of mGluRs is regulated by the glutamatergic retinal input, and add data on a possible role of these receptors in neuroplasticity in adult animals. (AU)