Citation

Redell JB, Dash PK. Neurosci. Lett. 2007; 413(1): 36-41.

Affiliation

Departments of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Neurosurgery, and The Vivian L. Smith Center for Neurologic Research, The University of Texas Medical School, Houston, TX 77030, United States.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.neulet.2006.11.060

PMID

17240060

PMCID

PMC1857315

Abstract

Outcome following traumatic brain injury (TBI) is in large part determined by the combined action of multiple processes. In order to better understand the response of the central nervous system to injury, we utilized an antibody array to simultaneously screen 507 proteins for altered expression in the injured hippocampus, a structure critical for memory formation. Array analysis indicated 41 candidate proteins have altered expression levels 24h after TBI. Of particular interest was catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT), an enzyme involved in metabolizing catecholamines released following neuronal activity. Altered catecholamine signaling has been observed after brain injury, and may contribute to the cognitive dysfunctions and behavioral deficits often experienced after TBI. Our data shows that COMT expression in the injured ipsilateral hippocampus was elevated for at least 14 d after controlled cortical impact injury. We found strong co-localization of COMT immunoreactivity with the microglia marker Iba1 near the injury site. Since dopamine transporter expression has been reported to be down-regulated after brain injury, COMT-mediated catecholamine metabolism may play a more prominent role in terminating catecholamine signaling in injured areas.

Language: en