Electroconvulsive treatment evokes release of preprotachykinin-A mRNA into the cerebrospinal fluid and ocular aqueous humor of rabbits

Following electroconvulsive treatment (ECT) of rabbits, preprotachykinin-A (PPT-A) mRNA was detected by Southern blot analysis of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified products in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and aqueous humor of the eye. In contrast, no PPT-A mRNA could be detected in samples from untreated animals. In addition, several neuropeptides (substance P, neuropeptide Y, cholecystokinin, calcitonin gene-related peptide and pituitary adenylate cyclase activating peptide) were released into the CSF (and aqueous humor) following ECT. The results suggest that PPT-A mRNA was released together with neuropeptides into the CSF and aqueous humor in response to ECT. Indeed, previous studies have suggested that neurons can release neuropeptide mRNAs and that neurons are capable of taking up and expressing foreign mRNA. If neuropeptide mRNA can be taken up and utilized by another neuronal population, it might explain instances when neurons display 'phenotypic switch', i.e. the transient expression of novel neuropeptides.