Age-related relationship between mRNA expression of GABA(B) receptors and calcium channel beta4 subunits in cacnb4lh mice.

In previous studies we found increased GABA(B) receptor number in 8-week-old homozygous Cacnb4lh mice compared to nonepileptic (+/+) littermates. In this study, we examined the relationship between Cacnb4 and GABA(B) receptor mRNA expression in brains from Cacnb4lh homozygotes and (+/+) controls. We found a significant correlation between the magnitude of increased GABA(B) receptor and decreased Cacnb4 mRNA expression in 8-week-old mice. In contract, in 6-month-old mice, there was no change in GABA(B) receptor or Cacnb4 mRNA expression. These findings suggest that the factor(s) responsible for decreased Cacnb4 and increased GABA(B) receptor mRNA expression abate in older mice.