Expression of 5HT-1A and 5HT-1B receptor genes in brains of Wistar-Zagreb 5HT rats.

By selective breeding, two sublines of rats with high or low activity of platelet serotonin (5HT) transporter (5HTt) have been developed (Wistar-Zagreb 5HT rats). Previous studies demonstrated significant differences between the sublines in the expression of platelet 5HTt at the level of both, mRNA and protein. Pharmacological studies showed marked alterations in brain 5HTt function, indicating differences in central serotonin homeostasis, although analysis of regional brain 5HTt gene expression did not show analogous differences. In this study, we searched for possible changes in the expression of the two central 5HT receptor subtypes: 5HT-1A and 5HT-1B, both participating in the regulation of brain 5HT transmission. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR, with three different housekeeping genes as internal standards, showed no differences in the levels of 5HT-receptor expression between the sublines. Results suggest that constitutional alteration of 5HT homeostasis, induced by selective breeding for the extremes of platelet 5HTt activity, did not cause measurable changes in the expression of central 5HT-1A (hippocampus) and 5HT-1B (striatum) receptors in the mentioned rat sublines under physiological conditions.