The comparisons on total RNA from different source-original neurons applied in LMPC

Objective To compare the quality and quantity of total RNA from different source-original neurons applied in LMPC technique. Methods （ 1 ） Aglient 2100 bioanalyzer and RT-PCR were used to check the concentration and fragmentation of total RNA from unfixed, temporal fixed and fixed 12 h hypothalamus sections; （2）Different neurons of PVN and SON were collected by LMPC, CRH, TRH, AVP, OT mRNA level were measured by RT-PCR; （3）Labeled neurons by injecting CTB into stomach and non-labeled neurons in DMV collected by LMPC were checked for house keeping genes by RT-PCR. Results （ 1 ） Unfixed section had higher concentration and better quality of total RNA compared with fixed sections applied in LMPC ; relative short amplicons such as GAPDH, NSE, MCH and MCAR were successfully obtained from fixed and unfixed and long amplicon of GR can only be obtained from unfixed material; （2） In magnocellular PVN and SON the expressions of AVP and OT were more special than those in the parvocellular PVN. Oppositely, the expressions of CRH, TRH in the parvocellular were more special than the other two ; （3） The expressions of house keeping genes had no significant difference between labeled and non-labeled DMV neurons. Conclusion The quality and quantity of total RNA from unfixed brain tissues were better than fixed tissues applied in LMPC and the CTB tracer which may differentiate neurons had no significant effect on physiology of the neurons applied in LMPC. The results showed that the LMPC technique is suitable for the qualitative and quantitative study on individual neurons at mRNA level.

Predominant mucosal expression of 5-HT_(4(+h)) receptor splice variants in pig stomach and colon

AIM: To investigate cellular 5-HT4(-h/+h) receptor distribution, particularly in the epithelial layer, by laser mi-crodissection and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in porcine gastrointestinal (GI) tissues. METHODS: A stepwise approach was used to evaluate RNA quality and to study cell-specific 5-HT4 receptor mRNA expression in the porcine gastric fundus and colon descendens. After freezing, staining and laser microdissection and pressure catapulting (LMPC), RNA quality was evaluated by the Experion automated electrophoresis system. 5-HT4 receptor and glyceral-dehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) expressions were examined by endpoint reverse transcription (RT)-PCR in mucosal and muscle-myenteric plexus (MMP) tissue fractions, in mucosal and MMP parts of hematoxylin and eosin (HE) stained tissue sections andin microdissected patches of the epithelial and circular smooth muscle cell layer in these sections. Pig gastric fundus tissue sections were also stained immunohisto-chemically (IHC) for enterochromaffin cells (EC cells; MAB352); these cells were isolated by LMPC and examined by endpoint RT-PCR. RESULTS: After HE staining, the epithelial and circular smooth muscle cell layer of pig colon descendens and the epithelial cell layer of gastric fundus were identified morphologically and isolated by LMPC. EC cells of pig gastric fundus were successfully stained by IHC and isolated by LMPC. Freezing, HE and IHC staining, and LMPC had no influence on RNA quality. 5-HT4 recep-tor and GAPDH mRNA expressions were detected in mucosa and MMP tissue fractions, and in mucosal and MMP parts of HE stained tissue sections of pig colon descendens and gastric fundus. In the mucosa tissue fractions of both GI regions, the expression of h-exon containing receptor [5-HT4(+h) receptor] mRNA was significantly higher (P<0.01) compared to 5-HT4(-h) re-ceptor expression, and a similar trend was obtained in the mucosal part of HE stained tissue sections. Large microdissected patches of the epithelial and circular smooth muscle cell layer of pig colon descendens and of the epithelial cell layer of pig gastric fundus, also showed 5-HT4 receptor and GAPDH mRNA expression. No 5-HT4 receptor mRNA expression was detected in gastric LMPC-isolated EC cells from IHC stained tissues, which cells were positive for GAPDH. CONCLUSION: Porcine GI mucosa predominantly expresses 5-HT4(+h) receptor splice variants, suggesting their contribution to the 5-HT4 receptor-mediated mu-cosal effects of 5-HT.