Borhegyi ZS, Wiley RG, Lappi DA, Morrell J, Buzsáki G (1999) Selective immunolesion of substance P receptor expressing interneurons in the hippocampus. Neuroscience 1999 Abstracts 561.15. Society for Neuroscience, Miami, FL.
Summary: A ribosome inactivating protein, saporin, conjugated to substance P (SP-SAP) was used to selectively damage substance P receptor expressing interneurons in the dentate gyrus of the rat hippocampus. Three different doses (50ng, 25ng and 5ng) were tested in animals surviving 1, 2, 3, 5 and 10 weeks. Immunohistochemistry (parvalbumin, calbindin, calretinin, SPR, GluR2 and mGluRl1α) was carried out to examine specific or non-specific damage. The results were examined at light and electronmicroscopic level. The highest (50ng) dose eliminated SPR elements in an approximately 3mm area, but it also caused nonspecific damage around the center. In rats injected with 5ng nonspecific damage to granule cells and mossy cells was not observed and SPR interneurons were selectively eliminated a far as 0.7mm from the center of the injection. The loss of SPR immunoreactive cells was clearly visible after two weeks. The selective lesion of a well-defined subgroup of hippocampal interneurons can reveal their physiological role in normal function. Furthermore, the permament and selective absence of interneurons may be an effective tool for creating focal epilepsy. This work was supported by NIH, NIMH and Eötvös fellowship.
Related Products: SP-SAP (Cat. #IT-07)