Abstract
The cytokine IL-18 acts on the CNS both in physiological and pathological conditions. Its action occurs through the heterodimeric receptor IL-18Ralpha\beta. To better understand IL-18 central effects, we investigated in the mouse brain the distribution of two IL-18Ralpha transcripts, a full length and an isoform lacking the intracellular domain hypothesized to be a decoy receptor. Both isoforms were expressed in neurons throughout the brain primarily with overlapping distribution but also with some unique pattern. These data suggest that IL-18 may modulate neuronal functions and that its action may be regulated through expression of a decoy receptor.
Publication types
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Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Alternative Splicing
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Animals
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Brain / immunology
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Brain / metabolism*
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Cerebellum / metabolism
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Cerebral Cortex / metabolism
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Exons
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Hippocampus / metabolism
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Hypothalamus / metabolism
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Immunohistochemistry
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In Situ Hybridization
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Interleukin-18 / immunology
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Interleukin-18 / metabolism*
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Interleukin-18 Receptor alpha Subunit / immunology
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Interleukin-18 Receptor alpha Subunit / metabolism*
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Interleukin-18 Receptor beta Subunit / metabolism
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Introns
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Mice
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Mice, Inbred C57BL
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Protein Isoforms
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Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
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Transcription, Genetic
Substances
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Interleukin-18
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Interleukin-18 Receptor alpha Subunit
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Interleukin-18 Receptor beta Subunit
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Protein Isoforms