Effects of chronic electroconvulsive shock on the expression of β-adrenergic receptors in rat brain: Immunological study

Abstract

The purpose of the present study is to determine the effect of chronic electroconvulsive shock (ECS) on the expression of β-adrenergic receptors in rat brain by Western blot using mAb β CO2, a monoclonal antibody against β-adrenergic receptors. Rats in ECS treated groups received maximal ECS (70 mA, 0.5 second, 60 Hz) through ear-clip electrodes for 12 consecutive days. The experiment was carried out in 14 discrete regions of brain. Chronic ECS reduced the expression of β-adrenergic receptors in frontal cortex, temporal cortex, parietooccipital cortex, hippocampus and limbic forebrain, but not in other areas of brain. The regional specificity and the magnitude of the reduction of receptor expression are well correlated with those of the reduction of receptor ligand binding, which was determined using [3H]dihydroalprenolol. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to demonstrate that chronic ECS decreases the expression of receptor protein in specific regions of rat brain.