Neuronal loss up-regulates clusterin mRNA in living neurons and glial cells in the rat brain

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the time course and cellular localization of clusterin mRNA after neurodegeneration. Selective neuronal death was achieved in the rat inferior olivary complex after volkensin injection in the contralateral cerebellar cortex. Quantitative analysis of the in situ hybridization signal demonstrated over-expression of clusterin mRNA in living neurons at 6 days and outside the neuronal cell bodies at 10 days post-injection. We conclude that, in our experimental model, clusterin over-expression occurs as an early and transient neuronal and as a delayed glial response to selective neuronal death, supporting the view that clusterin may be involved in cytoprotection and tissue remodeling.