Aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator is induced by kainic acid in rat hippocampal glial cells.

ABSTRACT

The localization and function of aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator (ARNT) in the brain are still unclear. In this study, we examined changes of ARNT protein in rat hippocampus, by immunoblotting and immunohistochemical analysis using anti-ARNT antibody. Treatment of kainic acid (KA) induced marked increase in ARNT protein in both cytosolic and organellar fractions. ARNT immunoreactivity was markedly increased, predominantly in microglia and partly in astrocytes, similar to the immunoreactivity of heme oxygenase-1. In contrast, protein level of dioxin receptor did not change and hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha protein was undetectable. These results suggest that ARNT expression in glial cells may participate in KA-induced episodes in the hippocampus.