Repeated stress increases catalytic TrkB mRNA in rat hippocampus

Northern blot analysis was utilized to distinguish between catalytic and truncated TrkB mRNA on the basis of transcript size. Repeated (10 days), but not acute, immobilization stress significantly increased levels of catalytic TrkB mRNA, but did not influence expression of truncated TrkB transcripts in rat hippocampus. Exposure to another paradigm, a combination of different, unpredictable stressors, also increased levels of catalytic, but not truncated, TrkB mRNA. In situ hybridization analysis demonstrated that chronic stress up-regulated TrkB mRNA in CA1 and CA3 pyramidal and dentate gyrus granule cells layers of hippocampus. As previously reported, both acute and chronic immobilization stress decreased expression of BDNF mRNA, suggesting that up-regulation of catalytic TrkB mRNA may be a compensatory adaptation to repeated stress.