Expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA in rat retrosplenial cortex following administration of phencyclidine

The non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonists such as phencyclidine (PCP) cause neurotoxicity in the retrosplenial cortex of rat brain. However, the precise mechanism(s) underlying the neurotoxicity of NMDA receptor antagonists is currently unclear. Using an in situ hybridization technique, we studied the effects of PCP on expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) nRNA in the rat brain. No expression of BDNA mRNA was observed in the retrosplenial cortex of rats treated with vehicle, although a high basal level of BDNF mRNA was detected in the hippocampus of control rats. Administration of PCP (12.5, 25 or 50 mg/kg, i.p., 6 hours) caused marked induction of BDNF mRNA in the retrosplenial cortex, in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that the expression of BDNF mRNA may occur as a trophic response to the neurotoxicity of NMDA receptor antagonists such as PCP.