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Updated: Jan 30, 2026
14:27
Investigating Long-term Synaptic Plasticity in Interlamellar Hippocampus CA1 by Electrophysiological Field Recording
Published on: August 11, 2019
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Postnatal changes in constitutive cyclooxygenase‑2 expression in the mice hippocampus and its function in synaptic
Hyo Young Jung1, Dae Young Yoo1, Sung Min Nam1
1Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Veterinary Medicine, and Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.
Molecular Medicine Reports
|January 22, 2019
Summary
Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) plays a key role in hippocampal synaptic plasticity during postnatal development. Its expression levels in the dentate gyrus are crucial for synaptic development and function.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Molecular Biology
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is linked to brain inflammation but also constitutively expressed and regulated by synaptic activity.
- Understanding COX-2's role in brain development is essential for comprehending synaptic function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the postnatal expression patterns of COX-2 in the mouse hippocampus.
- To examine the impact of COX-2 on synaptic plasticity markers in knockout versus wild-type mice.
Main Methods:
- Postnatal expression analysis of COX-2 in mouse hippocampus at multiple time points (P1-P56).
- Immunohistochemistry for synaptic plasticity markers (Arc, pCREB, GluN1, GluN2A/2B) in COX-2 knockout and wild-type mice.
- Western blot analysis to quantify COX-2 protein levels.
Main Results:
- COX-2 expression in the hippocampus shows dynamic changes during postnatal development, peaking around P14.
- COX-2 knockout mice exhibited significantly reduced levels of synaptic plasticity markers (Arc, pCREB, GluN1, GluN2A/2B) in the dentate gyrus compared to wild-type.
- COX-2 protein levels peaked at P14 and decreased by P28 and P56.
Conclusions:
- COX-2 is integral to synaptic plasticity in the hippocampal dentate gyrus.
- Developmental changes in COX-2 expression correlate with hippocampal development and synaptic maturation.
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