GAD67 mRNA levels

Yip J, Soghomortian JJ, Blatt GJ (2007) Decreased GAD67 mRNA levels in cerebelltir Putkinje cells in autism pathophysiological implications. Acta Neuropathol 113 559-568... 

GAD67 mRNA Levels in Purkinje Cells in the Crus II Region... 

In autism, a decrease in GAD67 protein levels as measured in whole cerebellar homogenates was initially reported (Fatemi et al., 2002), suggesting a decrease in GABAergic neurotransmission in the cerebellum. More recently, anatomical studies with in situ hybridization histochemistry have shown that GAD67 mRNA levels are also markedly decreased in Purkinje cells of autistic brains (Yip et al., 2007) (Fig. 2 /t<0.0001, two tailed f-test). 

In contrast to Purkinje cells, cerebellar basket cells (BC) had a higher mean level of GAD67 mRNA (Yip et al., 2008 p<0.0001, independent Mest) in the autism group compared to the control group. GAD67 mRNA levels in stellate cells were not significantly different between controls and autistic brains but did show a trend for significance for an increased level. 

Fig. 3 Scatter plot showing the mean levels of GAD67 mRNA-labehng in Golgi cells in seven control cases (circles) and eight subjects with autism (squares) sampled from 60 cells per subject (1.97 1.17 pixels/ttm control 2.21 2.36 pixels/ttm autism). Statistical analysis did not show a significant difference in GAD67 mRNA levels in the autistic group compared to age-, PMI-, and pH-matched controls (student t-test and Levene s test for equality of variances F = 2.981 p = 0.401 control, and p = 0.384 autism)...

GABAergic Golgi type II cells play important roles in cerebellar function directly influencing excitatory parallel fibers and granule cells and the final inhibitory/excitatory balance in Purkinje cells. In situ hybridization studies showed that the level of GAD67 mRNA was not significantly different between autistic and control subjects (Fig. 3 2.2 0.23 pixels/p,m autism 1.97 0.12 control pixels/p,m independent f-test, p = 0.10). 

Gierdalski M, Jablonska B, Siucinska E, Lech M, Skibinska A, Kossut M (2001) Rapid regulation of GAD67 mRNA and protein level in cortical neurons after sensory learning. Cereb Cortex 11 806-815. 

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