Comparative Analysis of Gene Expression Profiles Involved in Calcium Signaling Pathways Using the NLVH Animal Model of Schizophrenia.

In this study, we evaluated the expression profile changes of genes that intervene in the calcium signaling pathway, in young and adult Wistar rats, using the animal model of neonatal lesion in ventral hippocampus (NLVH) (a recognized animal model for schizophrenia) and compared to the group of control animals (Sham). Through microarray technology, gene expression profiles were obtained from the three brain areas (nucleus accumbens, prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus) of young male Wistar rats (45 days) and adults (90 days) whether or not subjected to NLVH. The calcium signaling pathway reported a greater number of differentially expressed genes with z-score two values, > 2 (over-expression) and < - 2 (under-expression), in the three evaluated areas. The comparative analyses of this approach were performed in juvenile and adult rats with ventral hippocampal lesion in neonate rats (NLVH). NLVH influenced change expressions in various genes involved in Ca2+ homeostasis, including Cacna1d, Atp2a2, Adcy2, Ppp3cb, and Ptk2b. The expression of Adcy2, Ppp3cb, and Ptk2b genes changed in both age groups; therefore, the study of gene expression profiles between juvenile and adult rats may help to understand the molecular mechanisms of schizophrenia.