Differential expression of DCC mRNA in adult rat forebrain.

DCC is a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily of cell adhesion molecules, whose role in the function of the adult nervous system is unknown. DCC mRNA expression was studied in adult rat dorsal hippocampal sections using in situ hybridization histochemistry. High levels of DCC transcript were detected in hippocampus and medial habenula, whereas lower mRNA expression was found in cerebral cortex, hypothalamus and thalamus. The higher relative expression of DCC mRNA in hippocampus, compared with the remainder of the brain was confirmed using RT-PCR analysis. These data confirm the presence of DCC mRNA in adult rat brain and indicate that DCC mRNA is differentially expressed between forebrain regions, suggesting a role for DCC in the function of the adult rat central nervous system.