If we live a life "stressed" out there is a direct physical effect...
Kathy
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Control of Alternative Splicing of Potassium Channels by Stress Hormones
Jiuyong Xie, David P. McCobb *
Many molecular mechanisms for neural adaptation to stress
remain unknown.
Expression of alternative splice variants of Slo, a gene
encoding calcium-
and voltage-activated potassium channels, was measured
in rat adrenal
chromaffin tissue from normal and hypophysectomized animals.
Hypophysectomy
triggered an abrupt decrease in the proportion of Slo
transcripts
containing a "STREX" exon. The decrease was prevented
by
adrenocorticotropic hormone injections. In Xenopus oocytes,
STREX variants
produced channels with functional properties associated
with enhanced
repetitive firing. Thus, the hormonal stress axis is
likely to control the
excitable properties of epinephrine-secreting cells by
regulating
alternative splicing of Slo messenger RNA.
Section of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University,
Ithaca, NY 14853,
USA.
* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
E-mail: dpm9@cornell.edu
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Volume 280, Number 5362 Issue of 17 April 1998, pp. 443
- 446
©1998 by The American Association for the Advancement
of Science.