Neuroscience
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Previous studies from our laboratory have shown that 17beta-estradiol (E2) promotes neurite outgrowth in hippocampal and cortical neurons. The neurotrophic effect of E2 seen in vitro has also been observed in vivo by other investigators who found that E2 enhances the density of dendritic spines involved in neuronal synaptic connection. To investigate the rapid upstream mechanisms initiating the E2 neurotrophic effect, we tested the hypothesis that E2 would directly activate Ca2+ influx in primary hippocampal neurons, which would result in activation of the transcription factor, cyclic AMP response element-binding protein (CREB), and regulate E2 enhancement of neurite outgrowth. ⋯ E2-induced increase in dendritic spine marker protein spinophilin was abolished following treatment with a small interfering RNA against CREB, indicating that E2-induced neurotrophic effect requires the upstream CREB activation. Results of these analyses indicate that E2-induced neurotrophic responses are mediated by a Ca2+ signaling cascade that is dependent upon extracellular Ca2+ and CREB activation. These data provide insights into the initiating mechanisms required to activate the estrogen neurotrophic response and provide a mechanistic framework for determining the neurotrophic efficacy of existing and emerging estrogen therapies for the brain.
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Glial cells interact with neurons and play important roles in the development, differentiation, maintenance and repair of the nervous system. Human neuroblastoma cells (SH-SY5Y) became dramatically resistant to neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), when co-cultured with mouse astrocytes. In order to further delineate the molecular mechanism involved in the neuroprotection in this selective cell-cell interaction, we assessed the activation of two signal pathways, namely, the MAP kinases (extracellular signal-regulated kinases, ERK1/2) and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3-K)/Akt signal pathways in response to 6-OHDA insult and subsequent neuronal survival. ⋯ Selective inhibitor of PI3-K/Akt signal pathway blocked the acquired resistance to 6-OHDA in SH-SY5Y cells following interaction with astrocytes. Inhibition of ERK1/2 signal pathway did not affect the cell survival. Our data suggest that PI3-K/Akt signal pathway, but not ERK1/2, is involved the acquired resistance in SH-SY5Y cells following cell-cell interaction with astrocytes against the neurotoxic 6-OHDA insult.
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Comparative Study
Synaptic and subcellular localization of A-kinase anchoring protein 150 in rat hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells: Co-localization with excitatory synaptic markers.
Excitatory and inhibitory ionotropic receptors are regulated by protein kinases and phosphatases, which are localized to specific subcellular locations by one of several anchoring proteins. One of these is the A-kinase anchoring protein (AKAP150), which confers spatial specificity to protein kinase A and protein phosphatase 2B in the rat brain. The distribution of AKAP150 was examined at rat hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cell asymmetric and symmetric post-synaptic densities and with respect to the distribution of markers of excitatory (vesicular glutamate transporter 1, glutamate receptor subunit 1) and inhibitory receptors (vesicular GABA transporter, GABA receptor type A beta2/3 subunits, gephyrin) and the Golgi marker, trans-Golgi network glycoprotein 38. ⋯ In contrast, we did not find AKAP150-immunoreactivity associated with inhibitory synapses in rat CA1 neurons, despite reports demonstrating an in vitro interaction between AKAP150 and GABA receptor type A receptor beta subunits, and the reported co-localization of these proteins in rat hippocampal cultures. There was some overlap between AKAP150 and GABA receptor type A receptor beta2/3-immunoreactivity intracellularly in perinuclear clusters. These findings support previous work indicating the integration of kinase and phosphatase activity at excitatory synapses by AKAP150, but do not support a role for selective targeting of AKAP150 and its accompanying proteins to inhibitory synapses.
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This study was undertaken to analyze the involvement of periaqueductal gray (PAG) cannabinoid or group I metabotropic glutamate receptors in the formalin-induced changes on the rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) ON- and OFF-cells activities. S.c. injection of formalin into the hind paw produced a transient decrease (4-6 min) followed by a longer increase (25-35 min) in tail flick latencies. Formalin also increased basal activity in RVM ON-cells (42+/-7%) and decreased it in OFF-cells (35+/-4%). ⋯ T7-(hydroxyimino) cyclopropa[b]chromen-1alpha-carboxylate ethyl ester (CPCOOE/50 nmol/rat) and (S)-(+)-alpha-amino-4-carboxy-2-methylbenzeneacetic acid (LY367385, 20 nmol/rat), selective mGlu1 glutamate receptor antagonists, were ineffective in preventing the WIN-induced effects. This study suggests that s.c. injection of formalin modifies RVM neuronal activities and this effect is prevented by PAG cannabinoid receptor stimulation. Moreover, the physiological stimulation of PAG mGlu5, but not mGlu1 glutamate receptors, seems to be required for the cannabinoid-mediated effect.
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Comparative Study
Anatomical evidence for direct connections between the shell and core subregions of the rat nucleus accumbens.
The nucleus accumbens is thought to subserve different aspects of adaptive and emotional behaviors. The anatomical substrates for such actions are multiple, parallel ventral striatopallidal output circuits originating in the nucleus accumbens shell and core subregions. Several indirect ways of interaction between the two subregions and their associated circuitry have been proposed, in particular through striato-pallido-thalamic and dopaminergic pathways. ⋯ Moreover, specific intrinsic projections within shell and core were identified, including a relatively strong projection from the rostral pole to the rostral shell, reciprocal projections between the rostral and caudal shell, as well as projections within the core that have a caudal-to-rostral predominance. The results of the juxtacellular filling experiments show that medium-sized spiny projection neurons and medium-sized aspiny neurons (most likely fast-spiking) contribute to these intra-accumbens projections. While such neurons are GABAergic, the intrastriatal projection patterns indicate the existence of lateral inhibitory interactions within, as well as between, shell and core subregions of the nucleus accumbens.