Involvement of hippocampal cAMP/cAMP-dependent protein kinase signaling pathways in a late memory consolidation phase of aversively motivated learning in rats.
cAMP/cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) signaling pathway has been recently proposed to participate in both the late phase of long term potentiation in the hippocampus and in the late, protein synthesis-dependent phase of memory formation. Here we report that a late memory consolidation phase of an inhibitory avoidance learning is regulated by an hippocampal cAMP signaling pathway that is activated, at least in part, by D1/D5 receptors. Bilateral infusion of SKF 38393 (7.5 microg/side), a D1/D5 receptor agonist, into the CA1 region of the dorsal hippocampus, enhanced retention of a step-down inhibitory avoidance when given 3 or 6 h, but not immediately (0 h) or 9 h, after training. In contrast, full retrograde amnesia was obtained when SCH 23390 (0.5 microg/side), a D1/D5 receptor antagonist, was infused into the hippocampus 3 or 6 h after training. Intrahippocampal infusion of 8Br-cAMP (1.25 microg/side), or forskolin (0.5 microg/side), an activator of adenylyl cyclase, enhanced memory when given 3 or 6 h after training. KT5720 (0.5 microg/side), a specific inhibitor of PKA, hindered memory consolidation when given immediately or 3 or 6 h posttraining. Rats submitted to the avoidance task showed learning-specific increases in hippocampal 3H-SCH 23390 binding and in the endogenous levels of cAMP 3 and 6 h after training. In addition, PKA activity and P-CREB (phosphorylated form of cAMP responsive element binding protein) immunoreactivity increased in the hippocampus immediately and 3 and 6 h after training. Together, these findings suggest that the late phase of memory consolidation of an inhibitory avoidance is modulated cAMP/PKA signaling pathways in the hippocampus.
Bernabeu
R
R
Instituto de Biologia Celular, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Bevilaqua
L
L
Ardenghi
P
P
Bromberg
E
E
Schmitz
P
P
Bianchin
M
M
Izquierdo
I
I
Medina
J H
JH
D000818:Animals; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000502:physiology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*
D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases