Increased expression of extracellular signal regulated kinase 1 after axotomy in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve and the hypoglossal nucleus.
The extracellular signal regulated kinases (Erks) cascade is a major signalling system by which cells transduce extracellular signals into intracellular responses. To obtain information about the role of Erks in retrograde neuronal reaction, we investigated the changes of Erk 1 and Erk 2 with in situ hybridization and immunohistochemical study in the dorsal motor nucleus of vagus nerve, which shows degenerative changes, and the hypoglossal nucleus, which shows regenerative changes, of adult rats after axotomy. The expression of mRNA and protein of Erk 1 increased between 7 and 28 days after axotomy both in the vagal and hypoglossal nuclei, however, there was no remarkable change in those of Erk 2. The increased expression of Erk 1 is common to both regenerative hypoglossal and degenerative vagal neurons. These findings indicate that Erk 1 is closely related with the retrograde neuronal reaction but whether neurons are destined to survive or die depends on some other factors.
Mishima
K
K
Department of Pathology, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Japan. kmishima@nmu-gw.cc.naramed-u.ac.jp
Matsuoka
H
H
Nakajima
H
H
Yoshikawa
T
T
Ohgushi
H
H
Tabata
S
S
Yamada
E
E
Ichijima
K
K
D000818:Animals; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D019771:Axotomy; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000502:physiology; D007002:Hypoglossal Nerve / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000201:enzymology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases