title: Lithium and valproate differentially regulate brain regional expression of phosphorylated CREB and c-Fos.
abstract: Previous studies in our laboratory have shown that the mood stabilizers, lithium and valproate (VPA), regulate the transcription factors, cyclic AMP responsive element binding protein (CREB), c-Fos and c-Jun, differentially in cultured human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. Here, we confirm these findings in rat brain and further study the brain-regional effects of these drugs using immunohistochemistry. We found that although chronic treatment with LiCl or VPA did not change the expression of c-Fos and c-Jun, acute treatment with either drugs increased c-Fos expression but not c-Jun expression in CA1 and CA3 regions of hippocampus. Chronic treatment with LiCl, but not VPA, decreased CREB phosphorylation in rat cerebral cortex and hippocampus. These results suggest that lithium and VPA may act on different pathways to bring about their long-term prophylactic effects on bipolar disorder (BD). The regulation of CREB phosphorylation may be relevant to lithium effect. VPA, which is also effective in BD, may be linked to other pathways.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, McMaster University, 1200 Main Street West, 4N77A, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: L T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Young
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018692:Antimanic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism*; D018021:Lithium Chloride / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational / Q000187:drug effects*; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects*; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D018692:Antimanic Agents; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun; D014635:Valproic Acid; D018021:Lithium Chloride