title: Learning-associated activation of nuclear MAPK, CREB and Elk-1, along with Fos production, in the rat hippocampus after a one-trial avoidance learning: abolition by NMDA receptor blockade.
abstract: It is widely accepted that the formation of long-term memory (LTM) requires neuronal gene expression, protein synthesis and the remodeling of synaptic contacts. From mollusk to mammals, the cAMP/PKA/CREB signaling pathway has been shown to play a pivotal role in the establishment of LTM. More recently, the MAPK cascade has been also involved in memory processing. Here, we provide evidence for the participation of hippocampal PKA/CREB and MAPK/Elk-1 pathways, via activation of NMDA receptors, in memory formation of a one-trial avoidance learning in rats. Learning of this task is associated with an activation of p44 and p42 MAPKs, CREB and Elk-1, along with an increase in the levels of the catalytic subunit of PKA and Fos protein in nuclear-enriched hippocampal fractions. These changes were blocked by the immediate posttraining intra-hippocampal infusion of APV, a selective blocker of glutamate NMDA receptors, which renders the animals amnesic for this task. Moreover, no changes were found in control-shocked animals. Thus, inhibitory avoidance training in the rat is associated with an increase in the protein product of an IEG, c-fos, which occurs concomitantly with the activation of nuclear MAPK, CREB and Elk-1. NMDA receptors appear to be a necessary upstream step for the activation of these intracellular cascades during learning.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Biologia Celular y Neurociencias "Prof. Dr. Eduardo de Robertis", Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Paraguay 2155, piso 3, 1121, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cammarota
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Bevilaqua
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ardenghi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Paratcha
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Levi de Stein
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Izquierdo
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Medina
mesh_terms: D015763:2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism*; D015151:Immunoblotting; D008297:Male; D008845:Microinjections; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D050807:ets-Domain Protein Elk-1
chemical_list: D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C494114:Elk1 protein, rat; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D014157:Transcription Factors; D050807:ets-Domain Protein Elk-1; D015763:2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases