title: Caspase activity plays an essential role in long-term memory.
abstract: Activation of intracellular second messenger cascades has been linked to learning and memory in various organisms. Identification of down-stream targets of these second messengers that play a role in learning and memory is an active area of research. Recently, it has been reported that increases in intracellular calcium can activate a cysteine-dependent aspartate-directed protease (caspase) cascade in mice. Using an antibody that selectively recognizes activated caspase-3, we detected the presence of this enzyme in hippocampal neurons. Inhibition of caspase activity in the hippocampus blocked long-term, but not short-term, spatial memory. These results suggest that a caspase-mediated cellular event(s) in hippocampal neurons is critical for long-term spatial memory storage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Texas Medical School, Houston 77225, USA.
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Dash
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Blum
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Moore
mesh_terms: D000590:Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D053148:Caspase 3; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D020169:Caspases / Q000502:physiology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000187:drug effects; D009474:Neurons / Q000201:enzymology; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans
chemical_list: D000590:Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; C417985:butyloxycarbonyl-aspartyl-fluoromethyl ketone; C505410:Casp3 protein, rat; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases