Differential responses of phosphorylated mitogen-activated protein kinase and phosphorylated cyclic-AMP response element-binding protein immunoreactivity in the rat brain to sub-convulsive pentylenetetrazol.
The possible advantage of using multiple phospho-specific antibodies to study changes in brain activity was assessed. For this purpose, rats were injected intraperitoneally with either a control treatment or 15 mg/kg pentylenetetrazol. The sub-convulsive dose of pentylenetetrazol did not induce marked behavioural effects. Ten minutes after treatment, the rats were perfused and the brains were dissected. Adjacent brain sections were immunohistochemically stained for phosphorylated cyclic-AMP response element-binding protein and phosphorylated mitogen-activated protein kinase. Opposite effects of pentylenetetrazol treatment were observed on the immunoreactivity of these two antibodies within the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus, the supraoptic nucleus and the arcuate nucleus. In these regions, pentylenetetrazol treatment increased phosphorylated mitogen-activated protein kinase immunoreactivity, but decreased phosphorylated cyclic-AMP response element-binding protein immunoreactivity. These findings show that changes in the activity of a brain nucleus can be accompanied by differential changes in the activity of two signal transduction pathways, which can be detected immunohistochemically. Therefore, the use of multiple phospho-specific antibodies may enhance our potential to monitor changes in brain activity.
Reijmers
L G
LG
Rudolf Magnus Institute for Neurosciences, Department of Medical Pharmacology, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Hernando
F
F
van Ree
J M
JM
Spruijt
B M
BM
Burbach
J P
JP
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D003292:Convulsants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012016:Reference Values
D003292:Convulsants; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole