title: NMDA receptor stimulation and brain-derived neurotrophic factor upregulate homer 1a mRNA via the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade in cultured cerebellar granule cells.
abstract: In three alternative splice variants of Homer 1 transcripts, Homer 1a mRNA has been shown to be upregulated selectively and rapidly by neural stimulation and represents a member of the immediate early gene (IEG) family. We investigated the mechanism underlying Homer 1a mRNA induction in cerebellar granule cell culture. All Homer 1 variants were expressed in cultured granule cells as analyzed by RNA blotting and immunochemical characterization. Glutamate stimulation of granule cells selectively upregulated Homer 1a mRNA via NMDA receptor-mediated influx of extracellular calcium. The induction of Homer 1a mRNA was much slower (peaked at 4 hr) and sustained longer than that of the typical IEG c-fos mRNA. Actinomycin D and cycloheximide experiments have revealed that, despite the presence of the mRNA-destabilizing AU-rich motif, transcriptional activation is a main determinant for selective Homer 1a mRNA induction. Inhibitor analysis as well as immunochemical characterization has indicated that the MEK (MAPK/ERK kinase)-ERK (extracellular signal-regulated kinase) cascade plays an indispensable role in glutamate-stimulated induction of Homer 1a mRNA. Consistent with this observation, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which is known to activate the ERK cascade, similarly upregulated Homer 1a mRNA. These results demonstrate that MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) is a key mediator that links distinct extracellular stimuli to the transcriptional activation of Homer 1a mRNA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakanishi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D003594:Cytoplasmic Granules; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D000072233:Homer Scaffolding Proteins; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011189:Potassium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D015533:Transcriptional Activation / Q000502:physiology; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D000072233:Homer Scaffolding Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D011189:Potassium Chloride; D002118:Calcium