title: Differential expression of active, phosphorylation-dependent MAP kinases, MAPK/ERK, SAPK/JNK and p38, and specific transcription factor substrates following quinolinic acid excitotoxicity in the rat.
abstract: Excitotoxicity is considered a major cell death inductor in neurodegeneration. Yet mechanisms involved in cell death and cell survival following excitotoxic insults are poorly understood. Expression of active, phosphorylation-dependent mitogen-activated extracellular signal-regulated kinases (MAPK/ERKs), stress activated c-Jun N-terminal kinases (SAPK/JNKs) and p38 kinases, as well as their putative active specific transcriptional factor substrates CREB, Elk-1, ATF-2, c-Myc and c-Jun, have been examined following intracortical injection of the glutamate analogue quinolinic acid (QA). Increased JNK(P) and p38(P) immunoreactivity has been found in the core at 1 h following QA injection, whereas increased MAPK(P) immunoreactivity occurs in neurons and glial cells localised around the lesion and in neurons in remote cortical regions. This is accompanied by strong phosphorylated Ser63 c-Jun (c-Jun(P)) immunoreactivity in the core at 3 h, and by strong phosphorylated CREB, Elk-1 and ATF-2 (CREB(P), Elk-1(P) and ATF-2(P)) immunoreactivity mainly in neurons around the core at 24 h following QA injection. Examination with the method of in situ end-labelling of nuclear DNA fragmentation has revealed large numbers of positive cells with no apoptotic morphology in the core at 24 h, thus indicating that JNK(P), p38(P) and c-Jun(P) over-expression precedes cell death. In contrast, MAPK(P), CREB(P), Elk-1(P) and ATF-2(P), but not phosphorylated c-Myc (c-Myc(P)), over-expression correlates with cell survival. Examination of cleaved, active caspase-3 has shown specific immunoreactivity restricted to a few hematogenous cells in the area of injection. Since cleaved caspase-3 is not expressed by dying cells in the present paradigm, JNK(P), p38(P) and c-Jun(P) expression is not associated with caspase-3 activation. The present results demonstrate selective activation of specific MAPK signals which are involved either in cell death or cell survival triggered by excitotoxic insult.
authors.affiliation: Unitat de Neuropatologia, Servei d'Anatomia Patològica, Hospital Princeps d'Espanya (Bellvitge), c/ Feixa Llarga sn, 08907, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain. iferrer@sakma.es
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ferrer
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Blanco
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carmona
mesh_terms: D051698:Activating Transcription Factor 2; D000818:Animals; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048670:MAP Kinase Kinase 4; D008297:Male; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology*; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000633:toxicity; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D017378:Quinolinic Acid / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D050807:ets-Domain Protein Elk-1; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
chemical_list: D051698:Activating Transcription Factor 2; C497107:Atf2 protein, rat; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C494114:Elk1 protein, rat; D009498:Neurotoxins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; D014157:Transcription Factors; D050807:ets-Domain Protein Elk-1; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048670:MAP Kinase Kinase 4; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases; C505410:Casp3 protein, rat; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases; D017378:Quinolinic Acid