Congenital hypothyroidism alters the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and p38MAPK in the hippocampus of neonatal rats.
Thyroid hormone deficiency during the critical period of neural differentiation produces permanent and severe alterations in the morphology and function of the nervous system leading to cretinism. Perinatal hypothyroidism results in permanent alterations of hippocampal synaptic functions in adult rats consequently causing learning and memory impairment. Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are a family of protein kinases that regulate essential cellular activities ranging from gene expression, mitosis, programmed cell death to plasticity and memory formation, but their involvement in perinatal hypothyroidism is not determined. The present work was designed to investigate MAPKs phosphorylation in hippocampus of congenital neonatal hypothyroid rats. Congenital hypothyroidism promotes an increase in extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK 1/2) phosphorylation (+50%) and a decrease in p38(MAPK) phosphorylation (-50%) without changing in Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK) phosphorylation. Therefore, the congenital hypothyroidism model disturbs ERK 1/2 and p38(MAPK) phosphorylation pathways causing an important molecular alteration in the hippocampus. This event might be related, at least partially, to the deficits in hippocampal development and cognitive functions due neonatal congenital hypothyroidism.
Calloni
Giordano W
GW
Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, 88040-900, Brazil.
Penno
Carlos A
CA
Cordova
Fabiano M
FM
Trentin
Andréa Gonçalves
AG
Neto
Vivaldo Moura
VM
Leal
Rodrigo Bainy
RB
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D003409:Congenital Hypothyroidism / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000503:physiopathology; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000235:genetics; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism
D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases