title: Reversal of neuronal migration in a mouse model of fetal alcohol syndrome by controlling second-messenger signalings.
abstract: The brains of fetal alcohol syndrome patients exhibit impaired neuronal migration, but little is known about the mechanisms underlying this abnormality. Here we show that Ca2+ signaling and cyclic nucleotide signaling are the central targets of alcohol action in neuronal cell migration. Acute administration of ethanol reduced the frequency of transient Ca2+ elevations in migrating neurons and cGMP levels and increased cAMP levels. Experimental manipulations of these second-messenger pathways, through stimulating Ca2+ and cGMP signaling or inhibiting cAMP signaling, completely reversed the action of ethanol on neuronal migration in vitro as well as in vivo. Each second messenger has multiple but distinct downstream targets, including Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II, calcineurin, protein phosphatase 1, Rho GTPase, mitogen-activated protein kinase, and phosphoinositide 3-kinase. These results demonstrate that the aberrant migration of immature neurons in the fetal brain caused by maternal alcohol consumption may be corrected by controlling the activity of these second-messenger pathways.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio 44195, USA.
authors.forename: Tatsuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kumada
authors.forename: Madepalli K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Lakshmana
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Komuro
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002110:Caffeine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002464:Cell Migration Inhibition; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D063647:Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders / Q000473:pathology*; D051379:Mice; D016202:N-Methylaspartate / Q000494:pharmacology; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D015290:Second Messenger Systems / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D002110:Caffeine; D000431:Ethanol; D016202:N-Methylaspartate