title: Molecular studies on the protective effect of nicotine in adult-onset hypothyroidism-induced impairment of long-term potentiation.
abstract: We have recently shown that chronic nicotine treatment reverses hypothyroidism-induced learning and memory impairment. Chronic nicotine treatment also reverses the hypothyroidism-induced impairment of long-term potentiation (LTP). Analysis of LTP associated key signaling molecules revealed that chronic nicotine treatment prevented the hypothyroidism-induced reduction of the basal phosphotransferase activity of CaMKII and protein levels of P-CaMKII. In addition, the failure of high frequency stimulation to increase the levels of P-CaMKII in hypothyroid rats was reversed by nicotine treatment, suggesting that the neuroprotective effect of nicotine during hypothyroidism involved activation of CaMKII. Furthermore, chronic nicotine treatment reverses the hypothyroidism-induced elevated phosphatase activity and protein levels of calcineurin, a phosphatase that regulates CaMKII activation. We conclude that the neuroprotective effects of nicotine in adult-onset hypothyroidism may result from restoration of CaMKII and calcineurin activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204, USA.
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Alzoubi
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Aleisa
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Alkadhi
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D019703:Calcineurin / Q000378:metabolism; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D054732:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002147:Calmodulin / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000150:complications*; D017774:Long-Term Potentiation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D051579:Neurogranin / Q000378:metabolism; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009538:Nicotine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D010744:Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002147:Calmodulin; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D051579:Neurogranin; D009538:Nicotine; C087857:protein kinase C gamma; D011493:Protein Kinase C; D054732:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases; D019703:Calcineurin; D010744:Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases; D002118:Calcium