title: Expression of fibroblast growth factor-2 and brain-derived neurotrophic factor mRNA in the medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus after uncontrollable or controllable stress.
abstract: Neurotrophic factors, including basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) are known to be affected by exposure to stressful experiences. Here, we examine the effects of behaviorally controllable (escapable tailshock, ES) or uncontrollable (inescapable tailshock, IS) stress on the expression of FGF-2 and BDNF mRNA in subregions of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and the hippocampal formation (HF) of male Sprague-Dawley rats. ES rats were placed in Plexiglas boxes equipped with a free spinning wheel and IS rats were placed in identical boxes with the wheels fixed. ES and IS rats were yoked such that they received the same tailshocks, but the ES rat could terminate each shock for both rats. No stress controls (NS) remained in their home cages. Rats were killed 0, 2, 24, or 72 h after termination of the stress session. In situ hybridization was performed to measure FGF-2 and BDNF mRNA in the mPFC and HF. In the mPFC, ES produced a significant increase in FGF-2 mRNA expression at 0 and 2 h post-stress. In the HF, ES produced a greater increase in FGF-2 mRNA expression than IS and NS only in CA2. ES also produced an increase in BDNF mRNA expression in the anterior cingulate at 0 h post-stress. No effects of stressor controllability on BDNF were observed in the HF, although both ES and IS decreased BDNF mRNA in the DG. FGF-2 in the mPFC may be involved in emotional regulation ("coping") during stressful experiences.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience, Campus Box 345, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0345, USA. sondra.bland@colorado.edu
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Bland
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Tamlyn
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Barrientos
authors.forename: B N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Greenwood
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Watkins
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Campeau
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Day
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Maier
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D018891:Dentate Gyrus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000009:adverse effects; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000235:genetics*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000502:physiology; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D006380:Helplessness, Learned; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2