title: Mitogen-activated protein kinase contributes to lipopolysaccharide-induced activation of corticotropin-releasing hormone synthesizing neurons in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus.
abstract: To determine whether the p44/p42 MAPK (ERK1/2) signaling pathway is involved in the activation of CRH-containing neurons in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) after bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration, Sprague Dawley rats were injected with LPS, and studied after 2, 6, 9, and 12 h. In saline-treated controls, isolated weak phosphorylated (phospho)ERK1/2 immunoreactive neurons were observed in the PVN. However, a dramatic increase in phospho-ERK1/2 immunoreactivity was apparent in the PVN 2 h after LPS administration, and gradually declined to baseline levels 9-12 h after injection. By double-labeling immunofluorescence, all CRH-containing neurons in the PVN contained phospho-ERK1/2 2 h after LPS. Intracerebroventricular administration of the MAPK inhibitor, PD98059, prevented LPS-induced ERK1/2 phosphorylation, c-fos activation, and the increase of CRH gene expression in the PVN but had no effect on c-fos activation in brainstem A2-C1/C2 regions. We conclude that LPS rapidly increases the phospho-ERK1/2 in CRH-containing neurons in the PVN and that activation of MAPKs is necessary for LPS-induced activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.
authors.affiliation: Tupper Research Institute and Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Tufts-New England Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, USA.
authors.forename: Praful S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Singru
authors.forename: Edith
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sánchez
authors.forename: Runa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Acharya
authors.forename: Csaba
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fekete
authors.forename: Ronald M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Lechan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D010286:Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D005419:Flavonoids; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; C093973:2-(2-amino-3-methoxyphenyl)-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one