title: Regulation of myocyte enhancer factor-2 transcription factors by neurotoxins.
abstract: Various isoforms of myocyte enhancer factor-2 (MEF2) constitute a group of nuclear proteins found to play important roles in increasing types of cells. In neurons, MEF2s are required to regulate neuronal development, synaptic plasticity, as well as survival. MEF2s promote the survival of several types of neurons under different conditions. In cellular models, negative regulation of MEF2s by stress and toxic signals contributes to neuronal death. In contrast, enhancing MEF2 activity not only protects cultured primary neurons from death in vitro but also attenuates the loss of dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra pars compacta in a 1-methyl 4-phenyl 1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine mouse model of Parkinson's disease. In this work, the mechanisms of regulation of MEF2 function by several well-known neurotoxins and their implications in various neurodegenerative diseases are reviewed.
authors: Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
authors: Hua
authors: H
authors: She
authors: Zixu
authors: Z
authors: Mao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D064326:MEF2 Transcription Factors; D051379:Mice; D018006:Myogenic Regulatory Factors / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000633:toxicity*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D064326:MEF2 Transcription Factors; D018006:Myogenic Regulatory Factors; D009498:Neurotoxins