title: Changes in vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) induced by the Morris water maze task.
abstract: The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effects on hippocampal vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels in rats when they experience hippocampal-dependent spatial learning via the Morris water maze (MWM) task. Rats underwent one of two different versions of the MWM: weak or intensive. After one day of intensive training, a highly sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure VEGF protein levels in the hippocampus, cortex, and serum, and higher levels were found in the trained group compared to a naive control group. VEGF levels also increased in rats that swam only for durations equal to the intensive training periods. In contrast, rats trained under the weaker MWM paradigm for five days showed a decrease in hippocampal VEGF protein level. Mimicking increases in neuronal VEGF in the hippocampus by direct infusion of VEGF into CA1 resulted in up-regulation of the phosphorylation of the cAMP response element-binding (CREB) protein and the Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinases II (CaMKII). These results suggest that VEGF may be a physiological parameter involved in learning procedures that include physical activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychiatry, College of Medicine and Institute of Mental Health, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791, Korea.
authors.forename: Dong Hoon
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Byung Woo
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Miyeon
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Garim
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: June-Seek
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.lastname: Hyeon Son
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D054732:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism; D018782:Maze Learning; D010766:Phosphorylation; D051381:Rats; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C467498:vascular endothelial growth factor A, rat; D054732:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2