title: Creb is modulated in the mouse superior colliculus in developmental and experimentally-induced models of plasticity.
abstract: In the central nervous system long-term plastic processes need the activation of specific gene expression programs and the synthesis of new protein in order to occur. A transcription factor fundamental for several plasticity mechanisms in various CNS areas is the cAMP response element-binding protein, CREB. This factor is activated through phosphorylation at its Serine 133 residue by multiple signaling pathways. Little is known about CREB role in the superior colliculus, a midbrain area considered an experimentally useful model for the study of neuronal plasticity processes. In the present work we studied by Western blot analysis the modulation of CREB expression and activation in the mouse superior colliculus in three models of neuronal plasticity: (1) developmental plasticity; (2) lesion-induced plasticity; (3) and fluoxetine-induced restored plasticity. We used an antibody that detects endogenous level of the total CREB protein (anti-TCREB) to identify possible modulations at CREB expression level, and a second antibody (anti-PCREB) that detects endogenous level of CREB only when it is phosphorylated at Ser133, to identify modifications of CREB activation state. The results showed that: (1) the expression and activation of CREB increase during the development of the superior colliculus in temporal correlation with the plastic process of refinement of retino-collicular projections; (2) the activation of CREB is induced by a monocular lesion performed during the critical period for plasticity in young animals but not when performed in less plastic juvenile mice; (3) the expression and activation of CREB increase in adult animals treated with fluoxetine, known to restore high levels of plasticity in adult animals. These results suggest that CREB transcription factor plays a fundamental role in plasticity processes also at the level of the mouse superior colliculus.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Neurociencias Neuroplasticity Unit, Facultad de Ciencias, UdelaR, Iguá 4225, esq. Mataojo, 11400 Montevideo, Uruguay. gaby_vierci@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vierci
authors.forename: Camila Salum De
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Lucia Ruiz
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Perera
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bornia
authors.forename: Rodrigo Bainy
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Leal
authors.forename: Francesco Mattia
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Rossi
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D050882:CREB-Binding Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D003720:Densitometry; D015353:Eye Enucleation / Q000379:methods; D005473:Fluoxetine / Q000494:pharmacology; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D012694:Serine / Q000378:metabolism; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D013477:Superior Colliculi / Q000166:cytology* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000293:injuries; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D050882:CREB-Binding Protein; D005473:Fluoxetine; D012694:Serine; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; C494364:Crebbp protein, mouse