title: Time-dependent co-relation of BDNF and CREB mRNAs in adult rat brains following acute psychological stress in the communication box paradigm.
abstract: Psychological stress affects human health, and chronic stress leads to life-threatening diseases, such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Psychological stress coping mechanisms involve the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and downstream cAMP response element binding protein (CREB), which are targets of the adverse effects of stress paradigms. Fourty-seven adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into control, physical stress and six psychological stress groups which were assayed at 0h, 0.5h, 1h, 2h, 6h and 24h after communication box (CB) stress induction. Behavioral assessment using open field and elevated plus maze tests determined that CB stress significantly increased anxiety. After CB stress, the alternation of mRNA levels of BDNF and CREB were assessed at different time points by in situ hybridization. The mRNA levels of BDNF and CREB were significantly decreased, then gradually recovered over 24h to maximum levels in the hippocampus (CA1 region), prefrontal cortex (PFC), central amygdaloid nuclei (AG), shell of accumbens nucleus (NAC), periaqueductal gray (PAG) and ventral tegmental area, except for the ventral tegmental area (VTA). Moreover, mRNA levels of BDNF and CREB were positively correlated in all examined brain regions, except for the VTA region at 0 and 24h after CB stress induction. These findings suggest that BDNF and CREB may belong to the same pathway and be involved in psychological stress response mechanisms, and protect the organism from stress induced, aversive processes leading to disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Jining Medical University, Jining 272067, China.
authors.forename: Gongying
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Traumatology, The First People's Hospital of Jining City, Jining 272011, China.
authors.forename: Yanmei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University, Jining 272051, China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Jining Medical University, Jining 272067, China.
authors.forename: Hongxia
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Tianjin Anning Hospital, Tianjin 300300, China.
authors.forename: Yanjie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, Mental Health Institute of the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Xiangya Medical College, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China.
authors.forename: Zexuan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, Mental Health Institute of the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Xiangya Medical College, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China.
authors.forename: Changqi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Functional Neuroimaging Faculty, Tianjin Anding Hospital, Tianjin Mental Health Center, Tianjin 300222, China. Electronic address: hongjuntian_tjmh@163.com.
authors.forename: Hongjun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Tianjin Anning Hospital, Tianjin 300300, China; Department of Functional Neuroimaging Faculty, Tianjin Anding Hospital, Tianjin Mental Health Center, Tianjin 300222, China.
authors.forename: Chuanjun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhuo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein; D012333:RNA, Messenger
keywords: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF); Communication box; In situ hybridization; Physical stress; Psychological stress; cAMP response element binding protein (CREB)