title: Increased protein expression levels of pCREB, BDNF and SDF-1/CXCR4 in the hippocampus may be associated with enhanced neurogenesis induced by environmental enrichment.
abstract: Brain plasticity is very sensitive to the environment. Certain neurotrophic factors and neurotransmitter receptors, including brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element‑binding protein (CREB), stromal cell‑derived factor‑1 (SDF‑1) and its specific receptor, C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4), are important in neurogenesis in adult animals. In the present study, the effects of environmental enrichment (EE) on neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus (DG) and subventricular zone (SVZ), and the protein expression levels of BDNF, CREB, SDF‑1 and CXCR4 were investigated. Adult rats were randomly assigned as controls or underwent EE for 30 days. Subsequently, immunofluorescence staining was used to analyze cell proliferation in the DG and SVZ, and the differentiation and survival of newly‑formed cells in the hippocampus. The protein expression levels of BDNF, phosphorylated CREB (pCREB), protein kinase A catalytic subunit α, SDF‑1 and CXCR4 in the hippocampus were assayed by western blotting. Cognitive function was assessed in a Morris water maze. EE improved cognitive function, and increased the proliferation, differentiation and survival of newly‑formed neurons in the DG of adult rats; however, EE did not activate neurogenesis in the SVZ. Furthermore, EE enhanced the protein expression levels of BDNF, pCREB, SDF-1 and CXCR4 in the hippocampus. These results provide a theoretical basis to explain the beneficial effects of EE on healthy, adult rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110001, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiao Qian
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The People's Hospital of Liaoning, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jing Wei
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Mu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110001, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Hui Bin
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Medicine‑Neurology, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: Jukka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jolkkonen
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110001, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Ting Ting
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110001, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, The Shengjing Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110001, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Chao Dong
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110001, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Chuan Sheng
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002470:Cell Survival; D054377:Chemokine CXCL12 / Q000378:metabolism*; D003071:Cognition; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D003712:Dendrites / Q000378:metabolism; D018891:Dentate Gyrus / Q000378:metabolism; D004777:Environment; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning; D055495:Neurogenesis; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4 / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D054377:Chemokine CXCL12; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4