吗啡对原代培养大鼠皮质神经元神经甾体水平的影响

目的探讨吗啡慢性处理对大鼠大脑皮质神经元合成释放神经甾体水平的影响及其机制。方法建立原代培养大鼠大脑皮质神经元吗啡依赖样模型,固相萃取结合高效液相色谱-质谱联用法测定细胞培养液中神经甾体水平;免疫印迹法检测神经元中p-CREB水平。结果与盐水对照组相比,吗啡(1μmol.L-1)处理使PREG和DS的水平降低(P<0.01);μ-受体激动剂DAMGO使PREG、DS和PS水平下降,AP水平增高;与吗啡单独处理组相比,μ-阿片受体拮抗剂CTAP与吗啡联合处理使PREG增加(P<0.01)。与盐水对照组相比,吗啡或DAMGO慢性处理均可增加神经元内p-CREB的水平(P<0.01);与吗啡处理组相比,CTAP抑制吗啡诱导的p-CREB的增加。结论μ-阿片受体参与了介导吗啡慢性处理对皮质神经元神经甾体合成释放的影响;神经元内p-CREB水平的变化反映了吗啡引起的神经元适应性改变,提示神经甾体水平的变化可能与吗啡依赖有关。

Inhibition of the MAPK/ERK cascade: a potential transcription-depen-dent mechanism for the amnesic effect of anesthetic propofol

Intravenous anesthetics are known to cause amnesia, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain elusive. To identify a possible molecular mechanism, we recently turned our attention to a key intracellular signaling pathway organized by a family of mitogen-activated protein kinases （MAPKs）. As a prominent synapse-to-nucleus superhighway, MAPKs couple surface glutamate receptors to nuclear transcriptional events essential for the development and/or maintenance of different forms of synaptic plasticity （long-term potentiation and long-term depression） and memory formation. To define the role of MAPK-dependent transcription in the amnesic property of anesthetics, we conducted a series of studies to examine the effect of a prototype intravenous anesthetic propofol on the MAPK response to N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor （NMDAR） stimulation in hippocampal neurons. Our results suggest that propofol possesses the ability to inhibit NMDAR-mediated activation of a classic subclass of MAPKs, extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2 （ERK1/2）. Concurrent inhibition of transcriptional activity also occurs as a result of inhibited responses of ERK1/2 to NMDA. These findings provide first evidence for an inhibitory modulation of the NMDAR-MAPK pathway by an intravenous anesthetic and introduce a new avenue to elucidate a transcription-dependent mechanism processing the amnesic effect of anesthetics.

The complex role of physical exercise and reactive oxygen species on brain

Reactive oxygen species （ROS） are continuously generated during aerobic metabolism and at moderate level. They play a role in redox signaling, but in significant concentration they cause oxidative damage and neurodegeneration. Because of the enhanced sensitivity of brain to ROS, it is especially important to maintain the normal redox state in different types of neuron cells. In last decade it became clear that regular exercise beneficially affects brain function, and can play an important preventive and therapeutic role in stroke, Alzheimer, and Parkinson diseases. The effects of exercise appear to be very complex and could include neurogenesis via neurotrophic factors, increased capillariszation, decreased oxidative damage, and increased proteolyfic degradation by proteasome and neprilysin. Data from our and other laboratories indicate that exercise-induced modulation of ROS levels plays a role in the protein content and expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, tyrosinerelated kinase B （TrkB）, and cAMP response element binding protein, resulting in better function and increased neurogenesis. Therefore, it appears that exercise-induced modulation of the redox state is an important means, by which exercise benefits brain function, increases the resistance against oxidative stress, facilitates recovery from oxidative stress, and attenuates age-associated decline in cognition.

Construction of the Subtracted cDNA Library of Striatal Neurons Treated with Long-term Morphine

Objective To construct a morphine tolerance model in primarily cultured striatal neurons, and screen the differentially expressed genes in this model using suppression subtractive hybridization （SSH）. Methods Sbtracted cDNA libraries were constructed using SSH from normal primarily cultured striatal neurons and long-term morphine treated striatal neurons （10^-5 mol/L for 72 hours）. To check reliability of the cell culture model, RT-PCR was performed to detect the cAMP-responsive element-binding protein （CREB） mRNA expression. The subtracted clones were prescreened by PCR. The clones containing inserted fragments from forward libraries were sequenced and submitted to GenBank for homology analysis. And the expression levels of genes of interest were confirmed by RT-PCR. Results CREB mRNA expression showed a significant increase in morphine treated striatal neurons （62.85± 1.98） compared with normal striatal neurons （28.43 ± 1.46, P〈0.01）. Thirty-six clones containing inserted fragments were randomly chosen for sequence analysis. And the 36 clones showed homology with 19 known genes and 2 novel genes. The expression of 2 novel genes, mitochondrial carrier homolog 1 （Mtchl ; 96.81±2.04 vs. 44.20±1.31, P〈0.01） and thyrnoma viral proto-oncogene 1 （Akt1 ; 122.10±2.17 vs 50.11±2.01, P〈0.01）, showed a significant increase in morphine-treated striatal neurons compared with normal striatal neurons. Conclusions A reliable differential cDNA library of striatal neurons treated with long-term morphine is constructed. Mtchl and Aktl might be the candidate genes for the development of morphine tolerance.

Activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase in the anterior cingulate cortex contributes to the induction of long-term potentiation in rats

Objective To explore the role of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase （ERK）/cAMP response element binding protein （CREB） pathway in the induction of long-term potentiation （LTP） in the anterior cingulate cortex （ACC） that may be implicated in pain-related negative emotion. Methods LTP of field potential was recorded in ACC slice and the expressions of phospho-ERK （pERK） and phospho-CREB （pCREB） were examined using immunohistochemistry method. Results LTP could be induced stably in ACC slice by high frequency stimulation （2-train, 100 Hz, 1 s）, while APv （an antagonist of NMDA receptor） could block the induction of LTP in the ACC, indicating that LTP in this experiment was NMDA receptor-dependent. Bath application of PD98059 （50 μmol/L）, a selective MEK inhibitor, at 30 min before tetanic stimulation could completely block the induction of LTP. Moreover, the protein level of pERK in the ACC was transiently increased after LTP induction, starting at 5 rain and returning to basal at 1 h after tetanic stimulation. The protein level of pCREB was also increased after LTP induction. The up-regulation in pERK and pCREB expressions could be blocked by pretreatment of PD98059. Double immunostaining showed that after LTP induction, most pERK was co-localized with pCREB. Conclusion NMDA receptor and ERK-CREB pathway are necessary for the induction of LTP in rat ACC and may play important roles in pain emotion.

Research progress on neurobiology of neuronal nitric oxide synthase

Neuronal nitric oxide synthase （nNOS） is mainly expressed in neurons,to some extent in astrocytes and neuronal stem cells.The alternative splicing of nNOS mRNA generates 5 isoforms of nNOS,including nNOS-,nNOS-,nNOS-,nNOS-and nNOS-2.Monomer of nNOS is inactive,and dimer is the active form.Dimerization requires tetrahydrobiopterin （BH 4）,heme and L-arginine binding.Regulation of nNOS expression relies largely on cAMP response element-binding protein （CREB） activity,and nNOS activity is regulated by heat shock protein 90 （HSP90）/HSP70,calmodulin （CaM）,phosphorylation and dephosphorylation at Ser847 and Ser1412,and the protein inhibitor of nNOS （PIN）.There are primarily 9 nNOS-interacting proteins,including post-synaptic density protein 95 （PSD95）,clathrin assembly lymphoid leukemia （CALM）,calcium/calmodulindependent protein kinase II alpha （CAMKIIA）,Disks large homolog 4 （DLG4）,DLG2,6-phosphofructokinase,muscle type （PFK-M）,carboxy-terminal PDZ ligand of nNOS （CAPON） protein,syntrophin and dynein light chain （LC）.Among them,PSD95,CAPON and PFK-M are important nNOS adapter proteins in neurons.The interaction of PSD95 with nNOS controls synapse formation and is implicated in N-methyl-D-aspartic acid-induced neuronal death.nNOS-derived NO is implicated in synapse loss-mediated early cognitive/motor deficits in several neuropathological states,and negatively regulates neurogenesis under physiological and pathological conditions.

Activating transcription factor 5 regulates lipid metabolism in adipocytes

Activating transcription factor 5(ATF5) is a member of the activating transcription factor/cA MP response element binding protein(ATF/CREB) family, and is highly expressed in liver and adipose tissue. Previous reports have shown that ATF5 promoted 3T3-L1 preadipocytes differentiation. In this study, we found that ATF5 was highly expressed in mature adipocytes, suggesting a potential role of ATF5 in mature adipocytes, which has not been reported previously. To understand the function of ATF5 in mature adipocytes, we knocked down the expression of ATF5 in 3T3-L1 mature adipocytes and observed decreased lipid droplets. Consistent with the in vitro experiment, the knockdown of ATF5 in white adipose tissue led to less adipose tissue and smaller adipocytes size. Further research revealed that the inhibition of ATF5 diminished the adipocytes size via the inhibition of fatty acid synthetase, stearyl coenzyme A desaturation enzyme 1, and the induction of carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1, one key enzyme of lipid metabolism. In addition, ATF5 knockdown in inguinal white adipose tissue improved whole body insulin sensitivity.Our work provides a new understanding of ATF5 function in mature adipocytes and a potential therapeutic target of diabetes.