Induction of immediate early genes by cyclic AMP in primary cultures of neurons from rat cerebral cortex

Brain Res Mol Brain Res. 1993 Jul;19(1-2):76-82. doi: 10.1016/0169-328x(93)90151-e.

Abstract

In this paper, we tested whether physiological activators of the cAMP second messenger pathway in primary cultures of neurons from rat cerebral cortex directly induce c-fos and other immediate early gene (IEG) transcription factors. We have found that brief (30 s to 2 min) stimulation of neurons with vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and SKF-38393, a D1-dopaminergic receptor agonist, potently increased mRNA levels for the IEGs c-fos, jun-B, and NGFI-A, with weaker increases for c-jun. This action was mimicked by forskolin and dibutyryl cAMP. IEG induction by VIP and dibutyryl cAMP was not blocked by excitatory amino acid receptor antagonists or by blockers of dihydropyridine-sensitive calcium channels. Moreover, calcium-free medium did not modify IEG induction by dibutyryl cAMP, suggesting that cAMP can directly regulate IEG expression in differentiated neurons independently of calcium.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • 2,3,4,5-Tetrahydro-7,8-dihydroxy-1-phenyl-1H-3-benzazepine / pharmacology
  • Animals
  • Animals, Newborn
  • Bucladesine / pharmacology*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cerebral Cortex / metabolism*
  • Colforsin / pharmacology*
  • Cyclic AMP / physiology*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Dopamine Agents / pharmacology
  • Early Growth Response Protein 1
  • Ergolines / pharmacology
  • Gene Expression Regulation / drug effects
  • Gene Expression Regulation / physiology*
  • Genes, fos
  • Genes, jun
  • Glutamates / pharmacology
  • Glutamic Acid
  • Immediate-Early Proteins*
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Kinetics
  • Neuroglia / metabolism
  • Neurons / drug effects
  • Neurons / metabolism*
  • Quinpirole
  • RNA, Messenger / biosynthesis*
  • Rats
  • Second Messenger Systems
  • Transcription Factors / biosynthesis*
  • Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / pharmacology

Substances

  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Dopamine Agents
  • Early Growth Response Protein 1
  • Egr1 protein, rat
  • Ergolines
  • Glutamates
  • Immediate-Early Proteins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Transcription Factors
  • Colforsin
  • Quinpirole
  • Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide
  • Glutamic Acid
  • Bucladesine
  • 2,3,4,5-Tetrahydro-7,8-dihydroxy-1-phenyl-1H-3-benzazepine
  • Cyclic AMP