Propofol induces ERK-dependant expression of c-Fos and Egr-1 in neuronal cells

Neuroreport. 2009 May 6;20(7):657-62. doi: 10.1097/WNR.0b013e328329a449.

Abstract

This study explored the effects of propofol on c-Fos and Egr-1 in neuroblastoma (N2A) cells. We demonstrate that propofol induced the expression of c-Fos and Egr-1 within 30 and 60 min of exposure time. At 16.8 microM concentration, propofol induced a 6 and 2.5-fold expression of c-Fos and Egr-1, respectively. However, at concentrations above 100 microM, propofol failed to induce expression of c-Fos or Egr-1. Propofol-induced c-Fos and Egr-1 transcription was unaffected by bicuculline, a gamma-aminobutyric acid-A receptor antagonist, but was abolished by PD98059, a mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase inhibitor. Our study shows that clinically relevant concentrations of propofol induce c-Fos and Egr-1 expression through an extracellular signal-regulated kinase mediated and gamma-aminobutyric acid-A independent pathway.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bicuculline / pharmacology
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cell Death
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Early Growth Response Protein 1 / biosynthesis
  • Early Growth Response Protein 1 / genetics*
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / metabolism*
  • Flavonoids / pharmacology
  • GABA Agents / pharmacology*
  • GABA Antagonists / pharmacology
  • GABA-A Receptor Antagonists
  • Genes, fos / drug effects*
  • Mice
  • Neurons / drug effects*
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Propofol / pharmacology*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / biosynthesis*
  • Transcription, Genetic / drug effects

Substances

  • Early Growth Response Protein 1
  • Egr1 protein, mouse
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Flavonoids
  • GABA Agents
  • GABA Antagonists
  • GABA-A Receptor Antagonists
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos
  • Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases
  • 2-(2-amino-3-methoxyphenyl)-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one
  • Bicuculline
  • Propofol