These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: Diphosphorylation and involvement of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK1/2) in glutamate-induced apoptotic-like death in cultured rat cortical neurons.
    Author: Jiang Q, Gu Z, Zhang G, Jing G.
    Journal: Brain Res; 2000 Feb 28; 857(1-2):71-7. PubMed ID: 10700554.
    Abstract:
    Glutamate-induced excitotoxicity, with certain characteristics of apoptosis, has been implicated in a variety of neuronal degenerative disorders. In some physiological cases, extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK1/2) are activated by stimulation of glutamate receptors. In the present study, the activation (diphosphorylation) and role of ERK1/2 in glutamate-induced apoptotic-like death in cultured cortical neurons were investigated. Protein levels and activation (diphosphorylation) levels of ERK1/2 were examined by Western immunoblot, probed with anti-ERK1/2 and anti-active (diphosphorylated) ERK1/2 antibodies, respectively. Apoptotic-like death was determined by DAPI staining. Before a remarkable increase of apoptotic-like cell death was observed at 9-18 h after 15 min exposure to 50 microM glutamate, diphosphorylation levels of ERK1/2 were rapidly increased, peaked at 5-15 min of the exposure, and reverted to sham control level 3 h after the exposure, while the protein levels of ERK1/2 were unaffected. The glutamate concentration effective for inducing apoptotic-like cell death was correlated with that for inducing ERK1/2 diphosphorylation. Both ERK1/2 diphosphorylation and the apoptotic-like cell death were largely prevented by MK-801, a specific NMDA receptor (a subtype receptor of glutamate) antagonist, or the elimination of extracellular Ca(2+) with EGTA. PD98059, a specific inhibitor of ERK1/2 kinase, completely inhibited ERK1/2 diphosphorylation and partially inhibited the apoptotic-like cell death. These results suggest that largely via NMDA receptor-mediated influx of extracellular Ca(2+), ERK1/2 were rapidly and transiently activated and were involved in glutamate-induced apoptotic-like death in cultured rat cortical neurons.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]