Extracellular Regulated Protein Kinaseis critical for the role of 5-HT1a receptor in modulating nNOS expression and anxiety-related behaviors.

Extracellular Regulated Protein Kinaseis critical for the role of 5-HT1a receptor in modulating nNOS expression and anxiety-related behaviors. Behav Brain Res. 2017 Dec 12;: Authors: Cai CY, Wu HY, Luo CX, Zhu DY, Zhang Y, Zhou QG, Zhang J Abstract Our previous study found that serotonin 1A receptor (5-HT1aR) is an endogenous suppressor of nNOS expression in the hippocampus, which accounts for anxiolytic effect of fluoxetine. However, the precise molecular mechanism remains unknown. By using 8-OH-DPAT, a selective 5-HT1aR agonist, NAN-190, a selective 5-HT1aR antagonist, and U0126, an Extracellular Regulated Protein Kinases (ERK) phosphorylation inhibitor, we investigated the role of ERK in 5-HT1aR-nNOS pathway. Western blots analysis demonstrated that 5-HT1aR activation up-regulated the level of phosphorylated ERK (P-ERK) beginning at 5 minutes and down-regulated the expression of nNOS beginning at 20 minutes. Meanwhile, blockage of 5-HT1aR resulted in a decrease in P-ERK beginning at 20 minutes and caused an increase in nNOS expression beginning at 6 hours. Although U0126 itself did not alter nNOS expression and activity, NO level, and anxiety-related behaviors, the treatment totally reversed 8-OH-DPAT-induced reduction in nNOS expression and function, and anxiolytic effect. Besides, our data showed that ERK phosphorylation was essential for 5-HT1aR activation-induced cAMP responsive element binding protein (CREB) phosphorylation, ...
Source: Behavioural Brain Research - Category: Neurology Authors: Tags: Behav Brain Res Source Type: research