Phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (pERK) mediates neuronal synaptic plasticity, long-term potentiation, and learning and memory in the hippocam-pus. In this study, we examined pERK1/2 immunoreac-tivity and its protein level in the gerbil hippocampus at various ages. In the postnatal month 1 (PM 1) group, very weak pERK1/2 immunoreactivity was detected in the hippocampus. In the CA1 region, pERK1/2 immuno-reactivity was considerably increased in the stratum pyramidale in the PM 6 group. Thereafter, pERK1/2 im-munoreactivity was decreased. In the CA2/3 region, pERK1/2 immunoreactivity increased in an age-dependent manner until PM 12. Thereafter, numbers of pERK1/2-immunoreactive neurons were decreased. However, in the mossy fiber zone, pERK1/2 immunostaining became stronger with age. In the dentate gyrus, a few pERK1/2-immunoreactive cells were observed until PM 12. In the PM 18 and 24 groups, numbers of pERK1/2-immunoreactive cells were increased, especially in the polymorphic layer. In Western blot analysis, pERK1/2 level in the gerbil hippocampus was increased with age. These results indicate that total pERK1/2 levels are increased in the hippocampus with age. However pERK1/2 immunoreactivity in subregions of the gerbil hippocampus was changed with different pattern during normal aging.

Keywords: aging, gerbil, hippocampus, mossy fiber zone, phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2