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Mol. Cells 2010; 29(4): 373-381

Published online March 4, 2010

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10059-010-0046-7

© The Korean Society for Molecular and Cellular Biology

Phosphorylated Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase 1/2 Immunoreactivity and Its Protein Levels in the Gerbil Hippocampus during Normal Aging

Choong Hyun Lee1,7, Ki-Yeon Yoo1,7, Ok Kyu Park1, Jung Hoon Choi1, Il-Jun Kang2,*, Eunjoo Bae3,
Sung Koo Kim4, In Koo Hwang5, and Moo-Ho Won1,6,*

1Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, and Institute of Neurodegeneration and Neuroregeneration, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Chuncheon 200-702, Korea, 2Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Hallym University, Chuncheon 200-702, Korea, 3Department of Pediatrics, Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Chuncheon 200-703, Korea, 4Department of Pediatrics, Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Seoul 150-950, Korea, 5Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Brain Korea 21 Program for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Korea, 6MRC Research Institute, Hallym University, Chuncheon 200-702, Korea, 7These authors contributed equally to this work.

Correspondence to : *Correspondence: mhwon@hallym.ac.kr (MW); ijkang@hallym.ac.kr (IK)

Received: October 19, 2009; Revised: December 14, 2009; Accepted: December 17, 2009

Abstract

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

Article

Research Article

Mol. Cells 2010; 29(4): 373-381

Published online March 4, 2010 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10059-010-0046-7

Copyright © The Korean Society for Molecular and Cellular Biology.

Phosphorylated Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase 1/2 Immunoreactivity and Its Protein Levels in the Gerbil Hippocampus during Normal Aging

Choong Hyun Lee1,7, Ki-Yeon Yoo1,7, Ok Kyu Park1, Jung Hoon Choi1, Il-Jun Kang2,*, Eunjoo Bae3,
Sung Koo Kim4, In Koo Hwang5, and Moo-Ho Won1,6,*

1Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, and Institute of Neurodegeneration and Neuroregeneration, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Chuncheon 200-702, Korea, 2Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Hallym University, Chuncheon 200-702, Korea, 3Department of Pediatrics, Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Chuncheon 200-703, Korea, 4Department of Pediatrics, Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Seoul 150-950, Korea, 5Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Brain Korea 21 Program for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Korea, 6MRC Research Institute, Hallym University, Chuncheon 200-702, Korea, 7These authors contributed equally to this work.

Correspondence to:*Correspondence: mhwon@hallym.ac.kr (MW); ijkang@hallym.ac.kr (IK)

Received: October 19, 2009; Revised: December 14, 2009; Accepted: December 17, 2009

Abstract

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

Mol. Cells
May 31, 2023 Vol.46 No.5, pp. 259~328
COVER PICTURE
The alpha-helices in the lamin filaments are depicted as coils, with different subdomains distinguished by various colors. Coil 1a is represented by magenta, coil 1b by yellow, L2 by green, coil 2a by white, coil 2b by brown, stutter by cyan, coil 2c by dark blue, and the lamin Ig-like domain by grey. In the background, cells are displayed, with the cytosol depicted in green and the nucleus in blue (Ahn et al., pp. 309-318).

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