Ca2+ -stimulated adenylyl cyclases regulate ERK-dependent activation of MSK1 during fear conditioning

Neuron. 2007 Jan 4;53(1):79-89. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2006.11.024.

Abstract

The cAMP and ERK/MAP kinase (MAPK) signal transduction pathways are critical for hippocampus-dependent memory, a process that depends on CREB-mediated transcription. However, the extent of crosstalk between these pathways and the downstream CREB kinase activated during memory formation has not been elucidated. Here we report that PKA, MAPK, and MSK1, a CREB kinase, are coactivated in a subset of hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons following contextual fear conditioning. Activation of PKA, MAPK, MSK1, and CREB is absolutely dependent on Ca(2+)-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity. We conclude that adenylyl cyclase activity supports the activation of MAPK, and that MSK1 is the major CREB kinase activated during training for contextual memory.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adenylyl Cyclases / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Avoidance Learning / drug effects
  • Avoidance Learning / physiology
  • Calcium / metabolism
  • Calcium / pharmacology
  • Calcium Signaling / drug effects
  • Calcium Signaling / physiology
  • Conditioning, Psychological / drug effects
  • Conditioning, Psychological / physiology*
  • Cyclic AMP / analogs & derivatives
  • Cyclic AMP / pharmacology
  • Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / metabolism
  • Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / metabolism
  • Enzyme Activation / drug effects
  • Enzyme Activation / physiology
  • Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / metabolism*
  • Fear / drug effects
  • Fear / physiology
  • Hippocampus / cytology
  • Hippocampus / drug effects
  • Hippocampus / enzymology*
  • Male
  • Memory / drug effects
  • Memory / physiology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Pyramidal Cells / drug effects
  • Pyramidal Cells / enzymology
  • Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases, 90-kDa / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Signal Transduction / physiology

Substances

  • Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein
  • Cyclic AMP
  • Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases, 90-kDa
  • mitogen and stress-activated protein kinase 1
  • Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases
  • Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases
  • Adenylyl Cyclases
  • Calcium