Effect of age and cognitive status on basal level AP-1 activity in rat hippocampus

Activator protein-1 (AP-1) was examined at multiple levels (mRNA, DNA binding, composition) in hippocampus of young and aged rats that were behaviorally characterized for spatial memory. GFAP mRNA was measured as a gene product known to increase with aging and to be regulated by AP-1. The activity o...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Neurobiology of aging 2001-09, Vol.22 (5), p.773-786
Main Authors: SMITH, D. R, HOYT, E. C, GALLAGHER, M, SCHWABE, R. F, LUND, P. K
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aging - physiology
Anatomical correlates of behavior
Animals
Behavior, Animal - physiology
Behavioral psychophysiology
Biological and medical sciences
Cognition - physiology
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Gene Expression - physiology
Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein - genetics
Hippocampus - physiology
JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
Male
MAP Kinase Kinase 4
Maze Learning - physiology
Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases - metabolism
Protein Binding - physiology
Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos - genetics
Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun - genetics
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Rats
Rats, Long-Evans
RNA, Messenger - analysis
Space Perception - physiology
Transcription Factor AP-1 - genetics
Transcription Factor AP-1 - metabolism
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Summary:Activator protein-1 (AP-1) was examined at multiple levels (mRNA, DNA binding, composition) in hippocampus of young and aged rats that were behaviorally characterized for spatial memory. GFAP mRNA was measured as a gene product known to increase with aging and to be regulated by AP-1. The activity of Jun-amino terminal-kinase (JNK) was also assessed. Levels of c-jun and c-fos mRNAs were unchanged with aging or spatial learning ability. Abundance of GFAP mRNA was significantly increased in aged hippocampus but did not correlate with spatial learning. Total AP-1 binding activity was unaltered with age or cognitive ability. In hippocampus of young, aged unimpaired and aged impaired rats, AP-1 consists mainly of c-Jun, phosphorylated c-Jun (p-c-Jun), JunD, and smaller amounts of c-Fos. JNK is constitutively active in young and aged hippocampus. We conclude that the basal expression of c-fos and c-jun mRNA, overall AP-1 binding activity and AP-1 composition are not influenced by aging or cognitive ability.
ISSN:0197-4580
1558-1497
DOI:10.1016/s0197-4580(01)00240-8