Changes of myocyte enhancer factor 2A in medial prefrontal cortex and their function in mice with posttraumatic stress disorder
10.3760/cma.j.cn115354-20190925-00553
- VernacularTitle:MEF2A在创伤后应激障碍小鼠内侧前额叶皮质中的变化及功能研究
- Author:
Lin ZHU
1
;
Kai TAO
;
Dayun FENG
;
Fangfang LU
;
Qian YANG
Author Information
1. 空军军医大学第二附属医院神经外科，西安 710000
- Keywords:
Posttraumatic stress disorder;
Medial prefrontal cortex;
Myocyte enhancer factor 2A
- From:
Chinese Journal of Neuromedicine
2020;19(3):247-252
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To investigate the neural dendritic spines variation and myocyte enhancer factor 2A (MEF2A) changes in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and their function in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) mouse models established by single prolonged stress&electric foot shock (SPS&S).Methods:A total of 60 8-week-old male C57BL/6N mice were selected and randomly divided into control and treatment groups ( n=30). PTSD mouse models in the treatment group were established by SPS&S; mice in the control group were deprived of food and water during the modeling process without other stress treatment. Ten mice were taken from each group 14 d after modeling, and anxiety and fear behaviors in mice were evaluated by open field test and elevated plus-maze test; the morphology of mPFC neurons, total length of dendrites and density of dendrite spines were determined by Golgi staining. Five mice were selected from each group one, 4, 7 and 14 d after modeling; real-time quantitative PCR was used to detect the mRNA expressions of Arc and SynGAP in mouse mPFC, and Western blotting was used to detect the proteins levels of MEF2A, P38, phosphorylated- (p-) MEF2A, and p-P38 in mouse mPFC. Results:(1) As compared with those in the control group, the number of times entering the central region was significantly smaller and the total distance of movement was statistically decreased in mice of the treatment group ( P<0.05); as compared with those in the control group, the number of times entering the open arm region was significantly smaller and the proportion of time spending in the open arm region was statistically decreased in the treatment group ( P<0.05). The total length of neurons in mPFC was significantly shorter and the density of dendrites was significantly lower in the treatment group than those in the control group ( P<0.05). (2) The Arc and SynGAP mRNA expressions, and p-MEF2A and p-P38 protein expressions in mPFC of mice in treatment group one, 4, 7 and 14 d after modeling were significantly increased as compared with those in control group ( P<0.05); in treatment group, the Arc and SynGAP mRNA expressions 4 and 7 d after modeling were significantly higher than those one and 14 d after modeling, and p-MEF2A expressions in mPFC 4 and 14 d after modeling were significantly higher than those one and 7 d after modeling ( P<0.05); and p-P38 protein expressions in mPFC 7 and 14 d after modeling were significantly higher than those one and 4 d after modeling ( P<0.05). Conclusion:In PTSD mouse models established by SPS&S, transcriptional activation of MEF2A involves in dendritic spines number reduction in the pyramidal neurons of mPFC.
