Immunocytochemical study on the distribution of c-myb in the central nervous system of the transgenic mice expressing a human copper/zinc superoxide dismutase mutation

Demethylation of c-MYB binding site mediates upregulation of Bdnf IV in cocaine-conditioned place preference

Abnormal BDNF signaling contributes to the structural and behavioral plasticity induced by drugs of abuse. However, the mechanisms regulating expression of Bdnf in drug addiction remain elusive. In the present study, using the conditioned place preference (CPP) model, we showed that expression of Bdnf IV is upregulated in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) of conditioned animals while Bdnf I is upregulated in cocaine-treated mice irrespective of conditioning. The methylation level of a putative c-MYB binding site in the promoter region of Bdnf IV was significantly decreased in the NAc under cocaine CPP conditioning but remained unchanged without conditioning, concurrently with increased binding of c-MYB to this site. Exon IV promoter/luciferase reporter assays revealed that transactivation of Bdnf by c-MYB was blocked by methylation of this c-MYB binding site. Administration of methionine, a precursor of SAM, inhibited cocaine CPP, reversed demethylation of c-MYB binding site and induction of Bdnf IV expression by cocaine CPP. Our results imply that Bdnf IV demethylation at c-MYB binding site is involved in cocaine-triggered seeking behavior, whereas Bdnf I responds to the immediate pharmacological effects of cocaine.

The pattern of E2F1 and c-myb immunoreactivities in the CA1 region is different from those in the CA2/3 region of the gerbil hippocampus induced by transient ischemia

In this study, we examined transient ischemia-induced changes in transcription factor E2F1 and c-myb expressions in the gerbil hippocampus after 5 min of transient forebrain ischemia. E2F1 immunoreactivity significantly increased in the CA1 region 6-12 h after ischemia/reperfusion. c-myb immunoreactivity increased mainly in CA1 pyramidal cells with time by 12 h after ischemia. Thereafter, E2F1 and c-myb immunoreactivities significantly decreased compared to those in the 12 h post-ischemic group. Four days after ischemia/reperfusion, E2F1 and c-myb immunoreactivities were detected in non-pyramidal cells. Ten days after ischemia, c-myb immunoreactivity increased again: at this time, astrocytes as well as non-pyramidal cells showed E2F1 and c-myb immunoreactivities. In the CA2/3 region, E2F1 and c-myb immunoreactivities mainly changed in non-pyramidal cells, and 10 days after ischemia, c-myb immunoreactivity was not expressed in astrocytes. In conclusion, E2F1 and c-myb significantly alter in pyramidal cells and express in astrocytes in the gerbil hippocampal CA1 region after transient ischemia. These results indicate that E2F1 and c-myb in the CA1 region after ischemic damage may be associated with delayed neuronal death.

Induction of transcription factor c-myb expression in reactive astrocytes following intracerebroventricular kainic acid injection in mouse hippocampus

The transcription factor c-myb is known to play an important role in the regulation of cellular proliferation and differentiation. Recently, the constitutive and aberrant expression of c-myb in the normal and Cu/Zn SOD mutant mouse brain was reported. However, the expression of c-myb in the process of reactive gliosis is not known yet. Here we report the delayed and protracted induction of c-myb in the brain of mice following kainic acid (KA) induced seizure. Our western blot analysis revealed that the amount of c-myb was dramatically increased in the brain 3 days after KA treatment. The induction of c-myb was sustained for more than 7 days after KA treatment. The c-myb immunoreactivity (IR) was restricted to neurons of the hippocampus in control mice. Three days after KA treatment, a strong c-myb IR was found in reactive astrocytes in the whole areas of the CA3 region. Thereafter, c-myb IR astrocytes were gradually concentrated around the CA3 region undergoing selective neuronal loss. A few c-myb IR astrocytes were continuously persisted in the CA3 region 14 days after KA treatment. These findings suggest a role of c-myb signal pathway in reactive gliosis in mice with KA induced seizure.