Study of molecular mechanism involved in neuronal plasticity induced by magnetic stimulation in cultured hippocampal neurons

Although a large number of investigations have shown that transcranial magnetic stimulation, a non-invasive method of brain stimulation with minimal side effects, is able to induce neuronal synaptic plastic change, very few studies have examined the molecular mechanisms of magnetic stimulation involved in synaptic plasticity. Since it is well known that neurotrophins and their receptors regulate synaptic strength and thereby mediate plasticity, in this study we have investigated the effects of low-frequency (1 Hz) magnetic stimulation, at different intensities, on the activation of neurotrophic factors receptors and relative intracellular pathways in primary cultures of hippocampal neurons.…

Serotonin receptor agonist treatment induces transactivation of fibroblast growth factor receptor-1 (FGFR1) tyrosine kinase in the rat hippocampal neurons

Over the past decade, many examples of activation of receptor tyrosine kinases in response to G-protein coupled receptor signaling have been reported, indicating that there are alternative modes of receptor tyrosine kinase activation (transactivation) in the absence of neurotrophic factor binding. In the present work, we aimed to examine if 5-HT receptor subtype activation may induce fibroblast growth factor receptor-1 (FGFR1) phosphorylation through transactivation of tyrosine kinase. The study has been performed in young adult rats treated with the selective 5-HT1A receptor agonist 8-OHDPAT at the dose of 0.4 mg/kg/i.p.. FGFR1 phosphorylation was evaluated by immunoprecipitation and weste…

No effect of low-intensity endurance exercise on muscle necrosis in the diaphragm of mdx mice.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is characterized by progressive skeletal muscle weakness. We have previously shown that low-intensity endurance training prevented muscle damage (Frinchi et al, Int J Sports Med 2014). Since the effects of low-intensity endurance training on the the diaphragm in the mdx mouse model are unknown, in the same animals we investigated C x39 protein levels (Western blotting) in homogenates of the diaphragm before and after training. Mdx and wild-type (WT) mice were randomly assigned to sedentary (mdx-S, n=17; WT-S, n=19) or trained (mdx-EX, n=14; WT-EX, n=16) groups. Low-intensity endurance training (running on a wheel) was done 5 days/week for 6 weeks at progres…

Quadriceps muscle proteomic profiling of exercised versus sedentary mdx mice