Korean J Anat.  2008 Jun;41(2):149-154.

Microglial Expression of Phospho-AMP-Activatd Protein Kinase (AMPK) Following an Excitotoxic Lesion in the Mouse Hippocampus

• Lee HN
• Kim DW

Abstract

AMP-activatied protein kinase (AMPK) is a member of the family of serine/threonine kinases and is activated by cellular ATP/AMP ratio under conditions of nutritional/metabolic stress. This is thus often referred to as the fuel gauge of the cell, since it protects the cell against ATP depletion and boosts the energy generation pathway. However, although several studies have been focused on the AMPK in other organs, little is known about AMPK expression in glial cells under neuropathological conditions. In this study, we examined patterns of phospho-AMPKalpha expression following the induction of an excitotoxic lesion in mouse brain by kainic acid (KA) injection, which caused pyramidal cell degeneration and intense glial reaction in the hippocampal CA3 region. Phospho-AMPKalpha immunoreactivity was observed in migcroglia, not astrocytes throughout the CA3 region in parallel with pyramidal cell degeneration. These data suggest that AMPK may play an important role in the regulation of energy metabolism of microglial activation in response to the inflammatory processes by excitotoxic injuries.

Keyword

AMPK; Kainic acid; Microglia; Gliosis

MeSH Terms

Adenosine Triphosphate
Animals
Astrocytes
Brain
CA3 Region, Hippocampal
Energy Metabolism
Gliosis
Hippocampus
Humans
Kainic Acid
Mice
Microglia
Neuroglia
Phosphotransferases
Protein Kinases
Pyramidal Cells
Adenosine Triphosphate
Kainic Acid
Phosphotransferases
Protein Kinases