Differential Activation of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases, ERK 1/2, p38(MAPK) and JNK p54/p46 During Postnatal Development of Rat Hippocampus.

Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are a group of serine-threonine kinases, including p38(MAPK), ERK 1/2 and JNK p54/p46, activated by phosphorylation in response to extracellular stimuli. The early postnatal period is characterized by significant changes in brain structure as well as intracellular signaling. In the hippocampus MAPKs have been involved in the modulation of development and neural plasticity.

Antidepressant-like effect of Canavalia brasiliensis (ConBr) lectin in mice: evidence for the involvement of the glutamatergic system.

Lectins recognize and reversibly bind to carbohydrates attached to proteins and lipids modulating a variety of signaling pathways. We previously showed that ConBr, a lectin from Canavalia brasiliensis seeds, produced an antidepressant-like effect in mice by modulating the monoaminergic neurotransmitter systems. Moreover, ConBr blocked hippocampal neurotoxicity induced by quinolinic acid in vivo and by glutamate in vitro, suggesting a neuroprotective activity of ConBr via glutamatergic system modulation.