Different effects of prenatal stress on ERK2/CREB/Bcl-2 expression in the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex of adult offspring rats

It has become increasingly evident that prenatal stress and its psychological and physiological concomitants are associated with the pathophysiology of mood disorders. However, the mechanisms underlying the prenatal stress-induced offspring's anxiety disorders remain unknown. We recently reported that prenatal stress enhanced anxiety-like behavior in adult offspring rat, and involved N-methyl-Daspartate receptor subunits, including NR1 and NR2A. In the present research, using the same prenatal stress model, we measured the ERK2/CREB/Bcl-2 mRNA levels by real-time PCR. Our findings indicated that prenatal stress decreased ERK2 and CREB mRNA levels in the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex and Bcl-2 mRNA levels in the hippocampus of offspring rat. The results showed that the abnormal ERK2, CREB, and Bcl-2 mRNA levels may be involved in the anxiety-like behavior of adult rats with prenatal stress. Copyright (C) 2016 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.