c-fos modulates brain-derived neurotrophic factor mRNA expression in mouse hippocampal CA3 and dentate gyrus neurons

Excess neuronal excitation by glutamate induces neuron cell death, which may contribute to the pathogenesis of acute brain injuries and neurodegenerative diseases. Our previous studies using a mouse with hippocampal c-fos gene deletion showed that c-fos regulates neuronal excitability and excitotoxicity. Moreover, a delayed induction of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) protein expression in response to kainic acid (KA) treatment was found in c-fos mutant mice compared to wildtype controls, suggesting that c-fos is important in the temporal control of BDNF induction. To further investigate mechanisms of in vivo regulation of c-fos on BDNF expression, we studied the expression of BDNF mRNA and its colocalization with c-Fos protein in the hippocampal formation in the presence and absence of KA. By in situ hybridization, we observed that the c-fos mutant and wildtype mice exhibited similar basal expression of BDNF in the absence of KA. In contrast, the KA-induced BDNF mRNA levels were significantly different in wildtype and c-fos mutant mice in CA3 and dentate gyrus regions. Our findings indicate that c-fos regulates expression of BDNF in distinct neuron populations of the hippocampal formation in vivo.