Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Moderate Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Quantification of Social Behavior in Adult Rats
11:01

Moderate Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Quantification of Social Behavior in Adult Rats

Published on: December 14, 2014

Alterations in phosphorylated cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element of binding protein activity: a pathway

Robin Roberson1, Irene Cameroni, Laura Toso

  • 1Unit on Perinatal and Developmental Neurobiology, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20895, USA. robersor@mail.nih.gov

American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
|December 27, 2008
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

In utero alcohol exposure significantly reduced phosphorylated CREB (pCREB) levels in adult mice brains. This decrease, particularly in the dentate gyrus, may explain learning deficits associated with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS).

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Biology
  • Toxicology

Background:

  • Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a leading cause of preventable learning and behavioral disorders.
  • Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying FAS is crucial for developing interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of phosphorylated cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element of binding protein (pCREB) in the hippocampus of adult mice exposed to alcohol in utero.
  • To evaluate pCREB levels as a potential mechanism for FAS-related learning deficits.

Main Methods:

  • Pregnant mice received alcohol or saline treatment on gestational day 8.
  • Offspring underwent learning assessments and subsequent immunohistochemistry for pCREB in hippocampal subregions.
  • Staining density was quantified using NIH Image software and analyzed with ANOVA.

Main Results:

  • pCREB staining was significantly lower in all hippocampal subregions of alcohol-exposed mice compared to controls (P < .0001).
  • The dentate gyrus exhibited the most substantial reduction in pCREB staining.

Conclusions:

  • In utero alcohol exposure leads to decreased pCREB activity in adult mouse hippocampus.
  • Reduced pCREB in the dentate gyrus suggests a correlation between neurodegeneration and learning deficits in Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.

More Related Videos

The Use of Trace Eyeblink Classical Conditioning to Assess Hippocampal Dysfunction in a Rat Model of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders19:57

The Use of Trace Eyeblink Classical Conditioning to Assess Hippocampal Dysfunction in a Rat Model of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

Published on: August 5, 2017

Construction of Vapor Chambers Used to Expose Mice to Alcohol During the Equivalent of all Three Trimesters of Human Development15:27

Construction of Vapor Chambers Used to Expose Mice to Alcohol During the Equivalent of all Three Trimesters of Human Development

Published on: July 13, 2014

Related Concept Videos

Teratogenicity01:07

Teratogenicity

The ability of a drug to produce structural deformations and functional abnormalities in the developing embryo or the fetus is called teratogenicity, and the drug producing this effect is known as a teratogen. Teratogenic effects include stillbirth, miscarriage, intrauterine growth restriction, and neurocognitive delay. A teratogen may affect the embryo at different stages of development, which is important in determining the type and extent of the damage. During blastocyst formation, the early...
GPCRs Regulate Adenylyl Cylase Activity01:09

GPCRs Regulate Adenylyl Cylase Activity

Some GPCRs transmit signals through adenylyl cyclase (AC), a transmembrane enzyme. AC helps synthesize second messenger cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). AC catalyzes cyclization reaction and converts ATP to cAMP by releasing a pyrophosphate. The pyrophosphate is further hydrolyzed to phosphate by the enzyme pyrophosphatase, which drives cAMP synthesis to completion. However, cAMP is rapidly degraded to 5′ AMP by the enzymes phosphodiesterase (PDE), preventing overstimulation of cells.
Two...
cAMP-dependent Protein Kinase Pathways01:25

cAMP-dependent Protein Kinase Pathways

Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate (cAMP) is an essential second messenger that activates protein kinase A (PKA) and regulates various biological processes. A single epinephrine molecule binds to GPCR and activates several heterotrimeric G proteins, each stimulating multiple adenylyl cyclase, amplifying the signal, and synthesizing large numbers of cAMP molecules. Small changes in cAMP concentration affect PKA activity. The binding of four cAMP molecules induces a conformational change in PKA,...
Phosphorylation01:02

Phosphorylation

The addition or removal of phosphate groups from proteins is the most common chemical modification that regulates cellular processes. These modifications can affect the structure, activity, stability, and localization of proteins within cells as well as their interactions with other proteins.
During phosphorylation, protein kinases transfer the terminal phosphate group of ATP to specific amino acid side chains of substrate proteins. Serine, threonine, and tyrosine are the most commonly...
Factors Affecting Protein-Drug Binding: Patient-Related Factors01:29

Factors Affecting Protein-Drug Binding: Patient-Related Factors

Protein-drug binding, a pivotal aspect of pharmacokinetics, is subject to considerable variability influenced by an array of patient-related factors. The intricate interplay of age, individual differences, and pathological conditions significantly impact the binding dynamics and subsequent pharmacological effects.
Age stands as a key determinant in protein-drug binding. Neonates, characterized by low albumin content, experience heightened concentrations of unbound drugs such as phenytoin and...
Interactions Between Signaling Pathways01:19

Interactions Between Signaling Pathways

Signaling cascades usually lack linearity. Multiple pathways interact and regulate one another, allowing cells to integrate and respond to diverse environmental stimuli.
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...