Chronic ethanol enhances NMDA-induced AP-1 activity in cultured rat cerebellar granule cells

We examined the effects of chronic ethanol exposure (50 mM; 3 days) on N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)- and alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA)-induced AP-1 transcription factor DNA binding activity in primary cultures of rat cerebellar granule cells. Chronic ethanol exposure enhanced NMDA-stimulated AP-1 binding activity, with no corresponding change in AMPA-stimulated AP-1 binding. Supershift analysis with specific antibodies against the members of Fos and Jun protein families showed that the NMDA-induced AP-1 protein complex consisted predominantly of c-Fos and Jun D proteins. Chronic ethanol treatment by itself did not change the protein composition of the AP-1 complex.