IEG expression in human and mouse cell cultures

• Grant number: 24/17180-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Program to Stimulate Scientific Vocations
• Start date: February 10, 2025
• End date: March 21, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Physiology - Physiology of Organs and Systems
• Principal Investigator: Luiz Eugenio Araujo de Moraes Mello
• Grantee: Rachel Santana Cunha
• Host Institution: FAC IDOR CIENCIAS MEDICAS/IDOR

Abstract

The phylogenetic analysis of nervous system evolution across populations, both extant and extinct, offers insights into the interplay between environmental stimuli and the development of neural structures throughout evolutionary processes. While anatomical studies have contributed significantly to our understanding of species-specific traits, the elucidation of cellular and biochemical differences remains relatively limited. Researchers strive to unravel the molecular pathways connecting experiences to genetic and phenotypic changes that have determined the unique behavioral complexity observed in humans. In this context, the identification of immediate early genes (IEGs) has provided a gateway to understanding the neural mechanisms through which extracellular stimuli lead to long-term cellular alterations. Immediate IEGs are rapidly and transiently activated in response to novel stimuli, being implicated in the processes of memory formation, learning and cognition. From previous studies and results of our laboratory research, we verified that the expression patterns of immediate early genes vary among species, and we suggest that this response could be linked to relevant aspects of human brain function. Thus, this study aims to determine and compare the temporal patterns of the expressions of the IEGs c-fos and c-jun and their respective protein products in cultures of human and murine neural stem cells following stimulation by the neurotrophic factor BDNF.