EPHB2 ELISA Kit

EphB2 is involved in enhancing synaptic transmission and gene expression. To explore the roles of EphB2 in memory formation and enhancement, we used a photoactivatable EphB2 (optoEphB2) to activate EphB2 forward signaling in pyramidal neurons in lateral amygdala (LA). Photoactivation of optoEphB2 during fear conditioning, but not minutes afterward, enhanced long-term, but not short-term, auditory fear conditioning. Photoactivation of optoEphB2 during fear conditioning led to activation of the cAMP/Ca2+ responsive element binding (CREB) protein. Application of light to a kinase-dead optoEphB2 in LA did not lead to enhancement of long-term fear conditioning memory or to activation of CREB. Long-term, but not short-term, auditory fear conditioning memory was impaired in mice lacking EphB2 forward signaling (EphB2(lacZ/lacZ)). Activation of optoEphB2 in LA of EphB2(lacZ/lacZ) mice enhanced long-term fear conditioning memory. The present findings show that the level of EphB2 forward signaling activity during learning determines the strength of long-term memory consolidation.

Activation of EphB receptors by ephrinB (efnB) ligands on neuronal cell surface regulates important functions, including neurite outgrowth, axonal guidance, and synaptic plasticity. Here, we show that efnB rescues primary cortical neuronal cultures from necrotic cell death induced by glutamate excitotoxicity and that this function depends on EphB receptors. Importantly, the neuroprotective function of the efnB/EphB system depends on presenilin 1 (PS1), a protein that plays crucial roles in Alzheimer's disease (AD) neurodegeneration. Furthermore, absence of one PS1 allele results in significantly decreased neuroprotection, indicating that both PS1 alleles are necessary for full expression of the neuroprotective activity of the efnB/EphB system. We also show that the ability of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) to protect neuronal cultures from glutamate-induced cell death depends on PS1. Neuroprotective functions of both efnB and BDNF, however, were independent of gamma-secretase activity. Absence of PS1 decreases cell surface expression of neuronal TrkB and EphB2 without affecting total cellular levels of the receptors. Furthermore, PS1-knockout neurons show defective ligand-dependent internalization and decreased ligand-induced degradation of TrkB and Eph receptors. Our data show that PS1 mediates the neuroprotective activities of efnB and BDNF against excitotoxicity and regulates surface expression and ligand-induced metabolism of their cognate receptors. Together, our observations indicate that PS1 promotes neuronal survival by regulating neuroprotective functions of ligand-receptor systems. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.