Kinetics of Norepinephrine- and Serotonin-Induced BDNF Release in Cultured Embryonic Hippocampal Neurons

The primary neurotransmitters targeted by currently used antidepressants, such as duloxetine, venlafaxine and fluoxetine, are serotonin and norepinephrine, which also are released in significant amounts in the central nervous system in response to sympathetic nervous system activation. In cultured hippocampal neurons, we have previously shown that norepinephrine induces increased expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), the PI-3 K/Akt, MAPK pro-survival pathways, the BDNF receptor, TrkB, a transcription factor, and cyclic AMP response element binding protein (CREB). In the present study, we extend these findings of increased BDNF expression to its kinetics of release into the surrounding media. We also evaluate these two cell survival pathways, TrkB and CREB, in response to application of serotonin and/or norepinephrine. Serotonin elicits an earlier, but brief expression and release of BDNF, whereas norepinephrine elicits a more delayed and sustained release of BDNF. In response to both norepinephrine and 5-HT, the presence of BDNF in lysates and subsequent release into the media is significantly increased out to 4 h, as is PI-3 K/Akt activation. Together, these two neurotransmitters increase BDNF expression and release covering the entire 8 h continuum evaluated. The results of this study provide further evidence for a G protein-coupled receptor and a crosstalk-to-TrkB receptor with transactivation signaling across pathways.