薬理と治療

Abstract

Genistein（GEN）, a phytoestrogen found in leguminous plants such as soya bean may regulate ERK1/2/BDNF/TrkB signaling. For checking the same, primary cultures of cerebral cortices were prepared from embryonic day 18（E18）rats. Thereafter, neuronal culture cells（NCs） were placed into four group; Control NCs, GEN–treated NCs, K252a–treated NCs and K252a＋GEN–treated NCs（first TrkB activity was blocked with K252a and then GEN–treatment was done. After confirming condition of neurons, immunoblotting was performed to observe the expression of ERK1/2, BDNF and TrkB. In immunoblotting, expression of ERK1/2, mature form of BDNF（mBDNF）was high in GEN–treated NCs as compared to control, K252a–treated and K252a＋GEN–treated NCs. Further, expression of ERK1/2, mBDNF was high in K252a＋GEN–treated NC as compared to control and K252a group. The expression of full length TrkB（flTrkB）was high in K252a–treated NCs, K252a＋GEN–treated NCs and low in GEN–treated NCs as compared to other groups. Further, K252a did not block the GEN–induced increased expression of ERK1/2 and only minimally affect the expression of mBDNF expression. The exact possible mechanism of the above cascade is unknown. Such study is helpful to understand GEN–mediated enhancement in learning and memory through BDNF/TrkB/ERK1/2 or alternative signaling pathway.（Jpn Pharmacol Ther 2023；51：991‒1000）