Microtubule-associated protein 1B plays an important role in axon guidance and neuronal migration. In the present study, we sought to discover the mechanisms underlying microtu-bule-associated protein 1B mediation of axon guidance and neuronal migration. We exposed bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells to okadaic acid or N-acetyl-D-erythro-sphingosine (an inhibitor and stimulator, respectively, of protein phosphatase 2A) for 24 hours. The expression of the phosphorylated form of type I microtubule-associated protein 1B in the cells was greater after exposure to okadaic acid and lower after N-acetyl-D-erythro-sphingosine. We then injected the bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells through the ear vein into rabbit models of spinal cord contusion. The migration of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells towards the injured spinal cord was poorer in cells exposed to okadaic acid-and N-acetyl-D-erythro-sphingosine than in non-treated bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. Finally, we blocked phosphatidylinosi-tol 3-kinase (PI3K) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) pathways in rabbit bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells using the inhibitors LY294002 and U0126, respectively. LY294002 resulted in an elevated expression of phosphorylated type I microtubule-associated protein 1B, whereas U0126 caused a reduction in expression. The present data indicate that PI3K and ERK1/2 in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells modulate the phosphorylation of micro-tubule-associated protein 1B via a cross-signaling network, and affect the migratory efifciency of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells towards injured spinal cord.

Amyloid β-peptide, a major component of senile plaques in Alzheimer’s disease, has been impli-cated in neuronal cel death and cognitive impairment. Recently, studies have shown that the pathogenesis of cerebral ischemia is closely linked with Alzheimer’s disease. In this study, a rat model of global cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury was established via occlusion of four arteries;meanwhile, fibril ar amyloid β-peptide was injected into the rat lateral ventricle. The Morris water maze test and histological staining revealed that administration of amyloid β-peptide could further aggravate impairments to learning and memory and neuronal cel death in the hippocampus of rats subjected to cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury. Western blot showed that phosphorylation of tau protein and the activity of glycogen synthase kinase 3β were significantly stronger in cerebral is-chemia-reperfusion injury rats subjected to amyloidβ-peptide administration than those undergoing cerebral ischemia-reperfusion or amyloidβ-peptide administration alone. Conversely, the activity of protein phosphatase 2A was remarkably reduced in rats with cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury fol owing amyloidβ-peptide administration. These findings suggest that amyloidβ-peptide can po-tentiate tau phosphorylation induced by cerebral ischemia-reperfusion and thereby aggravate cog-nitive impairment.

Transient brain ischemia has been shown to induce hyperphosphorylation of the microtu-bule-associated protein tau. To further determine the mechanisms underlying these processes, we investigated the interaction between tau, glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3β and protein phos-phatase 2A. The results confirmed that tau protein was dephosphorylated during brain ischemia;in addition, the activity of GSK-3βwas increased and the activity of protein phosphatase 2A was de-creased. After reperfusion, tau protein was hyperphosphorylated, the activity of GSK-3β was de-creased and the activity of protein phosphatase 2A remained low. Importantly, the interaction of tau with GSK-3β and protein phosphatase 2A was altered during ischemia and reperfusion. Lithium chloride could affect tau phosphorylation by regulating the interaction of tau with GSK-3βand pro-tein phosphatase 2A, and improve learning and memory ability of rats after transient brain ischemia. The present study demonstrated that it was the interaction of tau with GSK-3β and protein phos-phatase 2A, rather than their individual activities, that dominates the phosphorylation of tau in tran-sient brain ischemia. Hyperphosphorylated tau protein may play an important role in the evolution of brain injury in ischemic stroke. The neuroprotective effects of lithium chloride partly depend on the inhibition of tau phosphorylation during transient brain ischemia.