1. ¹Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatric Institute, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
2. ²Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Baltimore, MD, USA

Correspondence: Dr Y Dwivedi, Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatric Institute, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1601 West Taylor Street, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. Tel: +1 312 413 4557; Fax: +1 312 355 3857; E-mail: ydwivedi@psych.uic.edu

Received 18 September 2006; Revised 24 January 2007; Accepted 24 January 2007; Published online 7 March 2007.

Abstract

Extracellular signal-regulated kinase 5 (ERK5), the newest member of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase family, is regulated differently than the other MAP kinases. Emerging evidence suggest the role of ERK5 signaling in promoting cell proliferation, differentiation, neuronal survival, and neuroprotection. The present study investigates whether suicide brain is associated with alterations in components of the ERK5 signaling cascade. In the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus of suicide subjects (n=28) and nonpsychiatric control subjects (n=21), we examined the catalytic activities and protein levels of ERK5 and upstream MAP kinase kinase MEK5 in various subcellular fractions; mRNA levels of ERK5 in total RNA; and DNA-binding activity of myocyte enhancer factor (MEF)2C, a substrate of ERK5. In the hippocampus of suicide subjects, we observed that catalytic activity of ERK5 was decreased in cytosolic and nuclear fractions, whereas catalytic activity of MEK5 was decreased in the total fraction. Further, decreased mRNA and protein levels of ERK5, but no change in protein level of MEK5 were noted. A decrease in MEF2C-DNA-binding activity in the nuclear fraction was also observed. No significant alterations were noted in the PFC of suicide subjects. The observed changes were not related to a specific psychiatric diagnosis. Our findings of reduced activation and/or expression of ERK5 and MEK5, and reduced MEF2C-DNA-binding activity demonstrate abnormalities in ERK5 signaling in hippocampus of suicide subjects and suggest possible involvement of this aberrant signaling in pathogenic mechanisms of suicide.