Characterization and reversal of Doxorubicin-mediated biphasic activation of ERK and persistent excitability in sensory neurons of Aplysia californica

Doxorubicin (DOX), a common chemotherapeutic agent, impairs synaptic plasticity. DOX also causes a persistent increase in basal neuronal excitability, which occludes serotonin-induced enhanced excitability. Therefore, we sought to characterize and reverse DOX-induced physiological changes and modulation of molecules implicated in memory induction using sensory neurons from the marine mollusk Aplysia californica. DOX produced two mechanistically distinct phases of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation, an early and a late phase. Inhibition of MEK (mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/ERK kinase) after DOX treatment reversed the late ERK activation. MEK inhibition during treatment enhanced the late ERK activation possibly through prolonged downregulation of MAPK phosphatase-1 (MKP-1). Unexpectedly, the late ERK activation negatively correlated with excitability. MEK inhibition during DOX treatment simultaneously enhanced the late activation of ERK and blocked the increase in basal excitability. In summary, we report DOX-mediated biphasic activation of ERK and the reversal of the associated changes in neurons, a potential strategy for reversing the deleterious effects of DOX treatment.