Nucleocytoplasmic p27(Kip1) Export Is Required for ERK1/2-Mediated Reactive Astroglial Proliferation Following Status Epilepticus

Reactive astrogliosis is a prominent and ubiquitous reaction of astrocytes to many types of brain injury. Up-regulation of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression and astroglial proliferation are hallmarks of reactive astrogliosis. However, the mechanisms that regulate reactive astrogliosis remain elusive. In the present study, status epilepticus (SE, a prolonged seizure activity) led to reactive astrogliosis showing the increases in GFAP expression and the number of proliferating astrocytes with prolonged extracellular signal receptor-activated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2) activation and reduced nuclear p27(Kip1) level. U0126, an ERK1/2 inhibitor, showed opposite effects. Leptomycin B (LMB), an inhibitor of chromosomal maintenance 1 (CRM1), attenuated nucleocytoplasmic p27(Kip1) export and astroglial proliferation, although it up-regulated ERK1/2 phosphorylation and GFAP expression. Roscovitine ameliorated the reduced nuclear p27(Kip1) level and astroglial proliferation without changing GFAP expression and ERK1/2 phosphorylation. U0126 aggravated SE-induced astroglial apoptosis in the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus that was unaffected by LMB and roscovitine. In addition, U0126 exacerbated SE-induced neuronal death, while LMB mitigated it. Roscovitine did not affect SE-induced neuronal death. The present data elucidate for the first time the roles of nucleocytoplasmic p27(Kip1) transport in ERK1/2-mediated reactive astrogliosis independent of SE-induced neuronal death and astroglial apoptosis. Therefore, our findings suggest that nucleocytoplasmic p27(Kip1) export may be required for ERK1/2-mediated astroglial proliferation during reactive astrogliosis, and that nuclear p27(Kip1) entrapment may be a potential therapeutic strategy for anti-proliferation in reactive astrocytes.