Dysregulation of CREB activation and histone acetylation in 3-nitropropionic acid-treated cortical neurons: prevention by BDNF and NGF

3-Nitropropionic acid (3-NP), an inhibitor of mitochondrial complex II, leads to metabolic impairment and neurodegeneration. In this study, we investigated the roles of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF) in the dysregulation of transcription factors and histone modifying enzymes induced by 3-NP in primary cortical neurons. BDNF prevented the 3-NP-induced decrease in cAMP response-element binding protein (CREB) phosphorylation and CREB-binding protein levels. Both NGF and BDNF counteracted the increase in the levels of histone H3 and H4 acetylations and reduced histone deacetylase (HDAC) activity induced by 3-NP. BDNF further led to hyperphosphorylation of HDAC2. Our results support an important role for neurotrophins, particularly BDNF, in preventing detrimental changes in transcription factors and histone acetylation states in cortical neurons that have been subjected to selective mitochondrial inhibition.