Journal of molecular neuroscience : MN
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Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a member of metabolite-sensing kinase family that plays important roles in responses of muscle cells to metabolic stress. AMPK is a heterotrimer of a catalytic alpha subunit (alpha1 or alpha2), and beta (beta1 or beta2) and gamma (gamma1 or gamma2) subunits. Because the brain has a high metabolic rate and is sensitive to changes in the supply of glucose and oxygen, we investigated the expression of AMPK in rat embryonic and adult brain and its role in modifying neuronal survival under conditions of cellular stress. ⋯ The AMPK-activating agent AICAR protected hippocampal neurons against death induced by glucose deprivation, chemical hypoxia, and exposure to glutamate and amyloid beta-peptide. Suppression of levels of the AMPK alpha1 and alpha2 subunits using antisense technology resulted in enhanced neuronal death following glucose deprivation, and abolished the neuroprotective effect of AICAR. These findings suggest that AMPK can protect neurons against metabolic and excitotoxic insults relevant to the pathogenesis of several different neurodegenerative conditions.