Effect of amphetamine and phencyclidine on DNA-binding activities of serum response and dyad symmetry elements

Abstract Acute administration of d -amphetamine sulphate (AMPH) and (1-[1-phenylcyclohexyl]piperidine hydrochloride) (phencyclidine; PCP) produces a characteristic spatio-temporal distribution of c-Fos protein in the brain. As transcriptional mechanisms underlying the induction of c-fos gene expression may be regulated in a stimulus-specific manner, we have analyzed the binding activities of serum response element (SRE), dyad symmetry element (DSE) and calcium response element (CRE), the major regulatory sites of the c-fos promoter. Electrophoretic mobility shift showed that SRE binding activity was increased for 50–60%, 2–6 h after AMPH, while treatment with PCP resulted in light decrease of SRE binding activity throughout the same time period. Co-administration of AMPH and PCP induced gradual increase of SRE binding activity, reaching maximum (86%) at 6 h. Binding of nuclear proteins to DSE sequence was increased 1–2 h after administration of AMPH (72–87%) and remained elevated till the end of the time window observed. PCP and AMPH/PCP caused different temporal profile of DSE binding with peak (40–54%) 4–6 h after administration. In contrast, DNA-binding activity of the CRE sequences remained unchanged throughout the time period of 6 h under all conditions. Finally, supershift analysis clearly demonstrated presence of SRF and c-Fos protein in the transcriptional complexes bound to SRE and DSE sequences irrespective to AMPH, PCP or combined treatment. These findings also showed that the presence of c-Fos protein in SRE and DSE nucleocomplex support the hypothesis concerning autoregulation of c-fos gene expression during psychostimulant action in vivo.