Sustained activation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) and extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1͞2 (ERK1͞2) both promote neuronal death. Here we identify a direct link between these two cell death pathways. In a rat model of hypoglycemic brain injury, neuronal PARP-1 activation and subsequent neuronal death were blocked by the ERK1͞2 inhibitor 2-(2-amino-3-methoxyphenyl)-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one (PD98059). In neuron cultures, PARP-1-mediated neuronal death induced by N-methyl-Daspartate, peroxynitrite, or DNA alkylation was similarly blocked by ERK1͞2 pathway inhibitors. These inhibitors also blocked PARP-1 activation and PARP-1-mediated death in astrocytes. siRNA down-regulation of ERK2 expression in astrocytes also blocked PARP-1 activation and cell death. Direct effects of ERK1͞2 on PARP-1 were evaluated by using isolated recombinant enzymes. The activity of recombinant human PARP-1 was reduced by incubation with alkaline phosphatase and restored by incubation with active ERK1 or ERK2. Putative ERK1͞2 phosphorylation sites on PARP-1 were identified by mass spectrometry. Using site-directed mutagenesis, these sites were replaced with alanine (S372A and T373A) to block phosphorylation, or with glutamate (S372E and T373E) to mimic constitutive phosphorylation. Transfection of PARP-1 deficient mouse embryonic fibroblasts with the mutant PARP-1 species showed that the S372A and T373A mutations impaired PARP-1 activation, whereas the S372E and T373E mutations increased PARP-1 activity and eliminated the effect of ERK1͞2 inhibitors on PARP-1 activation. These results suggest that PARP1 phosphorylation by ERK1͞2 is required for maximal PARP-1 activation after DNA damage.DNA damage ͉ hypoglycemia ͉ mitogen-activated protein kinase ͉ astrocyte ͉ neuron P oly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) is an abundant nuclear enzyme that is activated by DNA strand breaks and functionally linked to DNA repair (1). PARP-1 activation in neurons occurs in ischemia, trauma, hypoglycemia, excitotoxicity, multiple sclerosis, and other conditions involving oxidative stress or inflammation (2-5). When activated, PARP-1 consumes NAD to form poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) on specific acceptor proteins. The poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation modifies protein binding to DNA and other proteins to facilitate DNA repair and prevent chromatid exchange (1, 6). However, extensive activation of PARP-1 leads to NAD depletion and cell death (7-9). PARP inhibitors and PARP-1 gene deletion can markedly improve neuronal survival in ischemia and other disorders (10-12). PARP-1 also interacts with several transcription factors (13), and the coactivation of nuclear factor B (NF-B) by PARP-1 promotes the cellular inflammatory response (14-16).Like PARP-1, the extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1͞2) are activated by ischemia and other conditions that generate oxidative stress (17-22). ERK1͞2, p38, and c-Jun-Nterminal kinase (JNK) comprise the major subgroups of the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) (23), which are serine͞ threonine kinases involved...