Identification and characterization of a nerve growth factor-stimulated mitogen-activated protein kinase activator in PC12 cells

Regulation of the Y1 neuropeptide Y receptor gene expression in PC12 cells

The Y1 receptor for neuropeptide Y (NPY-Y1) is constitutively expressed in PC12 cells. In this study, we examined the role of nerve growth factor (NGF), pituitary adenylyl cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) and dexamethasone on the expression of the gene encoding the rat NPY-Y1 receptor in PC12 cells. A fusion gene (pY1-Luc) was constructed where the reporter enzyme firefly luciferase was placed under the control of 700 bp of the promoter region of the rat NPY-Y1 receptor gene. This promoter region contains recognition consensus sequences for various transcription factors, including one activation protein-1 (AP-1) site, two cyclic AMP responsive element sites, one estrogen receptor element site and four glucocorticoid receptor element sites. NGF increased luciferase activity in a concentration dependent manner. This increase was inhibited by K-252a, a trk A receptor inhibitor, and calphostin C, a PKC inhibitor. PACAP-38 increased luciferase activity in a concentration dependent manner. This activation was inhibited by H-89. Dexamethasone increased transcription of NPY-Y1 gene in PC12 cells. These results indicate that differentiation of PC12 cells into endocrine-like phenotype by dexamethasone and into a neuronal-like phenotype by either NGF or PACAP-38 increases the transcriptional activity of the NPY-Y1 receptor gene in PC12 cells.

Identification of the mechanisms regulating the differential activation of the mapk cascade by epidermal growth factor and nerve growth factor in PC12 cells

In PC12 cells, epidermal growth factor (EGF) transiently stimulates the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases, ERK1 and ERK2, and provokes cellular proliferation. In contrast, nerve growth factor (NGF) stimulation leads to the sustained activation of the MAPKs and subsequently to neuronal differentiation. It has been shown that both the magnitude and longevity of MAPK activation governs the nature of the cellular response. The activations of MAPKs are dependent upon two distinct small G-proteins, Ras and Rap1, that link the growth factor receptors to the MAPK cascade by activating c-Raf and B-Raf, respectively. We found that Ras was transiently stimulated upon both EGF and NGF treatment of PC12 cells. However, EGF transiently activated Rap1, whereas NGF stimulated prolonged Rap1 activation. The activation of the ERKs was due almost exclusively (>90%) to the action of B-Raf. The transient activation of the MAPKs by EGF was a consequence of the formation of a short lived complex assembling on the EGF receptor itself, composed of Crk, C3G, Rap1, and B-Raf. In contrast, NGF stimulation of the cells resulted in the phosphorylation of FRS2. FRS2 scaffolded the assembly of a stable complex of Crk, C3G, Rap1, and B-Raf resulting in the prolonged activation of the MAPKs. Together, these data provide a signaling link between growth factor receptors and MAPK activation and a mechanistic explanation of the differential MAPK kinetics exhibited by these growth factors.

Induction of p53-independent apoptosis by the adenovirus E4orf4 protein requires binding to the Balpha subunit of protein phosphatase 2A

Previous studies have indicated that the E4orf4 protein of human adenovirus type 2 (Ad2) induces p53-independent apoptosis. We believe that this process may play a role in cell death and viral spread at the final stages of productive infection. E4orf4 may also be of therapeutic value in treating some diseases, including cancer, through its ability to induce apoptosis when expressed individually. The only previously identified biochemical function of E4orf4 is its ability to associate with the Balpha subunit of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A). We have used a genetic approach to determine the role of such interactions in E4orf4-induced cell death. E4orf4 deletion mutants were of only limited value, as all were highly defective. We found that E4orf4 proteins from most if not all adenovirus serotypes induced cell death, and thus point mutations were introduced that converted the majority of highly conserved residues to alanines. Such mutants were used to correlate Balpha-subunit binding, association with PP2A activity, and cell killing following the transfection of appropriate cDNAs into p53-null H1299 or C33A cells. The results indicated that binding of the Balpha subunit is essential for induction of cell death, as every mutant that failed to bind efficiently was totally defective for cell killing. This class of mutations (class I) largely involved residues between amino acids 51 and 89. Almost all E4orf4 mutant proteins that associated with PP2A killed cancer cells at high levels; however, several mutants that associated with significant levels of PP2A were defective for killing (class II). Thus, binding of E4orf4 to PP2A is essential for induction of p53-independent apoptosis, but E4orf4 may possess one or more additional functions required for cell killing.

Macrophage cell-conditioned medium promotes cholinergic differentiation of undifferentiated progenitors and synergizes with nerve growth factor action in the developing basal forebrain

Conditioned medium from stimulated microglia and from the monocyte/macrophage cell line (RAW 264.7; MC-CM) promotes the differentiation of cholinergic neurons from undifferentiated progenitors in the septal nuclei and adjacent basal forebrain (BF). We have studied the regulation of this process by measuring the activity of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) in cultured BF taken from embryonic day 16 rat brain. Inhibition of either xanthine oxidase with allopurinol or nitric oxide synthase with N(G)-monomethyl-l-arginine produces a small but significant improvement in the efficacy of MC-CM while inclusion of pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate, a hydroxyl radical scavenger widely used as an antioxidant, lowers MC-CM-induced ChAT activity. Addition of nerve growth factor (NGF) but not brain-derived neurotrophic factor or glial-derived neurotrophic factor together with MC-CM has a synergistic effect on both ChAT activity and ChAT mRNA, raising ChAT activity as much as 29-fold and ChAT mRNA almost 15-fold. While MC-CM raised mRNA for trkA, the effect was not synergistic with NGF. mRNA for the common neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) showed a modest synergistic increase. Blockade of the Ras/Raf/ERK [extracellular signal-regulated kinase, also known as mitogen-activated protein [(MAP) kinase] signal transduction pathway with either PD28059 (an inhibitor of MAP kinase/ERK kinase kinase or MEK) or N-acetyl-S-farnesyl-l-cysteine (an inhibitor of Ras farnesylation and, hence, activation) inhibited the action of MC-CM. Moreover, a subpopulation of cells responded rapidly to MC-CM with an increased appearance of phosphorylated ERK. Because NGF also utilizes this pathway, synergy may occur along this signal transduction pathway.

The topography and subcellular distribution of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase1 (MEK1) in adult rat brain and differentiating PC12 cells

Mitogen-activated protein kinase signal transduction pathway involved in the regulation of proliferation and differentiation of various mammalian cells consists of a sequential activation of three protein kinases, Raf, mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase, and mitogen-activated protein kinase. These kinases are highly expressed in brain and play an important role in neuronal signalling. In this study, to further characterize mitogen-activated protein kinase signalling pathway in brain, we have elucidated the topography and subcellular distribution of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinasel in adult rat brain and differentiating PC12 cells. Our immunohistochemical data indicate that mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase1 is widely distributed throughout the brain and expressed prominently in cortex, hippocampus, brainstem, hypothalamus and cerebellum. In these areas of brain mitogen-activated protein kinase kinasel is exclusively neuronal in origin and is localized within perikarya and dendrites. Confocal microscopy data has determined that a portion of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase1 in rat brain is co-localized with microtubules. This co-localization was observed only within neuritic shaft and cilia of ventricular ependymal cells. In nerve growth factor-induced differentiating PC12 cells, mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase1 displays co-localization with microtubules within proximal regions of neuritic shafts and their junctions with the cell somas. From bovine brain extract, mitogen-activated protein kinase kinasel co-purifies with microtubules. In vitro kinase assay detected mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase1 activity within purified microtubules. These observations indicate that mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase1 is associated with microtubules within some specialized compartments of the brain and microtubule-associated mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase1 is catalytically active.

An inhibitory fragment derived from protein kinase Cepsilon prevents enhancement of nerve growth factor responses by ethanol and phorbol esters

We have studied nerve growth factor (NGF)-induced differentiation of PC12 cells to identify PKC isozymes important for neuronal differentiation. Previous work showed that tumor-promoting phorbol esters and ethanol enhance NGF-induced mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase activation and neurite outgrowth by a PKC-dependent mechanism. Ethanol also increases expression of PKCdelta and PKCepsilon, suggesting that one these isozymes regulates responses to NGF. To examine this possibility, we established PC12 cell lines that express a fragment encoding the first variable domain of PKCepsilon (amino acids 2-144), which acts as an isozyme-specific inhibitor of PKCepsilon in cardiac myocytes. Phorbol ester-stimulated translocation of PKCepsilon was markedly reduced in these PC12 cell lines. In addition, phorbol ester and ethanol did not enhance NGF-induced MAP kinase activation or neurite outgrowth in these cells. In contrast, phorbol ester and ethanol increased neurite outgrowth and MAP kinase phosphorylation in cells expressing a fragment derived from the first variable domain of PKCdelta. These results demonstrate that PKCepsilon mediates enhancement of NGF-induced signaling and neurite outgrowth by phorbol esters and ethanol in PC12 cells.

Nerve growth factor-mediated activation of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase cascade involves a signaling complex containing B-Raf and HSP90

The nerve growth factor (NGF)-mediated activation of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase cascade is an obligatory step in the morphological differentiation of PC12 cells. Signal transduction through the MAP kinase cascade is dependent upon activation of p21(ras) which binds directly to Raf family protein kinases, mediating their association with the membrane and activation. PC12 cells express two Raf isoforms, c-Raf and B-Raf. The activation of the MAP kinase cascade in response to NGF is due principally to the action of B-Raf. NGF treatment of PC12 cells resulted in the enhanced phosphorylation of B-Raf and c-Raf, and both exhibit reduced electrophoretic mobilities following stimulation of the cells. The NGF-stimulated phosphorylation of B-Raf was correlated with its enzymatic activation as measured by the phosphorylation of its substrate MEK. However, c-Raf does not exhibit significant levels of activity. B-Raf was present as a component of a high molecular mass complex, which included the molecular chaperone, heat shock protein 90 (HSP90). Importantly, c-Raf did not participate in the formation of such complexes. The B-Raf containing HSP90 complexes were normally present in PC12 cells, and their assembly was not dependent upon NGF stimulation. These data suggest that the ability of B-Raf to activate the MAP kinase cascade is due to its association with a large signaling complex, which is likely to impart signaling pathway specificity.

Staurosporine induces neurite outgrowth in neuronal hybrids (PC12EN) lacking NGF receptors

A novel neuronal model (PC12EN cells), obtained by somatic hybridization of rat adrenal medullary pheochromocytoma (PC12) and bovine adrenal medullary endothelial (BAME) cells, was developed. PC12EN cells maintained numerous neuronal characteristics: they expressed neuronal glycolipid conjugates, synthesized and secreted catecholamines, and responded to differentiative agents with neurite outgrowth. PC12EN lacked receptors for EGF and both the p75 and trk NGF receptors, while FGF receptor expression was maintained. Staurosporine (5-50 nM), but not other members of the K252a family of protein kinase inhibitors, rapidly induced neurite outgrowth in PC12EN, as also found in the parental PC12 cells, but not in BAME cells. Similarly, both acidic and basic FGF (1-100 ng/ml) were neurotropic in PC12EN. In contrast to the mechanism by which FGF promoted neurite outgrowth in PC12EN, the neurotropic effect of staurosporine did not involve activation of established signalling pathways, such as tyrosine phosphorylation of erk (ras pathway) or SNT (a specific target of neuronal differentiation). In addition, staurosporine induced the tyrosine phosphorylation of the focal adhesion kinase p125FAK. However, since the latter effect was also observed with other protein kinase inhibitors of the K252a family, which induced PC12EN cells flattening but no neurite extension, we propose that FAK tyrosine phosphorylation may be related to ubiquitous changes in cell shape. We anticipate that PC12EN neuronal hybrids will become useful models in neuroscience research for evaluating unique cellular signalling mechanisms of novel neurotropic compounds.

Specificity of nerve growth factor signaling: differential patterns of early tyrosine phosphorylation events induced by NGF, EGF, and bFGF

The specificity of nerve growth factor (NGF) action was examined by comparing early tyrosine phosphorylation events induced by NGF, epidermal growth factor (EGF), and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). In PC12 cells, administration of either the differentiation factor NGF or the mitogenic factor EGF led to tyrosine phosphorylation of multiple polypeptides in the 100-110 kDa size range associated with PI-3 kinase. However, NGF induced a more prolonged phosphorylation, relative to a transient EGF effect. In contrast, the differentiation factor bFGF failed to induce measurable tyrosine phosphorylation of PI-3 kinase-associated proteins. Similarly, NGF but not bFGF induced marked tyrosine phosphorylation of PLC gamma, another early signaling molecule, suggesting that multiple pathways exist for promoting differentiation, and/or that these signaling molecules are not essential for differentiation. TrkA signaling was also compared between PC12 cells and NIH-3T3 cells heterologously expressing trkA, where receptor activation promotes mitogenesis. In this comparison, significant differences were observed in the tyrosine phosphorylation pattern of PI-3 kinase-associated polypeptides, suggesting the existence of cell type-specific molecular interactions influencing trkA signaling. Mechanistically, NGF stimulation of PC12 cells resulted in a weak or possibly indirect association between trkA and PI-3 kinase. Furthermore, NGF did not appear to activate or substantially alter the overall level of PI-3 kinase activity, raising the possibility that ligand-induced phosphorylation may serve instead to relocalize constitutively active PI-3 kinase molecules within the cell. Taken together, data presented suggest that the temporal pattern of induced phosphorylation, the nature of induced associations with other phosphoproteins, and cell type-specific components may all contribute to the generation of NGF signaling specificity.

Evidence that the bradykinin-induced activation of phospholipase D and of the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade involve different protein kinase C isoforms

The effect of alkylglycerol supplementation on protein kinase C (PKC)-mediated signaling events has been studied in fibroblasts from Zellweger patients (SF 3271 cells). Western blotting analysis established that Zellweger fibroblasts express PKC alpha, epsilon, and zeta. Incubation with bradykinin induced a rapid transient translocation of PKC alpha and a more sustained translocation of PKC epsilon to the particulate fraction; translocation of PKC zeta was unaffected. Bradykinin-induced translocation and activation of PKC alpha, but not translocation of PKC epsilon, was blocked in SF 3271 cells which had been incubated with 1-O-hexadecylglycerol (1-O-HDG; 20 micrograms/ml) for 24 h and then incubated in the absence of 1-O-HDG and serum for a further 24 h. Supplementation with 1-O-HDG increased the mass of ether-linked phospholipid. Bradykinin initiated a transient increase in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration in both control and 1-O-HDG supplemented cells, indicating that the initial receptor linked events were not affected by 1-O-HDG supplementation. Bradykinin also caused a rapid activation of phospholipase D (PLD), measured by phosphatidylbutanol accumulation, and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) determined by myelin basic protein phosphorylation of Mono Q fractions. Both events were blocked by preincubation of the cells with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate for 24 h to deplete PKC protein. 1-O-HDG supplementation prevented the bradykinin-induced activation of PLD, but had no effect on the stimulation of MAPK activity. These results establish that modulation of the ether lipid composition of membranes can alter PKC isozyme translocation and indicate that a PKC isozyme other than PKC alpha, most likely PKC epsilon, is involved in MAPK activation.

Synergistic differentiation by chronic exposure to cyclic AMP and nerve growth factor renders rat phaeochromocytoma PC12 cells totally dependent upon trophic support for survival

Chronic dibutyryl cAMP (dbcAMP) treatment was observed not only to potentiate the differentiating actions of nerve growth factor (NGF) in PC12 cells, but to render them completely dependent on trophic support for survival even in the presence of serum proteins. When both NGF and dbcAMP were withdrawn from doubly differentiated PC12 cultures, degenerative events occurred after a lag period of 12-18 h, and by 48 h < 5-10% of the cells remained viable. Reduction in [3H]dopamine uptake, an index of cell function and neurite integrity, paralleled cell demise. At the cellular level, approximately 20-30% of the nuclei exhibited clear signs of chromatin fragmentation, as characterized by propidium iodide staining, suggesting that degeneration occurred by apoptosis. The cells could be rescued completely from degeneration by dbcAMP or by other cAMP analogues, whereas NGF and depolarization were also effective, but only partially. Phorbol 12-myristate-13-acetate failed to afford protection. If deprivation was interrupted, cell demise could be stopped by restoration of initial culture conditions. Degenerative changes produced by deprivation and recovery processes were not inhibited by macromolecular synthesis inhibitors, e.g. cycloheximide and actinomycin-D. However, chronic addition of cycloheximide prior to deprivation greatly impaired the differentiation of NGF/dbcAMP cells, allowing these cells to withstand trophic support withdrawal. Altogether our results indicate that the cAMP transduction pathway plays a crucial role not only in the differentiation but also in the survival of NGF/dbcAMP PC12 cells.

A neuronal protein tyrosine phosphatase induced by nerve growth factor

A new protein tyrosine phosphatase (PC12-PTP1) was identified in nerve growth factor (NGF)-treated PC12 cells. The mRNA level of PC12-PTP1 is increased 9-fold over the initial 8 h of NGF treatment and then decreases dramatically after 24 h of treatment. In rat brain, three transcripts corresponding to 1.5, 2.6, and 3.0 kilobases (kb) in size are detected by Northern blot analysis. Although the 1.5- and 2.6-kb transcripts are present in brain and other tissues, the 3-kb transcript is exclusively expressed in brain and the expression of this transcript alone increases following NGF treatment. PC12-PTP1 is a non-receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) with a 50% sequence homology in the phosphatase domain with several other non-receptor PTPs. PC12-PTP1 fusion protein exhibits tyrosine phosphatase activity, and in vitro translation of the PC12-PTP1 transcript produces a major protein of 39 kDa. The data presented suggest that NGF regulates the expression of PC12-PTP1 during periods of neuronal growth and differentiation.

Neurons from mouse embryos with a null mutation in the tumour suppressor gene p53 undergo normal cell death in the absence of neurotrophins

Cell death plays an important role in regulating cell numbers in a wide variety of tissues during development and throughout life. Cell death can be triggered by changes in the levels of hormones and growth factors and is regulated by the expression of the tumour suppressor gene p53 in many cells. To determine if p53 plays a role in neuronal death resulting from neurotrophin deprivation, we studied the survival of neurons obtained from normal mouse embryos and embryos with a null mutation in the p53 gene. Embryonic sensory and sympathetic neurons from mutant embryos survived in response to the appropriate neurotrophin and died normally in the absence of neurotrophins. These results indicate that neurotrophin-deprived neurons die by a p53-independent pathway.

Neurotrophin signalling

The neurotrophins act through their signalling competent trk tyrosine kinase receptors (trkA, trkB and trkC), and, in addition, they share a common low-affinity receptor, p75. Acting alone, trk kinases can mediate neurotrophin action, including survival, fiber outgrowth, differentiation and proliferation. The p75 receptor modulates trk activity and also couples to an independent signalling mechanism involving the sphingomyelin cycle. The elucidation of pathways that couple trk receptor activation to fiber outgrowth and gene expression has made good progress. New work on signalling in postmitotic neurons is beginning to reveal that similarities and differences in these pathways exist, which depend on the neuronal type or the developmental stage.

Interleukin 1 and tumour necrosis factor activate the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase kinase in cultured cells

Interleukin 1 (IL1) activated mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase kinase in human gingival and foreskin fibroblasts and KB cells. Maximal activity was found in cytosolic extracts made after stimulating cells for 15 min. On anion-exchange chromatography two differently charged forms of MAP kinase kinase were identified, both phosphorylated a kinase-defective mutant MAP kinase, and activated recombinant wild type MAP kinase to phosphorylate MBP. Both were inhibited by an antiserum to recombinant MAP kinase kinase and the less acidic form was identified on Western blotting as an antigen of approximately 43 kDa. Indistinguishable forms were very much more strongly induced by phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). TNF had a similar effect to that of IL1.