Involvement of protein kinase C in nerve growth factor- and K-252a-stimulated calcium uptake into PC12 cells

Forkhead family transcription factor FoxO and neural differentiation

The Forkhead Box subgroup O (FoxO) transcription factor family is one of the most important downstream targets of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B signaling pathway playing an important role in many biological functions including transcriptional regulation of cellular differentiation. Neuronal differentiation is a complex process which involves many signaling pathways and molecular mechanisms. Interestingly, recent studies indicate that the FoxO family is involved in a number of signaling pathways regulating cell differentiation. The actions occur at different stages in the differentiation process and by differing mechanisms. This review will focus on FoxO as a novel transcription factor in neural differentiation.

Voltage-sensitive calcium currents are acutely increased by nerve growth factor in PC12 cells

Whole cell calcium currents were recorded from PC12 cells with the perforated patch technique. Currents were evoked by step depolarization from a holding potential of -90 mV. Nerve growth factor (NGF) increased calcium currents through L-type calcium channels by >75% within 3-5 min. This increase was inhibited by K-252a, by nifedipine, and by inhibition or down-regulation of kinase C. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) also increased calcium current, but to a smaller extent. Thus increases in calcium current can be linked to activation of either the high- or the low-affinity nerve growth factor receptor. Increases in presynaptic calcium uptake appear to be a crucial element in the short-term actions of the neurotrophins on neurotransmitter release leading to long-term potentiation. Also, the control of calcium uptake is likely to be an important factor in the long-term actions of the neurotrophins on neuronal survival and neuronal protection. The present data indicate that the PC12 cell may be a useful model for studying the effect of the neurotrophins on calcium uptake.

Nerve growth factor (NGF)-induced calcium influx and intracellular calcium mobilization in 3T3 cells expressing NGF receptors

The neurotrophins have been implicated in the acute regulation of synaptic plasticity. Neurotrophin-stimulated presynaptic calcium uptake appears to play a key role in this process. To understand the mechanism of neurotrophin-stimulated calcium uptake, the regulation of calcium uptake and intracellular mobilization by nerve growth factor (NGF) was investigated using NIH 3T3 cells stably transfected with either the high affinity NGF receptor p140(trk) (3T3-Trk) or the low affinity NGF receptor p75(NGFR) (3T3-p75). In 3T3-Trk cells, NGF increased both calcium uptake and intracellular calcium mobilization. In 3T3-p75 cells, NGF increased calcium uptake but not intracellular calcium mobilization. K-252a alone increased intracellular calcium in 3T3-Trk cells but not in 3T3-p75 cells. Nifedipine, an inhibitor of calcium uptake through L-type calcium channels, inhibited the action of NGF on both 3T3-Trk cells and 3T3-p75 cells, indicating that both p140(trk) and p75(NGFR) receptors are linked to nifedipine-sensitive L-type calcium channels. These studies show that either NGF receptor will support increases in intracellular calcium but that p140(trk) does so by increasing both uptake and mobilization, whereas p75(NGFR) does so by increasing uptake only.

Gö 6976 is a potent inhibitor of neurotrophin-receptor intrinsic tyrosine kinase

We report here that addition of the protein kinase C inhibitor Gö 6976 blocked neurotrophin-induced signaling and autophosphorylation of neurotrophin-specific tyrosine kinase (Trk) receptors, either Trk B in cortical neurons or Trk A in GT1-1-trk9 cells. The effect of Gö 6976 on Trk autophosphorylation was not inhibited by 100 microM orthovanadate, suggesting that the block was not due to the activation of tyrosine phosphatases. Moreover, addition of 10-100 nM concentrations of Gö 6976 inhibited either Trk B or Trk A intrinsic kinase activity in cell-free assays. Gö 6976 also blocked the ability of brain-derived neurotrophic factor to promote cortical neuronal survival and the ability of nerve growth factor to promote PC12 cell survival and differentiation. These results suggest that Gö 6976, besides its known inhibitory effects on lipid- and calcium-dependent isoforms of protein kinase C, can also inhibit neurotrophin signaling by directly inhibiting the intrinsic Trk.

Stimulation of neuropeptide Y gene expression by brain-derived neurotrophic factor requires both the phospholipase Cgamma and Shc binding sites on its receptor, TrkB

In PC12 cells, it has been previously reported that nerve growth factor stimulates neuropeptide Y (NPY) gene expression. In the current study we examined the signalling pathways involved in this effect by transiently expressing in PC12 cells the receptor (TrkB) for the related neurotrophin, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF caused a 3-fold induction of luciferase expression from a transiently co-transfected plasmid possessing the firefly luciferase gene under the control of the NPY promoter. This effect of BDNF was completely blocked by either a Y484F mutation in TrkB (which blocks high-affinity Shc binding to TrkB) or by a Y785F substitution [which blocks the binding, phosphorylation and activation of phospholipase Cgamma (PLCgamma)]. Activation of the NPY promoter by neurotrophin-3 in PC12 cells overexpressing TrkC was also completely blocked by a naturally occurring kinase insert which prevents the high-affinity binding of Shc and PLCgamma. NPY promoter activation by BDNF was blocked by PD98059, suggesting a role for mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAP kinase). Stimulation of NPY gene expression by PMA, but not by BDNF, was blocked by Ro-31-8220, a protein kinase C inhibitor, excluding a role for this serine/threonine protein kinase in the effect of BDNF. In addition, BDNF did not cause an elevation in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration. Taken together, our results suggest that stimulation of the NPY promoter by BDNF requires the simultaneous activation of two distinct pathways; one involves Shc and MAP kinase, and the other appears to be PLCgamma-independent but requires an intact tyrosine-785 on TrkB and so may involve an effector of TrkB signalling that remains to be identified.

Actions of the neurotrophins on calcium uptake

The neurotrophins are important for their long-term effects on the survival and differentiation of many types of neurons during development. They also appear to protect mature neurons from injury caused by nutrient or oxygen deprivation. More recently, the neurotrophins have been implicated in such short-term processes as synaptic plasticity. A great deal of evidence suggests that intracellular calcium levels play a key role in neuronal survival during normal development, in neuronal injury following nutrient or oxygen deprivation, and in synaptic plasticity as well. Maintaining appropriate intracellular levels of calcium is important for proper biological function and it has been shown that one of the actions of the neurotrophins is to modulate intracellular calcium levels in a number of in vivo and in vitro systems. Some information about the mechanism(s) by which this is accomplished is now available. Understanding the mechanisms of neurotrophin action should provide insights into the processes by which the brain functions and, further, provide therapeutic tools for the treatment of neuronal injury and neurodegenerative diseases.