Biomedical subjects

L F Parada

Publications and source records attributed to L F Parada.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

PubMed1994

Regulation of neurotrophin receptor expression during embryonic and postnatal development.

Members of the NGF family of proteins act as neurotrophic agents for defined populations of peripheral and central neurons during embryonic and postnatal development. We have studied the presence of receptors for brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neurotrophin-3 and -4/5 (NT-3, NT-4/5) by cross-linking radioiodinated neurotrophins to specific cell surface receptors. We have identified neurotrophin receptors representing full-length TrkB and TrkC and their truncated forms (lacking a functional cytoplasmic kinase domain) in neuronal as well as in non-neuronal tissues. During chicken embryonic and early postnatal brain development, expression of full-length TrkB and TrkC proteins preceded the onset of the truncated forms of these receptors. A similar pattern was also observed in mouse embryonic and early postnatal brain. The relative levels of neurotrophin receptors in the basal forebrain and in the hippocampus did not change significantly with age in mice. High levels of receptors for the three neurotrophins were detected in the nigrostriatal system. Full-length TrkB and TrkC receptors were found in chicken and rat embryonic ventral spinal cord, as well as on purified motoneurons. Again, truncated TrkB appeared significantly later than the full-length form on spinal motoneurons. In chicken embryonic retina and optic tectum we detected full-length TrkB and TrkC; however, the optic tectum also expressed large amounts of the truncated form of TrkB. TrkC but not TrkB was detected in chicken embryonic skeletal muscle, suggesting that NT-3 may have a novel function in this tissue. The presence of neurotrophin receptors in a wide variety of embryonic and postnatal tissues underlines the significant role of BDNF, NT-3, and NT-4/5 in embryonic and postnatal development. The regulation of the ratio of full-length versus truncated neurotrophin receptors may play an important role in the development, maturation, and maintenance of various neuronal networks.

Aging↗

PubMed1993

Distribution of trkB tyrosine kinase immunoreactivity in the rat central nervous system.

Recent evidence suggests that trkB tyrosine kinase is a high affinity receptor for brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF can act as a survival factor for several neuronal subgroups and its mRNA is distributed widely throughout the central nervous system. However, the functional targets of BDNF are poorly defined. We have used immunochemical and immunohistochemical techniques to determine the regional distribution and cellular localization of trkB tyrosine kinase-like immunoreactivity. The staining pattern indicates that the trkB-like antigen is widely distributed and present within both glia and neurons. Astrocytes were the most intensively labelled but many neuronal populations were also stained. In some regions including brain stem, spinal cord, hippocampus and diagonal band of Broca, neurons were stained at varying intensities. In other areas such as the cortex of the forebrain and amygdaloid nucleus, the stain was intense but diffuse, preventing positive identification of the cell types involved. Immunoblot results indicated two separate protein bands in all brain and spinal cord regions examined, of molecular weights 145 and 85 kDa, respectively. These findings aid the definition of neuronal and glial subpopulations of the central nervous system that may utilize BDNF.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

The rat trkC locus encodes multiple neurogenic receptors that exhibit differential response to neurotrophin-3 in PC12 cells.

Members of the Trk tyrosine kinase family have recently been identified as functional receptors of the NGF family of neurotrophins. Here we show the rat trkC locus to be complex, encoding at least four distinct polypeptides. Three of the encoded polypeptides are full-length receptor tyrosine kinases that differ by novel amino acid insertions in the kinase domain. A fourth protein is a truncated receptor that lacks the catalytic domain. Tyrosine phosphorylation, cross-linking, and ligand binding assays indicate that TrkC receptors interact with NT-3 and not with the related neurotrophins NGF, BDNF, xNT-4, or hNT-5. Furthermore, high and low affinity NT-3-binding sites are associated with the TrkC receptors. Stable and transient expression of TrkC receptors in PC12 cells indicates that the neurite outgrowth response elicited by NT-3 is dramatic in receptors lacking the novel kinase insert (gp150trkC) but absent in receptors containing the 14 amino acid insert in the kinase domain (gp150trkC14). These data suggest that the trkC locus encodes receptors that may be capable of mediating different biological responses within the cell. This could have important implications in understanding the role of neurotrophins in the development of the vertebrate nervous system.

3T3 Cells↗

PubMed1993

Neurotrophin-3 induced by tri-iodothyronine in cerebellar granule cells promotes Purkinje cell differentiation.

Thyroid hormones play an important role in brain development, but the mechanism(s) by which triiodothyronine (T3) mediates neuronal differentiation is poorly understood. Here we demonstrate that T3 regulates the neurotrophic factor, neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), in developing rat cerebellar granule cells both in cell culture and in vivo. In situ hybridization experiments showed that developing Purkinje cells do not express NT-3 mRNA but do express trkC, the putative neuronal receptor for NT-3. Addition of recombinant NT-3 to cerebellar cultures from embryonic rat brain induces hypertrophy and neurite sprouting of Purkinje cells, and upregulates the mRNA encoding the calcium-binding protein, calbindin-28 kD. The present study demonstrates a novel interaction between cerebellar granule neurons and developing Purkinje cells in which NT-3 induced by T3 in the granule cells promotes Purkinje cell differentiation.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

trkC, a receptor for neurotrophin-3, is widely expressed in the developing nervous system and in non-neuronal tissues.

The Trk family of tyrosine kinases encodes receptors for nerve growth factor-related neurotrophins. Here we present a developmental expression study of trkC, which encodes a receptor for neurotrophin-3 (NT-3). Like the related genes, trk and trkB, trkC is expressed primarily in neural lineages although the pattern is complex and includes non-neuronal cells. Direct comparison with trk and trkB developmental expression patterns permits the following observations. (1) trkC is expressed in novel neural tissues where other Trk genes are silent. (2) Some tissues appear to coexpress trkB and trkC receptors in the embryo and in the adult. (3) trkC expression can be detected in the gastrulating embryo. These data provide insights into the role of Trk-family receptors and nerve growth factor-related neurotrophins during development and suggest that, in addition to regulating neuronal survival and differentiation, the neurotrophin/Trk receptor system may have broader physiological effects. Finally, interspecific mouse backcrosses have been used to map the location of each of the Trk genes on mouse chromosomes. Alignment with available chromosomal maps identify possible linkage between the Trk genes and known neurological mutations.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

Defects in heart and lung development in compound heterozygotes for two different targeted mutations at the N-myc locus.

Two types of mutant allele, one leaky and one null, have been generated by gene targeting at the N-myc locus in embryonic stem cells and the phenotypes of mice homozygous for these mutations have been described. These mutations have shown that N-myc has a number of functions during development, including a role in branching morphogenesis in the lung, which manifests itself at birth in mice homozygous for the leaky allele, and roles in the development of the mesonephric tubules, the neuroepithelium, the sensory ganglia, the gut and the heart, which become evident at midgestation in embryos homozygous for the null allele. In an attempt to define roles for N-myc at other stages of development, we have combined the two types of N-myc mutant allele in a compound heterozygote that as a result contains approximately 15% of normal levels of N-Myc protein. Compound heterozygotes died during gestation at a time intermediate to the times of death of embryos homozygous for either mutation individually, and their death appeared to result from cardiac failure stemming from hypoplasia of the compact subepicardial layer of the myocardium. Investigation of the expression pattern of N-myc and various markers of differentiation in wild-type and compound heterozygote mutant hearts has suggested that N-myc may function in maintaining the proliferation and/or preventing the differentiation of compact layer myocytes. This study illustrates the importance of generating different mutations at a given locus to elucidate fully the function of a particular gene during development.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

K-252a inhibits nerve growth factor-induced trk proto-oncogene tyrosine phosphorylation and kinase activity.

The rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cell line differentiates into a sympathetic neuronal phenotype upon treatment with either nerve growth factor (NGF) or basic fibroblast growth factor. The alkaloid-like compound K-252a has been demonstrated to be a specific inhibitor of NGF-induced biological responses in PC12 cells (Koizumi, S., Contreras, M. L., Matsuda, Y., Hama, T., Lazarovici, P., and Guroff, G. (1988) J. Neurosci. Res. 8, 715-721). NGF interacts with the protein product of the proto-oncogene trk and rapidly stimulates the tyrosine phosphorylation of both p140prototrk and a number of cellular substrates. Here we show that these phosphorylation events are directly inhibited in PC12 cells by K252a in a dose-dependent manner, indicating that the site of action of this inhibitor is at the NGF receptor level. K-252a inhibits p140prototrk activity in vitro, demonstrating that K-252a has a direct effect on the p140prototrk tyrosine kinase. Though many of the biochemical responses to NGF in PC12 cells are mimicked by basic fibroblast growth factor and epidermal growth factor, K-252a has no effect on the action of these growth factors in PC12 cells, demonstrating that the initial biological events initiated by NGF are distinctive during neuronal differentiation.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

p140trk mRNA marks NGF-responsive forebrain neurons: evidence that trk gene expression is induced by NGF.

Nerve growth factor (NGF) appears to act as a neurotrophic factor for basal forebrain and caudate-putamen cholinergic neurons. The mechanism by which NGF transduces its signal in these neurons is yet to be defined. Recent data indicate that the product of the trk gene, p140trk, is a critical component of the NGF receptor. Herein, we show that p140trk mRNA is highly restricted in its distribution in the adult rat forebrain, that it is present in cholinergic neurons, and that most if not all cholinergic neurons contain p140trk mRNA. Furthermore, induction of trk expression by NGF suggests that neurotrophin-mediated up-regulation of their receptor tyrosine kinases is an important feature of their actions and that neurotrophins may regulate the activity of responsive neurons through increasing the level of their receptors.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Overexpression of the trk tyrosine kinase rapidly accelerates nerve growth factor-induced differentiation.

To investigate the role of the gp140trk receptor tyrosine kinase in nerve growth factor (NGF)-induced differentiation, we have overexpressed gp140trk in the NGF-responsive PC12 cell line. Here we demonstrate that overexpression of gp140trk results in marked changes in NGF-induced differentiation. Whereas PC12 cells elaborated neurites after 2 days of continuous exposure to NGF, PC12 cells overexpressing gp140trk by 20-fold(trk-PC12) began this process within hours. Compared with wild-type PC12 cells, trk-PC12 exhibited an increase in both high and low affinity NGF-binding sites. Furthermore, trk-PC12 cells displayed an enhanced level of NGF-dependent gp140trk autophosphorylation, and this activity was sustained for many hours following ligand binding. The tyrosine phosphorylation or activity of several cellular proteins, such as PLC-gamma 1, PI-3 kinase, and Erk1 and the expression of the mRNA for the late response gene transin were also sustained as a consequence of gp140trk overexpression. The data indicate that overexpression of gp140trk in PC12 cells markedly accelerates NGF-induced differentiation pathways, possibly through the elevation of gp140trk tyrosine kinase activity.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Loss of N-myc function results in embryonic lethality and failure of the epithelial component of the embryo to develop.

myc genes are thought to function in the processes of cellular proliferation and differentiation. To gain insight into the role of the N-myc gene during embryogenesis, we examined its expression in embryos during postimplantation development using RNA in situ hybridization. Tissue- and cell-specific patterns of expression unique to N-myc as compared with the related c-myc gene were observed. N-myc transcripts become progressively restricted to specific cell types, primarily to epithelial tissues including those of the developing nervous system and those in developing organs characterized by epithelio-mesenchymal interaction. In contrast, c-myc transcripts were confined to the mesenchymal compartments. These data suggest that c-myc and N-myc proteins may interact with different substrates in performing their function during embryogenesis and suggest further that there are linked regulatory mechanisms for normal expression in the embryo. We have mutated the N-myc locus via homologous recombination in embryonic stem (ES) cells and introduced the mutated allele into the mouse germ line. Live-born heterozygotes are under-represented but appear normal. Homozygous mutant embryos die prenatally at approximately 11.5 days of gestation. Histologic examination of homozygous mutant embryos indicates that several developing organs are affected. These include the central and peripheral nervous systems, mesonephros, lung, and gut. Thus, N-myc function is required during embryogenesis, and the pathology observed is consistent with the normal pattern of N-myc expression. Examination of c-myc expression in mutant embryos indicates the existence of coordinate regulation of myc genes during mouse embryogenesis.

Alleles↗

PubMed1992

The Trk family of tyrosine kinases: receptors for NGF-related neurotrophins.

Neurotrophins are known to have important functions in the survival of embryonic and adult subpopulations of neurons. The identification of Trk family RTKs as receptors for NGF-related neurotrophins indicates phosphotyrosine-mediated signal transduction as a principal mechanism for neurotrophin signaling. Previous trk and trkB expression studies (Klein et al. 1989, 1990b; Martin-Zanca et al. 1990) and more recent studies with trkC (L. Tessarollo et al., in prep.) provide important clues about function. Thus, trkB and trkC expression in motor neurons and in many nonneuronal cells suggests that these cells are targets for neurotrophin action in vivo, even though this has not been demonstrated in the classic in vitro survival assays. Expression of trkB and trkC in nonneuronal cells implies that these receptors may act in additional aspects of organogenesis and development. Current approaches to assay Trk receptor and neurotrophin function will be complemented by further studies in the living organism. Transgenic approaches aimed at ectopic expression and at interfering with normal receptor function should provide additional insights. Finally, reverse genetic approaches using targeted mutation of Trk receptors in embryonic stem cells (Stanton et al. 1992) will allow assessment of critical receptor requirements and provide powerful reagents for studying nervous system development and function.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

c-ros: the vertebrate homolog of the sevenless tyrosine kinase receptor is tightly regulated during organogenesis in mouse embryonic development.

The c-ros proto-oncogene is the vertebrate homologue of the Drosophila sevenless tyrosine kinase receptor. Examination of c-ros mRNA transcripts in the mouse embryo reveals a stringent pattern of expression. Only kidney, intestine and lung exhibit ros-specific RNA using sensitive techniques such as RNAase protection and in situ hybridization. The temporal and spatial arrangement of c-ros transcripts is coincident with the phenotypic induction and proliferation of epithelium during organogenesis of the kidney and intestine. The data provide evidence for a role of c-ros in the obligate cell-cell interactions that characterize the morphogenic induction and proliferation of epithelial cells in the kidney, intestine and lung. The c-ros tyrosine kinase receptor may provide a signal transduction pathway for epithelial-mesenchymal interactions.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

The N-myc proto-oncogene: developmental expression and in vivo site-directed mutagenesis.

The N-myc proto-oncogene is a member of the superfamily of transcription factors. In mammals, expression of this gene is predominantly restricted to the developing embryo. Specifically, the level of expression is highest in differentiating epithelial components of the embryo including those of the developing brain, kidney and lung. The observation that N-myc is expressed in differentiating but not terminally differentiated structures suggests that these genes may function in the maintenance of cells in a determined or proliferative state. Available evidence suggests that when N-myc expression is down-regulated, cells progress through differentiation and acquire their terminal phenotype. N-myc expression is also correlated with poor prognosis in a number of tumor systems. Since malignant tumors are usually poorly differentiated, this may reflect the role that N-myc plays in preventing differentiation of otherwise determined cells. In vivo site-directed mutagenesis by homologous recombination has made it possible to introduce a variety of mutations into mice. This review summarizes this technology and describes our initial results in the characterization of mice that lack a functional N-myc gene. Specifically, we have observed that in the absence of a functional N-myc gene, embryos arrest in midgestation. This body of work demonstrates that this gene is not required for normal development until the onset of organogenesis.

Animals↗

PubMed1991

The trk proto-oncogene rescues NGF responsiveness in mutant NGF-nonresponsive PC12 cell lines.

The trk tyrosine kinase proto-oncogene product gp140prototrk binds nerve growth factor (NGF) and is rapidly and selectively activated by this neurotrophic factor. To determine whether gp140prototrk is involved in transducing a functional NGF signal, PC12 cell mutants (PC12nnr) deficient in high affinity NGF binding and unresponsive to NGF were used. Northern analysis revealed that these mutant cells have greatly reduced levels of trk expression. PC12nnr cultures were transiently transfected with expression vectors encoding the full-length rat trk cDNA and assessed for responsiveness to NGF. Expression of exogenous trk rescued the capacity for NGF-promoted neurite outgrowth, cellular hypertrophy, and serum-free survival by these cells. These results indicate that gp140prototrk is necessary for functional NGF signal transduction.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗

PubMed1991

Nerve growth factor rapidly stimulates tyrosine phosphorylation of phospholipase C-gamma 1 by a kinase activity associated with the product of the trk protooncogene.

Nerve growth factor (NGF) promotes the survival and differentiation of specific populations of neurons. The molecular mechanisms by which cells respond to NGF are poorly understood, but two clues have emerged recently. First, NGF rapidly stimulates tyrosine phosphorylation of several unidentified proteins in the NGF-responsive pheochromocytoma cell line PC12 [Maher, P. (1988) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85, 6788-6791]. Second, the protein-tyrosine kinase encoded by the protooncogene trk (p140trk), a member of the receptor class of tyrosine kinases, becomes activated and phosphorylated on tyrosine after NGF treatment of PC12 cells [Kaplan, D. R., Martin-Zanca, D. & Parada, L. F. (1991) Nature (London) 350, 158-160]. We now report that NGF rapidly induces tyrosine phosphorylation of phospholipase C-gamma 1 (PLC-gamma 1), and we present evidence that the responsible tyrosine kinase is either p140trk or a closely associated protein. Treatment of responsive cells with NGF elicited phosphorylation of PLC-gamma 1 on tyrosine and serine. PLC-gamma 1 immunoprecipitated from NGF-stimulated cells was phosphorylated in vitro by coprecipitating protein kinase activity, and the phosphorylations occurred principally on tyrosine. The responsible kinase could be depleted from cellular lysates by antibodies specific for p140trk. This procedure also depleted a 140-kDa protein that normally coprecipitated with PLC-gamma 1 and became phosphorylated on tyrosine in vivo in response to NGF. Analysis of tryptic peptides from PLC-gamma 1 indicated that the residues phosphorylated in vitro by p140trk-associated kinase activity were largely congruent with those phosphorylated in vivo after NGF treatment. Our findings identify PLC-gamma 1 as a likely substrate for the trk-encoded tyrosine kinase, and they provide a link between NGF-dependent activation of p140trk and the stimulation of intracellular second messenger pathways.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗

PubMed1991

The neurotrophic factors brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neurotrophin-3 are ligands for the trkB tyrosine kinase receptor.

Neurotrophic factors are essential for neuronal survival and function. Recent data have demonstrated that the product of the tyrosine kinase trk proto-oncogene binds NGF and is a component of the high affinity NGF receptor. Analysis of the trkB gene product, gp145trkB, in NIH 3T3 cells indicates that this tyrosine kinase receptor is rapidly phosphorylated on tyrosine residues upon exposure to the NGF-related neurotrophic factors BDNF and NT-3. Furthermore, gp145trkB specifically binds BDNF and NT-3 in NIH 3T3 cells and in hippocampal cells, but does not bind NGF. Thus, the trk family of receptors are likely to be important signal transducers of NGF-related trophic signals in the formation and maintenance of neuronal circuits.

Animals↗

PubMed1991

The trk proto-oncogene product: a signal transducing receptor for nerve growth factor.

The trk proto-oncogene encodes a 140-kilodalton, membrane-spanning protein tyrosine kinase (p140prototrk) that is expressed only in neural tissues. Nerve growth factor (NGF) stimulates phosphorylation of p140prototrk in neural cell lines and in embryonic dorsal root ganglia. Affinity cross-linking and equilibrium binding experiments with 125I-labeled NGF indicate that p140prototrk binds NGF specifically in cultured cells with a dissociation constant of 10(-9) molar. The identification of p140prototrk as an NGF receptor indicates that this protein participates in the primary signal transduction mechanism of NGF.

Animals↗

PubMed1991

Induction by NGF of meiotic maturation of Xenopus oocytes expressing the trk proto-oncogene product.

The effect of nerve growth factor (NGF) was assessed in Xenopus oocytes expressing the human trk proto-oncogene product, p140prototrk. Oocytes injected with trk messenger RNA expressed polypeptides recognized by antibodies to the trk gene product. Exposure of these oocytes to nanomolar amounts of NGF resulted in specific surface binding of 125I-labeled NGF, tyrosine phosphorylation of p140prototrk, and meiotic maturation, as determined by germinal vesicle breakdown and maturation promoting factor (p34cdc2) kinase activation. Thus the trk proto-oncogene product can act as a receptor for NGF in a functionally productive manner.

Animals↗