Biomedical subjects

M Whalin

Publications and source records attributed to M Whalin.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1997

Expression of human p140trk receptors in p140trk-deficient, PC12/endothelial cells results in nerve growth factor-induced signal transduction and DNA synthesis.

Nerve growth factor (NGF) regulates proliferation, differentiation, and survival of sympathetic and sensory neurons through the tyrosine kinase activity of its receptor, p140trk. These biological effects of NGF depend upon the signal-mediating function of p140trk substrates which are likely to differ from cell to cell. To define p140trk receptor substrates and the details of signalling by NGF in the hybrid cell PC12EN, we stably transfected cultures with a vector encoding a full-length human p140trk cDNA sequence. Two stably transfected clones, one expressing p140trk with higher affinity (PC12EN-trk3; Kd 57.4 pM, Bmax 9.7 pmole/mg) and one expressing p140trk with a lower affinity (PC12EN-trk1; Kd 392.4 pM, Bmax 5.7 pmole/mg) were generated. Radioreceptor assays indicate that transfected p140trk receptors show slow NGF-dissociation kinetics, are resistant to trypsin or Triton X-100 treatment, are specific for NGF compared to other neurotrophins, and are internalized or downregulated as are native PC12 p140trk receptors. NGF stimulates p140trk tyrosine phosphorylation in a dose- (0.01-10 ng/ml) and time- (5-120 min) dependent manner, and tyrosine phosphorylation was inhibited by 200-1,000 nM K-252a. NGF-induced Erk stimulation for 60 min was assessed using myelin basic protein as a substrate. NGF treatment also led to an increased phosphorylation of p70S6k, SNT, and phospholipase C gamma, demonstrating that the major NGF-stimulated signalling pathways found in other cells are activated in PC12EN-trk cells. Staurosporine (5-50 nM) rapidly and dBcAMP (1 mM) more slowly, but not NGF induced morphological differentiation in PC12EN-trk cells. Rather, NGF treatment in low-serum medium stimulated a 1.3- and 2.3-fold increase in DNA synthesis measured by [3H]thymidine incorporation in PC12EN-trk1 and PC12EN-trk3, respectively. These data highlight the functionality of the transfected p140trk receptors and indicate that these transfected cells may serve as a novel cellular model facilitating the study of the mitogenic properties of NGF signalling and the transducing role of the p140trk receptor substrates.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

Down-regulation of cyclin F levels during nerve growth factor-induced differentiation of PC12 cells.

Treatment with nerve growth factor (NGF) produces a marked decrease of cyclin F levels in PC12EY cells. This decrease is prevented by the simultaneous addition of K-252a. A smaller decrease is observed when the cells are treated with fibroblast growth factor, but the addition of epidermal growth factor has no comparable effect. Time course studies show that the decrease in cyclin F precedes the changes produced by NGF in the distribution of cells within the cell cycle. The data suggest that cyclin F is involved in NGF-mediated cell cycle events during the differentiation of PC12EY cells.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

Nerve growth factor-stimulated nuclear S6 kinase in PC12 cells.

Previous work has shown that nerve growth factor (NGF) stimulates the phosphorylation of the ribosomal protein S6 in PC12 cells. In this study, we show that S6 kinase activity is also present in purified PC12 cell nuclei. This activity was increased by treatment of the cells with NGF and, to a lesser extent, by treatment with epidermal growth factor. The NGF-stimulated activity was obtained from nuclear extracts and some of its characteristics described. The increase in activity was prevented by treatment of the cells with rapamycin or with wortmannin, and the overall activity could be precipitated by antibodies directed against the p85SGK. These data indicate that p85SGK is the NGF-stimulated S6 kinase in PC12 cell nuclei. The presence of S6 protein in the nucleus of PC12 cells has been confirmed and evidence is presented that suggests that it is identical to a protein called SMP reported some years ago.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1996

Insulin-like growth factor I receptor expression and function in nerve growth factor-differentiated PC12 cells.

Receptors for insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) were studied on PC12EY cells, a subclone of PC12. Differentiation of PC12EY cells with nerve growth factor (NGF) did not alter either the number of IGF-I receptors nor their affinity for IGF-I. IGIF-I receptors remained fully functional during differentiation, promoting increases in thymidine incorporation, glucose uptake, amino acid uptake, and the phosphorylation of the S6 protein of the ribosomes. IGF-I also increased the proportion of differentiated cells found in S-phase. But although the addition of IGF-I to naive cells caused an increase in cell number, there was no comparable increase when IGF-I was added to differentiated cells. Thus, although the receptor for IGF-I continues to be present and functional, IGF-I fails to induce cell proliferation in differentiated PC12 cells.

Amino Acids↗

PubMed1995

Induction of a nerve growth factor-sensitive kinase that phosphorylates the DNA-binding domain of the orphan nuclear receptor NGFI-B.

Nerve growth factor (NGF) induces the synthesis and the phosphorylation of the orphan nuclear receptor NGFI-B in PC12 cells. Previous work has shown that phosphorylation, by protein kinase A, of a specific serine in the DNA-binding domain inhibits its binding to the NGFI-B response element. Also, cytoplasmic extracts from PC12 cells phosphorylate this serine, and phosphorylation is greater in extracts from cells treated with NGF. The present work describes the induction, identification, and partial purification of a kinase (termed NGFI-B kinase I) from PC12 cell extracts that catalyzes this phosphorylation. Phosphorylation of the DNA-binding domain with this purified preparation inhibits its binding to the NGFI-B response element. The kinase is rapidly activated by treatment of the cells with NGF, and the activation lasts for at least several hours. It also is activated by fibroblast growth factor and epidermal growth factor (EGF), but the activation by EGF is quite transient. The kinase requires Mg2+ but will use Mn2+. The molecular mass of the kinase is 95-100 kDa, and it is different from protein kinase A, Fos kinase, or pp90rsk. Comparison with a partially purified preparation of cyclic AMP response element-binding protein kinase, however, indicates that the two are either very similar or identical.

Animals↗