title: Proliferation of human and mouse astrocytes in vitro: signalling through the protein kinase C pathway.
abstract: While several mitogens for astrocytes have been described, the signal transduction pathway(s) that mediates their proliferative effect remains unclear; in this report, a major role for the protein kinase C (PKC) system is suggested by several lines of evidence. Firstly, biologically active phorbol esters, 4 beta-phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate and phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate, increase the proliferation of astrocytes as determined by [3H]thymidine incorporation or bromodeoxyuridine immunofluorescence; this effect is not reproduced by a phorbol ester that binds to PKC but does not activate it (4 alpha-phorbol-12,13-didecanoate). Secondly, 2 relatively selective inhibitors of PKC, H7 and staurosporine, attenuate the basal rate of proliferation of astrocytes in concentrations that were not cytotoxic to cells. Thirdly, mitogen-enhanced proliferation of astrocytes can be blocked by PKC inhibitors; this is observed for all astrocyte mitogens tested. Fourthly, measurements of PKC enzyme activity in astrocytes in response to serum-mitogenic factors, or to staurosporine, revealed a statistically significant correlation with proliferation rate. The mediation by PKC is not dependent on species- or age factors, since neonatal mouse or adult human astrocytes gave comparable results. The results have relevance to normal development and reactive gliosis post-injury, 2 conditions where astrocytes undergo proliferation, and to glioma growth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: V W
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: Yong
mesh_terms: D019307:1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine; D000470:Alkaloids / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D007546:Isoquinolines / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D008934:Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D010879:Piperazines / Q000494:pharmacology; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D019311:Staurosporine
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D007546:Isoquinolines; D008934:Mitogens; D010879:Piperazines; D019307:1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine; D011493:Protein Kinase C; D019311:Staurosporine