title: Inhibition of neuronal surface proteases decreases the requirement for GAP-43 in neurite outgrowth.
abstract: Intracellular delivery of anti-GAP IgG inhibits the elaboration of neurites by NB2a/d1 cells. However, recent studies indicate that the extent of inhibition is minimized when cells were cultured on poly-L-lysine-coated or laminin-coated versus uncoated plates, suggesting that the role of GAP-43 in neuritogenesis may be specifically related to membrane adhesiveness. We therefore examined the influence of inhibition of thrombin, the neuronal surface protease that restricts neurite outgrowth, on GAP-43-dependent neurite outgrowth. Treatment of cells with the specific thrombin inhibitor hirudin in the presence of serum induced a similar percentage of neurite outgrowth as was observed following serum withdrawal. However, while neurite outgrowth induced by serum deprivation of cells was reduced following intracellular delivery of anti-GAP IgG, neurite outgrowth induced by hirudin treatment of cells was not. That inhibition of neuronal surface protease activity overcomes the inhibition of neurite outgrowth following intracellular delivery of anti-GAP IgG provides further evidence that the role that GAP-43 plays in neuritogenesis is related to membrane adhesiveness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Massachusetts at Lowell 01854, USA.
authors.forename: T B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Shea
mesh_terms: D019922:GAP-43 Protein; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006629:Hirudins / Q000494:pharmacology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000494:pharmacology; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016501:Neurites / Q000502:physiology*; D009447:Neuroblastoma; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013917:Thrombin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D019922:GAP-43 Protein; D006133:Growth Substances; D006629:Hirudins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D013917:Thrombin