title: Induction of trk receptors by retinoic acid in a human embryonal carcinoma cell line.
abstract: Retinoic acid induced the differentiation of human embryonal carcinoma cells (NT2/D1) into several morphologically distinct cell types, including those resembling terminally differentiated postmitotic CNS neurones. The mechanism by which retinoic acid influences the process of neuronal differentiation in the CNS, however, remains unknown. In the present study, we have examined the ability of retinoic acid to induce the expression of the receptors that mediate the actions of the neurotrophins, using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Northern blot analysis. Our study demonstrated that the expression of mRNAs for three human trk receptors was significantly induced after treatment with retinoic acid. These findings suggest that the actions of retinoic acid on neuronal differentiation in the human CNS may potentially be mediated by the neurotrophins.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: N Y
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Ip
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018236:Carcinoma, Embryonal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D004790:Enzyme Induction; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting / Q000379:methods; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000502:physiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000187:drug effects; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D020801:Receptor, Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor; D020917:Receptor, trkA; D020812:Receptor, trkC; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor / Q000187:drug effects; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D020801:Receptor, Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor; D014212:Tretinoin; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D020917:Receptor, trkA; D020812:Receptor, trkC