title: Activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase and p70S6 kinase is not correlated with cerebellar granule cell survival.
abstract: We have investigated the role of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase in the survival of cerebellar granule cells in primary culture. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and insulin, but not epidermal growth factor (EGF), promoted the survival of P6 cerebellar granule neurons. BDNF promoted a sustained activation of MAP kinase, whereas that induced by EGF was only transient. Insulin promoted a small but transient activation of MAP kinase that was completely blocked by PD98059, an inhibitor of MAP kinase kinase activation. PD98059 had no effect on the insulin- or BDNF-induced survival of cerebellar granule cells. We also investigated the role of p70S6 kinase in survival. The activation of p70S6 kinase by EGF was transient, whereas BDNF and insulin promoted a sustained activation of p70S6 kinase. Rapamycin, which blocked p70S6 kinase activation, had no effect on the BDNF- or insulin-induced survival of cerebellar granule cells. We conclude that sustained activation of MAP kinase is not correlated with the survival response of cerebellar granule cells; indeed insulin-mediated survival is independent of MAP kinase. Survival of cerebellar granule cells is also independent of the activation of p70S6 kinase.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, School of Medical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, U.K.
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Gunn-Moore
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Toms
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Tavaré
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000166:cytology*; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free / Q000494:pharmacology; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology; D007328:Insulin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D011090:Polyenes / Q000494:pharmacology; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D019893:Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases; D020123:Sirolimus
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D005419:Flavonoids; D007328:Insulin; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011090:Polyenes; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D019893:Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases; C093973:2-(2-amino-3-methoxyphenyl)-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one; D020123:Sirolimus