title: A role for MAPK/ERK in sympathetic neuron survival: protection against a p53-dependent, JNK-independent induction of apoptosis by cytosine arabinoside.
abstract: The antimitotic nucleoside cytosine arabinoside (araC) causes apoptosis in postmitotic neurons for which two mechanisms have been suggested: (1) araC directly inhibits a trophic factor-maintained signaling pathway required for survival, effectively mimicking trophic factor withdrawal; and (2) araC induces apoptosis by a p53-dependent mechanism distinct from trophic factor withdrawal. In rat sympathetic neurons, we found that araC treatment for 12 hr induced approximately 25% apoptosis without affecting NGF-maintained signaling; there was neither reduction in the activity of mitogen activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MAPK/ERK) or protein kinase B/Akt, a kinase implicated in NGF-mediated survival, nor was there c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) activation or c-Jun N-terminal phosphorylation, events implicated in apoptosis induced by NGF withdrawal. However, araC treatment, but not NGF-withdrawal, elevated expression of p53 protein before and during apoptosis. Additionally, araC-induced apoptosis was suppressed in sympathetic neurons from p53 null mice. Although MAPK/ERK activity is not necessary for NGF-induced survival, it protected against toxicity by araC, because inhibition of the MAPK pathway by PD98059 resulted in a significant increase in the rate of apoptosis induced by araC in the presence of NGF. Consistent with this finding, ciliary neurotrophic factor, which does not cause sustained activation of MAPK/ERK, did not protect against araC toxicity. Our data show that, in contrast to NGF deprivation, araC induces apoptosis via a p53-dependent, JNK-independent mechanism, against which MAPK/ERK plays a substantial protective role. Thus, NGF can suppress apoptotic mechanisms in addition to those caused by its own deprivation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Cambridge University, Cambridge, CB2 1QW, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: C N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Tolkovsky
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016158:Genes, p53 / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology; D010766:Phosphorylation; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012694:Serine / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun; D003561:Cytarabine; D012694:Serine; C494920:Akt1 protein, rat; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases