title: Autocrine expression and ontogenetic functions of the PACAP ligand/receptor system during sympathetic development.
abstract: The superior cervical ganglion (SCG) is a well-characterized model of neural development, in which several regulatory signals have been identified. Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) has been found to regulate diverse ontogenetic processes in sympathetics, though functional requirements for high peptide concentrations suggest that other ligands are involved. We now describe expression and functions of pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) during SCG ontogeny, suggesting that the peptide plays critical roles in neurogenesis. PACAP and PACAP receptor (PAC(1)) mRNA's were detected at embryonic days 14.5 (E14.5) through E17.5 in vivo and virtually all precursors exhibited ligand and receptor, indicating that the system is expressed as neuroblasts proliferate. Exposure of cultured precursors to PACAP peptides, containing 27 or 38 residues, increased mitogenic activity 4-fold. Significantly, PACAP was 1000-fold more potent than VIP and a highly potent and selective antagonist entirely blocked effects of micromolar VIP, consistent with both peptides acting via PAC(1) receptors. Moreover, PACAP potently enhanced precursor survival more than 2-fold, suggesting that previously defined VIP effects were mediated via PAC(1) receptors and that PACAP is the more significant developmental signal. In addition to neurogenesis, PACAP promoted neuronal differentiation, increasing neurite outgrowth 4-fold and enhancing expression of neurotrophin receptors trkC and trkA. Since PACAP potently activated cAMP and PI pathways and increased intracellular Ca(2+), the peptide may interact with other developmental signals. PACAP stimulation of precursor mitosis, survival, and trk receptor expression suggests that the signaling system plays a critical autocrine role during sympathetic neurogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, UMDNJ/Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, New Jersey, 08854, USA.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: DiCicco-Bloom
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Deutsch
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maltzman
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Pintar
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: W F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zaremba
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D008024:Ligands; D008938:Mitosis / Q000187:drug effects; D016501:Neurites / Q000187:drug effects; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D051219:Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D020917:Receptor, trkA / Q000378:metabolism; D051236:Receptors, Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide; D011979:Receptors, Pituitary Hormone / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015290:Second Messenger Systems; D017783:Superior Cervical Ganglion / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: C495403:Adcyap1 protein, rat; D008024:Ligands; D009479:Neuropeptides; D051219:Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051236:Receptors, Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide; D011979:Receptors, Pituitary Hormone; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide; D004247:DNA; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D020917:Receptor, trkA