title: Enhanced expression of cellular prion protein gene by insulin or nerve growth factor in immortalized mouse neuronal precursor cell lines.
abstract: In order to understand the fundamental and putative roles of PrP(c) in the central nervous system, neuronal cell lines were established. Cells were immortalized by recombinant retrovirus vector-mediated transduction of SV40 T-antigen gene. Among these, two cell lines were selected based on their RT-PCR expressions of neuron-specific neurofilament (NF-H, NF-M) and cell morphology. These cell lines showed the properties of neuronal progenitor cells in antigenicity, morphology and responses to differentiating agents. Expression of PrP(c) was detected by immunocytochemical analysis. These cell lines responded to differentiating agents such as dibutyl cyclic AMP (dcAMP) and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) before developing into neuronal-like cells. Neurite extensions were observed 20 min after incubation with the differentiating agents. Treatment with nerve growth factor (NGF) and insulin induced cell differentiation and enhanced expression of PrP gene (Prnp) mRNA and protein. The latter phenomenon was not inhibited by wortmannin, which is a specific inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase. These results suggest that PrP(c) plays an important role in the differentiation-mediated classic signaling pathway of neuronal cell.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Immunology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0032, Japan.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kuwahara
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kubosaki
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nasu
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saeki
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Onodera
mesh_terms: D000730:Androstadienes / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D007328:Insulin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D000081082:Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors; D018621:PrPC Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000077191:Wortmannin
chemical_list: D000730:Androstadienes; D017931:DNA Primers; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D007328:Insulin; D000081082:Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors; D018621:PrPC Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor; D000077191:Wortmannin