title: Glutamate-stimulated activation of DNA synthesis via mitogen-activated protein kinase in primary astrocytes: involvement of protein kinase C and related adhesion focal tyrosine kinase.
abstract: Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the CNS. Although its role in neurons has been studied extensively, little is known about its function in astrocytes. We studied the effects of glutamate on signaling pathways in primary astrocytes. We found that the tyrosine kinase related adhesion focal tyrosine kinase (RAFTK) is tyrosine phosphorylated in response to glutamate in a time- and dose-dependent manner. This phosphorylation was pertussis toxin (PTX) sensitive and could be attenuated by the depletion of Ca2+ from intracellular stores. RAFTK tyrosine phosphorylation was mediated primarily by class I/II metabotropic glutamate receptors and depends on protein kinase C (PKC) activation. Glutamate treatment of primary astrocytes also results in a significant increase in the activity of the mitogen-activated protein kinases [extracellular signal-related kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2)]. Like RAFTK phosphorylation, ERK1/2 activation is PTX sensitive and can be attenuated by the depletion of intracellular Ca2+ and by PKC inhibition, suggesting that RAFTK might mediate the glutamate-dependent activation of ERK1/2. Furthermore, we demonstrated that glutamate stimulation of primary astrocytes leads to a significant increase in DNA synthesis. Glutamate-stimulated DNA synthesis is PTX sensitive and can be inhibited by the MAP kinase kinase inhibitor PD98059, suggesting that in primary astrocytes, glutamate might signal via RAFTK and MAP kinase to promote DNA synthesis and cell proliferation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Experimental Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Schinkmann
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Avraham
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051417:Focal Adhesion Kinase 1; D051416:Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000502:physiology*; D037342:Pertussis Toxin; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000502:physiology; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D010566:Virulence Factors, Bordetella / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate; D010566:Virulence Factors, Bordetella; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D004247:DNA; D037342:Pertussis Toxin; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D051417:Focal Adhesion Kinase 1; D051416:Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; C496052:Ptk2 protein, rat; D011493:Protein Kinase C; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins; D002118:Calcium