title: Guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate mediated inhibition of cell death induced by nerve growth factor withdrawal and beta-amyloid: protective effects of propentofylline.
abstract: Apoptotic cell death has been implicated in Alzheimer's disease pathology and amyloid peptide induced neurotoxicity. We investigated the survival promoting effects of Propentofylline in two models of apoptotic cell death, nerve growth factor withdrawal and beta-amyloid mediated cell death in nerve growth factor differentiated rat pheochromocytoma cell lines. The increase in cell death as measured by lactate dehydrogenase release in response to nerve growth factor withdrawal was suppressed by nitric oxide donor S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (12.5 to 200 microM) and by 8-bromoguanosine-3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (1.25 to 10mM). Both agents decreased cell death mediated by 25 microM beta-amyloid, suggesting that the protective mechanism involves guanosine -3', 5'-cyclic monophosphate. In support of this hypothesis we can show that S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine increases intracellular levels of guanosine -3',5'-cyclic monophosphate in pheochromocytoma cell lines 3 to 8 fold.Propentofylline, a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, has previously demonstrated neuroprotective activity in stroke models and is a potential candidate for therapeutic treatment in neurodegenerative diseases. The present findings support this claim by providing evidence that Propentofylline has protective effects in both nerve growth factor withdrawal and beta-amyloid mediated cell death. Lactate dehydrogenase release was significantly reduced and caspase-3-like activity was attenuated after cotreatment with Propentofylline. Furthermore Propentofylline dose responsively increases intracellular guanosine-3',5'-cyclic monophosphate levels over the same dose range that provided protection. We hypothesized that guanosine-3',5'-cyclic monophosphate is a key mediator of neuroprotection under these conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Aventis Pharmaceuticals Inc., Bridgewater, New Jersey 08855, USA. friederike.wirtz-brugger@aventis.com
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wirtz-Brugger
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giovanni
mesh_terms: D015056:1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine / Q000494:pharmacology; D012368:4-(3-Butoxy-4-methoxybenzyl)-2-imidazolidinone / Q000494:pharmacology; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D020030:Nitric Oxide Donors / Q000494:pharmacology; D016716:PC12 Cells; D010396:Penicillamine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000633:toxicity*; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D020889:Rolipram / Q000494:pharmacology; D014970:Xanthines / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D020030:Nitric Oxide Donors; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors; C110881:S-nitro-N-acetylpenicillamine; D014970:Xanthines; C078592:amyloid beta-protein (1-40); D012368:4-(3-Butoxy-4-methoxybenzyl)-2-imidazolidinone; C016276:8-bromocyclic GMP; D009569:Nitric Oxide; C032114:propentofylline; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor; C505410:Casp3 protein, rat; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases; D010396:Penicillamine; D006152:Cyclic GMP; D020889:Rolipram; D015056:1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine