title: Stromal cell-derived factor-1alpha induces astrocyte proliferation through the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 pathway.
abstract: Stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1), the ligand of the CXCR4 receptor, is a chemokine involved in chemotaxis and brain development that also acts as co-receptor for HIV-1 infection. We previously demonstrated that CXCR4 and SDF-1alpha are expressed in cultured type-I cortical rat astrocytes, cortical neurones and cerebellar granule cells. Here, we investigated the possible functions of CXCR4 expressed in rat type-I cortical astrocytes and demonstrated that SDF-1alpha stimulated the proliferation of these cells in vitro. The proliferative activity induced by SDF-1alpha in astrocytes was reduced by PD98059, indicating the involvement of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK1/2) in the astrocyte proliferation induced by CXCR4 stimulation. This observation was further confirmed showing that SDF-1alpha treatment selectively activated ERK1/2, but not p38 or stress-activated protein kinase/c-Jun N-terminal kinase (SAPK/JNK). Moreover, both astrocyte proliferation and ERK1/2 phosphorylation, induced by SDF-1alpha, were inhibited by pertussis toxin (PTX) and wortmannin treatment indicating the involvement of a PTX sensitive G-protein and of phosphatidyl inositol-3 kinase in the signalling of SDF-1alpha. In addition, Pyk2 activation represent an upstream components for the CXCR4 signalling to ERK1/2 in astrocytes. To our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating a proliferative effect for SDF-1alpha in primary cultures of rat type-I astrocytes, and showing that the activation of ERK1/2 is responsible for this effect. These data suggest that CXCR4/SDF-1 should play an important role in physiological and pathological glial proliferation, such as brain development, reactive gliosis and brain tumour formation.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology and Neuroscience Unit National Institute for Cancer Research (IST), Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bajetto
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barbero
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bonavia
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Piccioli
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pirani
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Florio
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schettini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D054377:Chemokine CXCL12; D019743:Chemokines, CXC / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D051381:Rats; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4 / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D013936:Thymidine / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D054377:Chemokine CXCL12; D019743:Chemokines, CXC; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4; D004247:DNA; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D002118:Calcium; D013936:Thymidine