title: Gene transfer of glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor and cardiotrophin-1 protects PC12 cells from injury: involvement of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase pathways.
abstract: Gene therapy for neurodegenerative diseases may utilize the expression of neurotrophic factors because of their potential to promote survival and regeneration of injured neuronal cells. Increasing numbers of these factors are being considered for gene transfer, but their specificity and efficacy in neuroprotection are greatly variable. The major aims of this study were to carry out gene transfer of various neurotrophic factors and investigate their mechanisms of action as well as their protective effects on the viability of rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells. We used glutamate, S-nitroso-N-acetyl-DL-penicillamine (SNAP), and staurosporine to induce excitatory damage, oxidative stress, and apoptosis, respectively, because these mechanisms are thought to participate in various disease processes leading to degeneration of cells. We utilized adenovirus vectors for efficient gene transfer of trophic factors (glial-cell derived neurotrophic factor [GDNF] and cardiotrophin-1 [CT-1]) or calbindin-D28k. We found that GDNF and CT-1 gene transfers were equally effective in saving PC12 cells from injury, but calbindin expression did not show any beneficial effects. GDNF gene transfer was much more efficient in protecting PC12 cells from damage than direct GDNF administration. The protection by GDNF expression against staurosporine was mediated through both phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MAPK kinase; MEK) pathways, but only the MEK pathway was involved in the protection against SNAP. In contrast, the protective effect of GDNF against glutamate toxicity was independent of these RET-dependent signal transduction pathways.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Wayne State University, School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan 48236, USA.
authors.forename: Gabor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Toth
authors.forename: Huibin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Roumen A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Anguelov
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vettraino
authors.forename: Yuying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Gyula
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Acsadi
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D064092:Calbindin 1; D064026:Calbindins; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D015870:Gene Expression; D051097:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Receptors; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling / Q000379:methods; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000187:drug effects; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D016716:PC12 Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D010396:Penicillamine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051096:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret; D051381:Rats; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D064030:S100 Calcium Binding Protein G / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D019311:Staurosporine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology; D014162:Transfection / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: C576500:Calb1 protein, rat; D064092:Calbindin 1; D064026:Calbindins; D016207:Cytokines; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D051097:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Receptors; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; C110881:S-nitro-N-acetylpenicillamine; D064030:S100 Calcium Binding Protein G; C049173:glia-derived neurite-promoting factor; D018698:Glutamic Acid; C092073:cardiotrophin 1; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D051096:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; C416649:Ret protein, Drosophila; C495001:Ret protein, rat; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases; D010396:Penicillamine; D019311:Staurosporine