title: Transforming growth factor alpha-induced expression of type 1 plasminogen activator inhibitor in astrocytes rescues neurons from excitotoxicity.
abstract: Although transforming growth factor (TGF)-alpha, a member of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) family, has been shown to protect neurons against excitotoxic and ischemic brain injuries, its mechanism of action remains unknown. In the present study, we used in vitro models of apoptotic or necrotic paradigms demonstrating that TGF-alpha rescues neurons from N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-induced excitotoxic death, with the obligatory presence of astrocytes. Because neuronal tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) release was shown to potentiate NMDA-induced excitotoxicity, we observed that TGF-alpha treatment reduced NMDA-induced increase of t-PA activity in mixed cultures of neurons and astrocytes. In addition, we showed that although TGF-alpha induces activation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) in astrocytes, it failed to activate p42/p44 in neurons. Finally, we showed that TGF-alpha, by an ERK-dependent mechanism, stimulates the astrocytic expression of PAI-1, a t-PA inhibitor, which mediates the neuroprotective activity of TGF-alpha against NMDA-mediated excitotoxic neuronal death. Taken together, we indicate that TGF-alpha rescues neurons from NMDA-induced excitotoxicity in mixed cultures through inhibition of t-PA activity, involving PAI-1 overexpression by an ERK-dependent pathway in astrocytes.
authors.affiliation: Université de CAEN, UMR CNRS 6551, IFR 47, Centre CYCERON, Bd H. Becquerel, BP 5229, 14074 CAEN Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Cecília
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gabriel
authors.forename: Carine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: Sylvain
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lesné
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fernández-Monreal
authors.forename: Fabian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Docagne
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Plawinski
authors.forename: Eric T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: MacKenzie
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Buisson
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vivien
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D016202:N-Methylaspartate / Q000494:pharmacology; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator