title: Vascular endothelial growth factor promotes proliferation of cortical neuron precursors by regulating E2F expression.
abstract: Neurogenesis, or the production of new neurons, is regulated by physiological and pathological processes including aging, stress, and brain injury. Many mitogenic and trophic factors that regulate proliferation of nonneuronal cells are also involved in neurogenesis. These include vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF), which stimulates the incorporation of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) into neuronal precursor cells in vitro and in the adult rat brain in vivo. Using BrdU labeling as an index of cell proliferation, we found that the in vitro neuroproliferative effect of VEGF was associated with up-regulation of E2F family transcription factors, cyclin D1, cyclin E, and cdc25. VEGF also increased nuclear expression of E2F1, E2F2, and E2F3, consistent with regulation of the G1/S phase transition of the cell cycle. The proliferative effect of VEGF was inhibited by the extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitor PD98059, the phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitor U73122, the protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor GF102390X, and the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor wortmannin, indicating involvement of multiple signaling pathways. These findings help to provide a molecular basis for some of the recently identified neuronal effects of VEGF.
authors.affiliation: Buck Institute for Age Research, Novato, California 94945, USA.
authors.forename: Yonghua
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Kunlin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Xiao Ou
authors.initials: XO
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Greenberg
mesh_terms: D000730:Androstadienes / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine / Q000378:metabolism; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D019925:Cyclin A / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D019938:Cyclin D1 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D019927:Cyclin E / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D050684:E2F Transcription Factors; D050687:E2F1 Transcription Factor; D050703:E2F2 Transcription Factor; D050699:E2F3 Transcription Factor; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D011725:Pyridines / Q000494:pharmacology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; D000077191:Wortmannin
chemical_list: D000730:Androstadienes; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D019925:Cyclin A; D019927:Cyclin E; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D050684:E2F Transcription Factors; D050687:E2F1 Transcription Factor; D050703:E2F2 Transcription Factor; D050699:E2F3 Transcription Factor; C493754:E2f1 protein, mouse; C490840:E2f3 protein, mouse; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D005419:Flavonoids; D007093:Imidazoles; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008222:Lymphokines; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D011725:Pyridines; D014157:Transcription Factors; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; D019938:Cyclin D1; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine; C093642:SB 203580; C093973:2-(2-amino-3-methoxyphenyl)-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one; D000077191:Wortmannin