title: Substance P protects spiral ganglion neurons from apoptosis via PKC-Ca2+-MAPK/ERK pathways.
abstract: In the current study, we have investigated the ability of substance P (SP) to protect 3-day-old (P3) rat spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs) from trophic factor deprivation (TFD)-induced cell death. The presence of SP high affinity neurokinin-1 receptor (NK1) transcripts was detected in the spiral ganglion and the NK1 protein localized to SGNs both ex vivo and in vitro. Treatment with SP increased cytoplasmic Ca2+ in SGNs, further arguing for the presence of functional NK1 on these neurons. Both SP and the agonist [Sar9,Met(O2)11]-SP significantly decreased SGN cell death induced by TFD, with no effect on neurite outgrowth. The survival promoting effect of SP was blocked by the NK1 antagonist, WIN51708. Both pan-caspase inhibitor BOC-D-FMK and SP treatments markedly reduced activation of caspases and DNA fragmentation in trophic factor deprived-neurons. The neuroprotective action of SP was antagonised by specific inhibitors of second messengers, including 1.2-bis-(O-aminophenoxy)-ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA-AM) to chelate cytosolic Ca2+, the protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors bisindolylmaleimide I, Gö6976 and LY333531 and the MAPK/ERK inhibitor U0126. In contrast, nifedipine, a specific inhibitor of l-type Ca2+ channel, and LY294002, a phosphatidylinositol-3-OH kinase (PI3K) inhibitor, had no effect on SP trophic support of SGNs. Moreover, activation of endogenous PKC by 4 beta-phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) also reduced the loss of trophic factor-deprived SGNs. Thus, NK1 expressed by SGNs transmit a survival-promoting regulatory signal during TFD-induced SGN cell death via pathways involving PKC activation, Ca2+ signalling and MAPK/ERK activation, which can be accounted for by an inhibition of caspase activation.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D003600:Cytosol / Q000378:metabolism; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000494:pharmacology; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D009543:Nifedipine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013136:Spiral Ganglion / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D013373:Substance P / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D002614:Chelating Agents; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D013373:Substance P; D011493:Protein Kinase C; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D009543:Nifedipine; D002118:Calcium