title: Increase by FK960, a novel cognitive enhancer, in glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor production in cultured rat astrocytes.
abstract: We examined the effect of N-(4-acetyl-1-piperazinyl)-p-fluorobenzamide monohydrate (FK960), a novel anti-dementia drug, on neurotrophic factor production in cultured rat astrocytes. FK960 (100nM) increased mRNA and protein levels of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF). FK960 did not affect mRNA levels of neurotrophic factors other than GDNF. The effect of FK960 was not affected by antagonists of dopamine and alpha7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. FK960 stimulated phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) without any effect on phosphoryolation of p38 and c-Jun N-terminal kinase. FK960 increased the levels of c-Fos and phosphorylation of cAMP responsive element binding protein (CREB). The effect of FK960 on c-Fos was inhibited by PD98059 (10microM), an ERK kinase inhibitor, and cycloheximide (1microg/ml), a transcription inhibitor, and the effect of FK960 on CREB phosphorylation was blocked by PD98059. The effect of FK960 on GDNF mRNA expression was attenuated by PD98059, curcumin (10microM), an activator protein-1 inhibitor, cycloheximide and actinomycin D (10microg/ml). These results suggest that FK960 stimulates GDNF production in c-Fos- and CREB-dependent mechanisms in cultured astrocytes and that ERK signal is responsible for both c-Fos expression and CREB phosphorylation in the cascades.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Medicinal Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Koyama
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Egawa
authors.forename: Masakazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Osakada
authors.forename: Akemichi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baba
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsuda
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D001549:Benzamides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010879:Piperazines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D001549:Benzamides; C495041:Gdnf protein, rat; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; C102991:N-(4-acetyl-1-piperazinyl) -4-fluorobenzamide monohydrate; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D018697:Nootropic Agents; D010879:Piperazines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases