title: Iron enhances NGF-induced neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells.
abstract: Rat pheochromocytoma 12 (PC12) cells undergo neuronal differentiation in response to nerve growth factor (NGF). NGF-induced differentiation involves a number of protein kinases, including extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). We studied the effect of iron on neuronal differentiation, using as model the neurite outgrowth of PC12 cells triggered by NGF when the cells are plated on collagen-coated dishes in medium containing 1% serum. The addition of iron enhanced NGF-mediated cell adhesion, spreading and neurite outgrowth. The differentiation-promoting effect of iron seems to depend on intracellular iron, since nitrilotriacetic acid (an efficient iron-uptake mediator) enhanced the response to iron. In agreement with this, intracellular, but not extracellular, iron enhanced NGF-induced neurite outgrowth in pre-spread PC12 cells, and this was correlated with increased ERK activity. Taken together, these data suggest that intracellular iron promotes NGF-stimulated differentiation of PC12 cells by increasing ERK activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 120-750, Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Eun
authors.initials: YE
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Jin-Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Kyu Chung
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Hur
authors.forename: Eok-Soo
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Jun-Mo
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000502:physiology; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D016501:Neurites / Q000378:metabolism*; D016716:PC12 Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D020932:Nerve Growth Factor; D007501:Iron; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases