title: A positive role of the PI3-K/Akt signaling pathway in PC12 cell differentiation.
abstract: Activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K) is considered to be a key event upon stimulation of cells with growth factors. Akt is known to be a downstream target of PI3-K when it is activated by nerve growth factor (NGF). NGF induces cell differentiation of PC12 cells as indicated by neurite outgrowth. In order to investigate the role of PI3-K/Akt in NGF-induced differentiation of PC12 cells, we generated cells ectopically expressing constitutively activated (CA), wild type (WT) and dominant negative (DN) forms of Akt. NGF-induced neurite outgrowth was greatly accelerated in the cells expressing CA-Akt, and dramatically inhibited in those expressing DN-Akt. Pre-treatment with an Akt inhibitor, ML-9 [1-(5-chloronaphthalene-1-sulfonyl)-1H- hexahydro-1,4-diazepine], inhibited NGF-induced Akt phosphorylation as well as neurite outgrowth but did not markedly affect the activities of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). The PI3-K inhibitors wortmannin and LY294002 blocked NGF-induced Akt phosphorylation as well as neurite outgrowth. These results indicate that PI3-K/Akt is a positive regulator of NGF-induced neuronal differentiation in PC12 cells.
authors.affiliation: Bioanalysis and Biotransformation Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 130-650, Korea.
authors.forename: Yongsoo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Rony
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Seger
authors.forename: C V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Suresh Babu
authors.forename: Seung-Yong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Young Sook
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Yoo
mesh_terms: D000730:Androstadienes / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002867:Chromones / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D005799:Genes, Dominant; D009025:Morpholines / Q000494:pharmacology; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D016716:PC12 Cells; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D051381:Rats; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013997:Time Factors; D014162:Transfection; D000077191:Wortmannin; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000730:Androstadienes; D002867:Chromones; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D009025:Morpholines; C085911:2-(4-morpholinyl)-8-phenyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D000077191:Wortmannin