title: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma is a novel target of the nerve growth factor signaling pathway in PC12 cells.
abstract: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma), a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily, is subject to considerable interest because of its role in adipocyte differentiation, metabolic control, and anti-inflammatory action. PPARgamma research in brain cells is presently focused on glial PPARgamma because of its potential as a pharmacological target in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases with an inflammatory component. In neurons PPARgamma function is far from clear, and PPARgamma agonist-dependent and -independent effects on cell survival or differentiation have been reported. We used PC12 cells, widely used to study neuronal signaling, such as nerve growth factor (NGF)-induced differentiation and survival or epidermal growth factor-dependent cell proliferation to dissect the possible involvement of PPARgamma in these pathways. We show that NGF but not epidermal growth factor increases the transcriptional activity of PPARgamma, and modulates the expression of this transcription factor. Because NGF signals through the tyrosine kinase (TrkA) NGF receptor and/or the p75NTR receptor, we used rescue experiments with a PC12 cell mutant lacking TrkA to show that NGF-induced PPARgamma activation is dependent on TrkA activation. Our results point out PPARgamma as a novel target of the TrkA-mediated neuronal cell survival and differentiating pathway and suggest a potential new inflammatory-independent therapeutic approach for pharmacological intervention in neurological disorders.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Regulación Celular y Patología and Millennium Institute for Fundamental and Applied Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, P. Universidad Católica de Chile, Casilla 114-D, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Karen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Fuenzalida
authors.forename: Mauricio C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Aguilera
authors.forename: Daniela G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Piderit
authors.forename: Patricio C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Contador
authors.forename: Verónica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Quiñones
authors.forename: Atilio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rigotti
authors.forename: Francisca C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Bronfman
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bronfman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D017353:Gene Deletion; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016716:PC12 Cells; D047495:PPAR gamma / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D010673:Pheochromocytoma; D051381:Rats; D020917:Receptor, trkA / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor / Q000502:physiology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D000077154:Rosiglitazone; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D045162:Thiazolidinediones / Q000494:pharmacology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D047495:PPAR gamma; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D045162:Thiazolidinediones; D000077154:Rosiglitazone; D020917:Receptor, trkA