title: Role of MAPK/ERK in neurotrophin-4 potentiation of necrotic neuronal death.
abstract: Neurotrophic factors have been proposed for the treatment of a variety of neurological diseases. However, to this point they have failed in clinical trials. One potential problem is that while neurotrophic factors attenuate apoptosis, they have the potential to enhance necrosis. In this study we show that neurotrophin-4 (NT-4) attenuated apoptotic neuronal death while potentiating necrotic neuronal death in cortical cultures. The protective effects of NT-4 were not blocked by the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitors PD098059 or U0126, while the injury potentiation by NT-4 was blocked by these inhibitors. NT-4 stimulated the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and this phosphorylation was attenuated by U0126 and PD098059. The results indicate a disassociation between the pathway by which NT-4 potentiates necrosis, and that by which it attenuates apoptosis, and suggest that addition of a MEK inhibitor may enhance the beneficial effects of NT-4 in treating complex injuries such as occur in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI 53233, USA. Doug.Lobner@marquette.edu
authors.forename: Doug
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lobner
authors.forename: Geraldine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liot
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002070:Butadienes / Q000494:pharmacology; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000633:toxicity; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000633:toxicity; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*; D009336:Necrosis; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000633:toxicity*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects*; D009570:Nitriles / Q000494:pharmacology; D010766:Phosphorylation; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles
chemical_list: D002070:Butadienes; D005419:Flavonoids; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D009570:Nitriles; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; C113580:U 0126; D016572:Cyclosporine; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; C022616:thiazolyl blue; C073922:neurotrophin 4; C093973:2-(2-amino-3-methoxyphenyl)-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one