title: Neurotrophin receptor interacting factor (NRIF) is an essential mediator of apoptotic signaling by the p75 neurotrophin receptor.
abstract: Activation of the p75 neurotrophin receptor leads to a variety of effects within the nervous system, including neuronal apoptosis. Both c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and the tumor suppressor p53 have been reported to be critical for this receptor to induce cell death; however, the mechanisms by which p75 activates these pathways is undetermined. Here we report that the neurotrophin receptor interacting factor (NRIF) is necessary for p75-dependent JNK activation and apoptosis. Upon nerve growth factor withdrawal, nrif-/- sympathetic neurons underwent apoptosis, whereas p75-mediated death was completely abrogated. The lack of cell death correlated with a lack of JNK activation in the nrif-/- neurons, suggesting that NRIF is a selective mediator for p75-dependent JNK activation and apoptosis. Moreover, we document that NRIF expression is sufficient to induce cell death through a mechanism that requires p53. Taken together, these results establish NRIF as an essential component of the p75 apoptotic pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Center for Molecular Neuroscience, Vanderbilt University Medical School, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA.
authors.forename: Michelle S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Linggi
authors.forename: Tara L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Burke
authors.forename: B Blairanne
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Harrington
authors.forename: Rosemary
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kraemer
authors.forename: Barbara L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Hempstead
authors.forename: Sung Ok
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Bruce D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Carter
mesh_terms: D000320:Adrenergic Fibers / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D020800:Receptor, Nerve Growth Factor; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D020800:Receptor, Nerve Growth Factor; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; C402289:Zfp110 protein, mouse; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D020169:Caspases