title: The gas7 protein potentiates NGF-mediated differentiation of PC12 cells.
abstract: The growth-arrest-specific protein gas7 is required for morphological differentiation of cultured mouse cerebellar neurons and PC12 cells. Moreover, its overexpression in various cell types induces neurite-like outgrowth. The role of gas7 in neuronal differentiation was further characterized by adenovirus-mediated overexpression in PC12 cells and quantification of the expression of various neuronal markers, in the absence and presence of different concentrations of nerve growth factor (NGF). The potential neuroprotective activity of gas7 against various neurotoxic insults was also assessed. In addition to promoting the formation of neurite-like extensions, overexpression of gas7 potentiated NGF-mediated neuronal differentiation of PC12 cells, as shown by the enhanced expression of the neuronal proteins betaIII-tubulin, synaptotagmin, alpha7 subunit of the acetylcholine receptor, and dihydropyrimidinase related protein-3. This effect was exerted independently of cell cycle progression, as gas7 did not affect proliferation of PC12 cells. While some differentiation enhancers protect PC12 cells against lethal insults, gas7 overexpression in PC12 cells did not protect against oxygen-glucose deprivation, the calcium ionophore A23187, or the nitric oxide donor sodium nitroprusside, suggesting that gas7 is not neuroprotective. The ability of gas7 to potentiate neuronal differentiation makes it a potential therapeutic target to promote re-establishment of neuronal connections in the injured or diseased brain, such as following stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Karine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lortie
authors.forename: Deqi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Balu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chakravarthy
authors.forename: Tanya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Comas
authors.forename: Sheng T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: Sue
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lin-Chao
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Morley
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D015687:Cell Hypoxia / Q000502:physiology; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D007476:Ionophores / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D020030:Nitric Oxide Donors / Q000494:pharmacology; D016716:PC12 Cells; D051381:Rats; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C485435:Gas7 protein, mouse; D007476:Ionophores; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D009498:Neurotoxins; D020030:Nitric Oxide Donors; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor; D002118:Calcium