title: UNC5A promotes neuronal apoptosis during spinal cord development independent of netrin-1.
abstract: In addition to their role as chemorepellent netrin-1 receptors, UNC5 proteins may mediate cell death because they induce apoptosis in cultured cells. To test this in vivo, we generated Unc5a (formerly Unc5h1) knockout mice and found that this deletion decreased apoptosis and increased the number of neurons in the spinal cord. In contrast, loss of netrin-1 (Ntn1) did not affect the amount of apoptosis, suggesting that NTN1 is not required for neuronal apoptosis in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California 95064, USA.
authors.forename: Megan E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Xiaowei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: William L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: McKenna
authors.forename: Raesha
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Washington
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boyette
authors.forename: Phyllis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Strickland
authors.forename: Allison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dillon
authors.forename: Zaven
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kaprielian
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tessier-Lavigne
authors.forename: Lindsay
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hinck
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000075386:Netrin Receptors; D000075388:Netrin-1; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D000075386:Netrin Receptors; C000617353:Ntn1 protein, mouse; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; C000617308:Unc5A protein, mouse; D000075388:Netrin-1