title: Neurofibromin-deficient Schwann cells have increased lysophosphatidic acid dependent survival and migration-implications for increased neurofibroma formation during pregnancy.
abstract: Neurofibromas are the clinical hallmark of neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1), a genetic disorder caused by mutations of the NF1 tumor suppressor gene, which encodes neurofibromin that functions as a GTPase activating protein (GAP) for Ras. During pregnancy, up to 50% of existing neurofibromas enlarge and as many as 60% of new neurofibromas appear for the first time. Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a prototypic lysophospholipid that modulates cell migration and survival of Schwann cells (SCs) and is made in increasing concentrations throughout pregnancy. We addressed the influence of LPA on the biochemical and cellular functions of SCs with a homozygous mutation of the murine homologue of the NF1 gene (Nf1-/-). LPA promoted F-actin polymerization and increased migration and survival of Nf1-/- SCs as compared to wild type (WT) SCs. Furthermore, LPA induced a higher level of Ras-GTP and Akt phosphorylation in Nf1-/- SCs as compared to WT cells. Pharmacologic inhibition or siRNA for the p85beta regulatory subunit of Class I A PI3-K significantly reduced LPA-induced Schwann cell survival and migration. Introduction of NF1-GRD reconstitution was sufficient to normalize the LPA-mediated motility of Nf1-/- SCs. As LPA modulates excessive cell survival and motility of Nf1-/- SCs, which are the tumorigenic cells in NF1, targeting PI3-K may be a potential therapeutic approach in diminishing the development and progression of neurofibromas in pregnant women with NF1.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Herman B. Wells Center for Pediatric Cancer Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.
authors.forename: Todd D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Nebesio
authors.forename: Wenyu
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ming
authors.forename: Shi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Travis
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Clegg
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Yanzhu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Selina A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Estwick
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xiaohong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Cynthia M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Hingtgen
authors.forename: Feng-Chun
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000166:cytology; D008246:Lysophospholipids / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009455:Neurofibroma / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009456:Neurofibromatosis 1 / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism; D025542:Neurofibromin 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D020703:ras GTPase-Activating Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D008246:Lysophospholipids; D025542:Neurofibromin 1; D020703:ras GTPase-Activating Proteins; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; C032881:lysophosphatidic acid