title: Activation of microglia by endotoxin suppresses the secretion of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) through the action of protein kinase C alpha (PKCalpha) and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKS).
abstract: The ability of microglia to produce/secrete glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) in vitro was examined. Immunoblotting analysis revealed that nonstimulated microglia release limited amounts of GDNF with molecular sizes of 14 and 17 kDa. However, the secreted amounts significantly decreased when the microglia were activated with the endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Comparison of the amounts of GDNF in the cells and the conditioned medium between the nonstimulated microglia and LPS-stimulated microglia clarified that the secretion of GDNF, but not its production, is strongly suppressed when the microglia are activated with LPS. The inhibitor experiments suggested that the GDNF secretion is depressed by a signaling cascade associated with protein kinase C alpha (PKCalpha) and/or mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). As expected from the above results, a PKC activator suppressed the secretion of GDNF in nonstimulated microglia. Taken together, these results demonstrated that microglia have the ability to produce and secrete GDNF in vitro, and that the secretion is suppressed by stimulation with endotoxin, probably due to a signaling mechanism involving PKCalpha and/or MAPKs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioinformatics, Faculty of Engineering, Soka University, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsushita
authors.forename: Kazuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tohyama
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kurihara
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kohsaka
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001921:Brain / Q000201:enzymology; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics; D017931:DNA Primers; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000235:genetics; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017628:Microglia / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics; D051571:Protein Kinase C-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D017931:DNA Primers; D004731:Endotoxins; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D051571:Protein Kinase C-alpha; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate