The key enzyme of sialic acid biosynthesis (GNE) promotes neurite outgrowth of PC12 cells.
Axonal outgrowth is a prerequisite for the development of the most complex organ, the brain. It depends partially on the attachment of sialic acid on glycans of (sialo)-glycoproteins expressed on the plasma membrane. In our study, we showed that nerve growth factor-induced neurite outgrowth of PC12-cells enhances the expression of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 2-epimerase/N-acetylmannosamine-kinase (GNE), the key enzyme for the biosynthesis of sialic acid. Furthermore, we could show that overexpression of GNE induces neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells. The neurite-outgrowth promoting activity of overexpressed GNE, however, does not lead to an increased biosynthesis of sialic acid. These data suggest a novel role of GNE during neurite outgrowth, which is independent to its specific enzymatic activity.
Kontou
Maria
M
Institute for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Charite-Campus Benjamin-Franklin, Arnimallee 22, Berlin, Germany.
Weidemann
Wenke
W
Bauer
Christian
C
Reutter
Werner
W
Horstkorte
Rüdiger
R
D000818:Animals; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000235:genetics; D015151:Immunoblotting; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D016501:Neurites / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D016716:PC12 Cells; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014162:Transfection / Q000379:methods
D009097:Multienzyme Complexes; C482901:UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 2-epimerase - N-acetylmannosamine kinase; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid