Expression of the neural specific protein, GAP-43, dramatically lengthens the cell cycle in fibroblasts.
It has been demonstrated that during neurogenesis in the mammalian brain, cell-cycle lengthening in neuronal progenitors may cause them to switch from proliferation to neuron-generating division. However, little is known about the cellular mechanisms involved in lengthening of the cell cycle. Growth-associated protein-43 (GAP-43) is a nervous system-specific protein whose expression in proliferating neuroblasts is related to neurogenesis. In this study, we investigated the effect of GAP-43 on cell-cycle progression in transgenic fibroblast cells. Using cumulative bromodeoxyuridine labeling, cell-cycle kinetics in GAP-43-transgenic and control NIH 3T3 cells were analyzed. Our data demonstrate that expression of GAP-43 in fibroblasts results in lengthening of the cell cycle compared to control fibroblasts. The mechanism by which GAP-43 mediated this effect appeared to involve increasing the time spent by the cells in the G(1) phase of the cell cycle.
Zhao
Junpeng
J
Beijing Institute for Neuroscience, Beijing Center for Neural Regeneration and Repair, Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Diseases of the Ministry of Education, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, PR China.
Yao
Yajuan
Y
Xu
Changlei
C
Jiang
Xiaohua
X
Xu
Qunyuan
Q
D000818:Animals; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000235:genetics*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D016193:G1 Phase / Q000235:genetics; D019922:GAP-43 Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D041681:NIH 3T3 Cells; D055495:Neurogenesis / Q000235:genetics*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D019076:Transgenes / Q000235:genetics
D019922:GAP-43 Protein; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine