title: Induction of neurite outgrowth by alpha-phenyl-N-tert-butylnitrone through nitric oxide release and Ras-ERK pathway in PC12 cells.
abstract: It has previously been suggested that the spin trap agent alpha-phenyl-N-tert-butylnitrone (PBN) induces neurite outgrowth through activation of the Ras-ERK pathway in PC12 cells. However, the chemical properties of PBN contributing to its biological function and the detailed mechanism for the activation of Ras by PBN remain unknown. This study demonstrates that the hydrophobic structure of PBN is related to the activation of Ras, by comparing with hydrophilic analogues of PBN. [(14)C]-labelled PBN was found to localize in the lipid fraction and activate Ras indirectly. On the other hand, neurite outgrowth by PBN was inhibited by a nitric oxide (NO) scavenger. Moreover, the neurite outgrowth induced by PBN and the NO donor NOR4 was inhibited by the dominant negative Ras or MAPK/ERK inhibitor. Taken together, these results suggest that PBN is incorporated into the plasma membrane and induces neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells by activating the Ras-ERK pathway through NO release.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Radiation Biology, Department of Environmental Veterinary Sciences, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita-Ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.
authors.forename: Hironobu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yasui
authors.forename: Nozomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Tohru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamamori
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Okano
authors.forename: Taketoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Asanuma
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.forename: Mikinori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kuwabara
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Inanami
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D003497:Cyclic N-Oxides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D015151:Immunoblotting; D047468:Immunoprecipitation; D016501:Neurites / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D016716:PC12 Cells; D051381:Rats; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D018631:ras Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D003497:Cyclic N-Oxides; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D009569:Nitric Oxide; C029217:phenyl-N-tert-butylnitrone; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases; D018631:ras Proteins