title: [The roles of PI3K/Akt pathway in proliferation of Schwann cells promoted by pyrroloquinoline quinone].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the roles of PI3K/Akt signal pathway in Schwann cells proliferation promoted by pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ).
  
  
  METHODS
  Schwann cells were cultured and purified in vitro. The purity was identified by immunofluorescence of S-100; the expression of Akt and phosphorylated-Akt (p-Akt) were detected by western blot, and the expression of p-Akt after blocking the PI3K signal transduction pathway by PI3K inhibitor wortmannin was detected by western blot.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Morphological change was observed in PQQ-treated Schwann cells, p-Akt was detected 30 min after PQQ treated, reached the peak at 4 h, and disappeared 12 h later. 1-100 nmol/L PQQ could up-regulate the expression of p-Akt; this up-regulated expression of p-Akt was inhibited by wortmannin (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PQQ could affect morphology of Schwann cells and activation of Akt. It indicates that PI3K/Akt signal pathway might be involved in Schwann cells proliferation promoted by PQQ.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Shi-qing
authors.initials: SQ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Hao-huan
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000730:Androstadienes / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D045542:PQQ Cofactor / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D000077191:Wortmannin
chemical_list: D000730:Androstadienes; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D045542:PQQ Cofactor; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D000077191:Wortmannin