Tunneling-nanotube development in astrocytes depends on p53 activation.
Tunneling nanotubes (TNTs) can be induced in rat hippocampal astrocytes and neurons with H(2)O(2) or serum depletion. Major cytoskeletal component of TNTs is F-actin. TNTs transfer endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, Golgi, endosome and intracellular as well as extracellular amyloid β. TNT development is a property of cells under stress. When two populations of cells are co-cultured, it is the stressed cells that always develop TNTs toward the unstressed cells. p53 is crucial for TNT development. When p53 function is deleted by either dominant negative construct or siRNAs, TNT development is inhibited. In addition, we find that among the genes activated by p53, epidermal growth factor receptor is also important to TNT development. Akt, phosphoinositide 3-kinase and mTOR are involved in TNT induction. Our data suggest that TNTs might be a mechanism for cells to respond to harmful signals and transfer cellular substances or energy to another cell under stress.
Laboratory of Neurobiology and State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane and Membrane Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
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Wang
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Cui
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Sun
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Zhang
D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000494:pharmacology; D043942:Nanotubes; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism; D034622:RNA Interference; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D000199:Actins; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; C546845:mTOR protein, rat