title: Expressions of Axl and Tyro-3 receptors are under regulation of nerve growth factor and are involved in differentiation of PC12 cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Tyro-3 and Axl receptors are expressed in brain in a region-specific manner and their bioactivities in the central nervous system remain still elusive. The aim of the present study was to investigate their functions in neuronal differentiation.
  
  
  METHODS
  PC12 cells overexpressing Tyro-3 or Axl were established by transfection with full-length CMV-Tyro-3-eCFP or CMV-Axl-eGFP plasmid, respectively. CMV-eGFP plasmid served as a control vector. After that, the fluorescence intensity and distributions of green fluorescent protein (GFP) and cyan fluorescent protein (CFP) in the cells with or without nerve growth factor (NGF) treatment were real-time monitored.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Expressions of Tyro-3 and Axl receptors were under the regulation of NGF and associated with neuronal differentiation. This was not observed in CMV-eGFP-transfected PC12 cells. Besides, confocal microscopy revealed that NGF affected intracellular localization of full-length Axl-eGFP and Tyro-3-eCFP in PC12 cells. Moreover, the development of outgrowth of differentiated PC12 cells under stimulation of NGF was promoted by overexpression of Tyro-3 or Axl.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Expressions of Tyro-3 and Axl receptors are under the regulation of NGF and are involved in NGF-induced neuronal differentiation of PC12 cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Capital Medical University, Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Disorders of Ministry of Education, Beijing 100069 China.
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Qing-Jun
authors.initials: QJ
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Xiao-Min
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics*; D015870:Gene Expression; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000235:genetics*; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D016716:PC12 Cells; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D014162:Transfection; D000094963:Axl Receptor Tyrosine Kinase
chemical_list: D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; C527582:Tyro3 protein, rat; D000094963:Axl Receptor Tyrosine Kinase