title: Tropomyosins induce neuritogenesis and determine neurite branching patterns in B35 neuroblastoma cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The actin cytoskeleton is critically involved in the regulation of neurite outgrowth.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The actin cytoskeleton-associated protein tropomyosin induces neurite outgrowth in B35 neuroblastoma cells and regulates neurite branching in an isoform-dependent manner.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data indicate that tropomyosins are key regulators of the actin cytoskeleton during neurite outgrowth.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Revealing the molecular machinery that regulates the actin cytoskeleton during neurite outgrowth may provide new therapeutic strategies to promote neurite regeneration after nerve injury.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The formation of a branched network of neurites between communicating neurons is required for all higher functions in the nervous system. The dynamics of the actin cytoskeleton is fundamental to morphological changes in cell shape and the establishment of these branched networks. The actin-associated proteins tropomyosins have previously been shown to impact on different aspects of neurite formation. Here we demonstrate that an increased expression of tropomyosins is sufficient to induce the formation of neurites in B35 neuroblastoma cells. Furthermore, our data highlight the functional diversity of different tropomyosin isoforms during neuritogenesis. Tropomyosins differentially impact on the expression levels of the actin filament bundling protein fascin and increase the formation of filopodia along the length of neurites. Our data suggest that tropomyosins are central regulators of actin filament populations which drive distinct aspects of neuronal morphogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Neurodegeneration and Repair Unit, School of Medical Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia; Oncology Research Unit, School of Medical Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia.
authors.forename: Nikki Margarita
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Curthoys
authors.affiliation: Neurodegeneration and Repair Unit, School of Medical Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia; Neuromuscular and Regenerative Medicine Unit, School of Medical Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia.
authors.forename: Hannah
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Freittag
authors.affiliation: Neurodegeneration and Repair Unit, School of Medical Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia; Oncology Research Unit, School of Medical Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Connor
authors.affiliation: Neurodegeneration and Repair Unit, School of Medical Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia; Oncology Research Unit, School of Medical Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia.
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Desouza
authors.affiliation: Neurodegeneration and Repair Unit, School of Medical Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia.
authors.forename: Merryn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brettle
authors.affiliation: Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry Facility, Bioanalytical Centre, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Poljak
authors.affiliation: Neurodegeneration and Repair Unit, School of Medical Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia.
authors.forename: Amelia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.affiliation: Neuromuscular and Regenerative Medicine Unit, School of Medical Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia.
authors.forename: Edna
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hardeman
authors.affiliation: Oncology Research Unit, School of Medical Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia.
authors.forename: Galina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schevzov
authors.affiliation: Oncology Research Unit, School of Medical Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia.
authors.forename: Peter William
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Gunning
authors.affiliation: Neurodegeneration and Repair Unit, School of Medical Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia. Electronic address: t.fath@unsw.edu.au.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fath
mesh_terms: D008841:Actin Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D020439:Growth Cones / Q000378:metabolism*; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016501:Neurites / Q000378:metabolism*; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000378:metabolism; D055495:Neurogenesis; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000378:metabolism; D011554:Pseudopodia / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D014335:Tropomyosin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D014335:Tropomyosin; C020324:fascin
keywords: Actin cytoskeleton; Fascin; Neurite outgrowth; Tropomyosin