The Effect of the B Subunit of Cholera Toxin on the Action of Nerve Growth Factor on PC12 Cells

Abstract: Exogenous gangliosides, especially ganglioside GM1 (GM1), seem to potentiate the action of nerve growth factor (NGF). We have examined the possible regulation of the NGF signaling pathway in PC12 cells by the B subunit of cholera toxin (CTB), which binds to endogenous GM1 specifically and with a high affinity. CTB treatment (1 μg/ml) enhanced NGF-induced neurite outgrowth from PC12 cells, NGF-induced activation of ribosomal protein S6 kinase, and NGF-induced stimulation of trk phosphorylation. CTB plus NGF also caused a greater inhibition of [³H]-thymidine incorporation into DNA than did NGF alone. These enhancing effects of CTB were blocked by the presence of cytochalasin B in the culture medium but were not affected by the presence of colchicine or by the depletion of Ca²⁺ in the medium. ¹²⁵I-NGF binding experiments revealed that CTB treatment did not affect the specific binding of NGF to the cells. These results strongly suggest that the binding of cell surface GM1 by CTB modulates the pathway of intracellular signaling initiated by NGF and that the association of CTB with a cytoskeletal component is essential for these effects.     

Induction of neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells by alpha -phenyl-N-tert-butylnitron through activation of protein kinase C and the Ras-extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway.

The spin trap alpha-phenyl-N-tert-butylnitron (PBN) is widely used for studies of the biological effects of free radicals. We previously reported the protective effects of PBN against ischemia-reperfusion injury in gerbil hippocampus by its activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and suppression of both stress-activated protein kinase and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase. In the present study, we found that PBN induced neurite outgrowth accompanied by ERK activation in PC12 cells in a dose-dependent manner. The induction of neurite outgrowth was inhibited significantly not only by transient transfection of PC12 cells with dominant negative Ras, but also by treatment with mitogen-activated protein kinase/ERK kinase inhibitor PD98059. The activation of receptor tyrosine kinase TrkA was not involved in PBN-induced neurite outgrowth. A protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, GF109203X, was found to inhibit neurite outgrowth. The activation of PKCepsilon was observed after PBN stimulation. PBN-induced neurite outgrowth and ERK activation were counteracted by the thiol-based antioxidant N-acetylcysteine. From these results, it was concluded that PBN induced neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells through activation of the Ras-ERK pathway and PKC.     

GM1 Ganglioside Activates ERK1/2 and Akt Downstream of Trk Tyrosine Kinase and Protects PC12 Cells Against Hydrogen Peroxide Toxicity

Ganglioside GM1 at micro- and nanomolar concentrations was shown to increase the viability of pheochromocytoma PC12 cells exposed to hydrogen peroxide and diminish the accumulation of reactive oxygen species and oxidative inactivation of Na⁺,K⁺-ATPase, the effects of micromolar GM1 being more pronounced than those of nanomolar GM1. These effects of GM1 were abolished by Trk receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor and diminished by MEK1/2, phosphoinositide 3-kinase and protein kinase C inhibitors. Hydrogen peroxide activates Trk tyrosine kinase; Akt and ERK1/2 are activated downstream of this protein kinase. GM1 was found to activate Trk receptor tyrosine kinase in PC12 cells. GM1 (100 nM and 10 µM) increased the basal activity of Akt, but did not change Akt activity in cells exposed to hydrogen peroxide. Basal ERK1/2 activity in PC12 cells was increased by GM1 at a concentration of 10 µM, but not at nanomolar concentrations. Activation of ERK1/2 by hydrogen peroxide was enhanced by GM1 at a concentration of 10 µM and to a lesser extent at a concentration of 100 nM. Thus, the protective and metabolic effects of GM1 ganglioside on PC12 cells exposed to hydrogen peroxide appear to depend on the activation of Trk receptor tyrosine kinase and downstream activation of Akt and ERK1/2.     

Cooperativity of ganglioside-dependent with protein-dependent substratum adhesion and neurite extension of human neuroblastoma cells

The potential involvement of gangliosides in the adherence and neurite extension of human neuroblastoma cells (Platt and La-N1) was investigated on tissue culture substrata coated with the ganglioside GM1-binding protein, cholera toxin B (CTB) subunit, for comparison with similar processes on plasma fibronectin (pFN)-coated substrata. Cells attached with reduced efficiency on CTB substrata as compared with pFN substrata and required a much longer time to form neurite processes for a small percentage of cells on CTB. The specificity of these processes for GM1 binding was tested in a variety of ways. Supplementation of the cells with exogenous GM1, but not GD1a, identified a larger population of cells adherent on CTB (comparable to pFN-adherent cells) and dramatically increased the proportion of cells capable of forming neurites without reducing the time requirement. In ultrastructural studies using the scanning electron microscope (SEM) and immunofluorescence (IF) analyses to discriminate microtubule distributions, neurites of GM1-supplemented cells on CTB were virtually identical with pFN-adherent neurites, whereas unsupplemented cells on CTB generated processes with fine-structural differences. Treatment of cells during the GM1 supplementation period with cycloheximide completely abolished the ability of cells to generate neurites on CTB and decreased the adhesive capacity of cells as well; a similar treatment of cells had no adverse effect on adherence or neurite extension on pFN. The importance of one or more proteins in GM1-dependent processes was further confirmed by demonstrating the trypsin sensitivity of a cell surface component(s) required to achieve maximal attachment on CTB; in contrast, adherence and neurite extension on pFN were much more resistant to this treatment process. Therefore, these experiments demonstrate (a) that certain cell surface gangliosides are capable of mediating adherence and neurite outgrowth of human neuroblastoma cells on a suitable ganglioside-binding substratum; (b) this ganglioside dependence is cooperative with one or more cell surface proteins which can now be analysed. These results are discussed in light of the identification in ref. [16] (Exp cell res 169 (1987) 311) of a second ‘cell-binding’ domain on the pFN molecule competent for adherence and neurite extension of these neuroblastoma cells, as well as the potential role of pFN binding to a complex ganglioside on the surface of these neural tumor cells in these processes.     

Multidrug resistance-associated protein 9 (ABCC12) is present in mouse and boar sperm

In order to search for novel components of lipid membrane microdomains involved in neural signalling pathways, mAbs (monoclonal antibodies) were raised against the detergent-insoluble membrane fraction of PC12 (pheochromocytoma) cells. Among the 22 hybrid clones, mAb PR#1 specifically detected a fucoganglioside Fuc(Gal)-GM1 [a-fucosyl(a-galactosyl)-GM1], a ganglioside homologous with GM1a (II3NeuAc,GgOse4Cer), as a novel member of microdomain components with biological functions. In the presence of mAb PR#1 in the culture medium, the outgrowth of neurites was induced in PC12 cells in a dose-dependent manner, with no effects on cell proliferation, suggesting that Fuc(Gal)-GM1 is preferentially involved in PC12 cell neuritogenesis. Effects through Fuc(Gal)-GM1 were different from those through GM1a during differentiation, e.g. under PR#1 treatment on Fuc(Gal)-GM1, round cell bodies with thinner cell processes were induced, whereas treatment with CTB (cholera toxin B subunit), a specific probe for GM1a, produced flattened cell bodies with thicker pro-cesses. Molecular analysis demonstrated that the PR#1-Fuc(Gal)-GM1 pathway was associated with Fyn and Yes of the Src family of kinases, although Src itself was not involved. No association was found with TrkA (tropomyosin receptor kinase A) and ERKs (extracellular-signal-regulated kinases), which are responsible for GM1a-induced differentiation. From these findings, it is suggested that a fucoganglioside Fuc(Gal)-GM1 provides a functional platform distinct from that of GM1a for signal transduction in PC12 cell differentiation.     

PC12 cell neuronal differentiation is associated with prolonged p21ras activity and consequent prolonged ERK activity.

Expression of oncogenic ras in PC12 cells causes neuronal differentiation and sustained protein tyrosine phosphorylation and activity of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs), p42erk2 and p44erk1. Oncogenic N-ras-induced neuronal differentiation is inhibited by compounds that block ERK protein tyrosine phosphorylation or ERK activity, indicating that ERKs are not only activated by p21ras but serve as the primary downstream effectors of p21ras. Treatment of PC12 cells with nerve growth factor or fibroblast growth factor results in neuronal differentiation and in a sustained elevation of p21ras activity, of ERK activity, and of ERK tyrosine phosphorylation. Epidermal growth factor, which does not cause neuronal differentiation, stimulates only transient (< 1 hr) activation of p21ras and ERKs. These data indicate that transient activation of p21ras and, consequently, ERKs is not sufficient for induction of neuronal differentiation. Prolonged ERK activity is required: a consequence of sustained activation of p21ras by the growth factor receptor protein tyrosine kinase.     

Differential Activation of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Pathways in PC12 Cells by Closely Related α1-Adrenergic Receptor Subtypes

Coupling of the three known alpha1-adrenergic receptor (alpha1-AR) subtypes to mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways were studied in stably transfected PC12 cells. Subclones stably expressing alpha1A-, alpha1B-, and alpha1D-ARs under control of an inducible promoter, or at high and low receptor density, were isolated and characterized. Radioligand binding showed similar ranges of expression of each subtype. Norepinephrine (NE) increased inositol phosphate formation and intracellular Ca2+ level in these cells in a manner dependent on receptor density. However, alpha1A-ARs activated these second messenger responses more effectively than alpha1B-ARs, whereas alpha1D-ARs were least effective. NE stimulated activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) in cells expressing all three alpha1-AR subtypes, although alpha1A- and alpha1B-ARs caused larger ERK activation than did alpha1D-ARs. Nerve growth factor (NGF) caused similar levels of ERK activation in all subclones. NE also activated p38 MAPK in alpha1A- and alpha1B- but not alpha1D-transfected cells and activated c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) only in alpha1A-transfected cells. NE, but not NGF, strongly stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of a 70-kDa protein only in alpha1A-transfected PC12 cells. NE caused neurite outgrowth only in alpha1A-expressing PC12 cells, but not in alpha1B- or alpha1D-transfected cells, whereas NGF caused neurite outgrowth in all cells. These studies show that alpha1A-ARs activate all three MAPK pathways, alpha1B-ARs activate ERKs and p38 but not JNKs, and alpha1D-ARs only activate ERKs. Only the alpha1A-AR-expressing cells differentiated in response to NE. The relationship of these responses to second messenger pathways activated by these subtypes is discussed.     

Delayed and sustained activation of p42/p44 mitogen-activated protein kinase induced by proteasome inhibitors through p21(ras) in PC12 cells

Proteolysis by the ubiquitin/proteasome pathway regulates the intracellular level of several proteins, some of which control cell proliferation and cell cycle progression. To determine what kinds of signaling cascades are activated or inhibited by proteasome inhibition, we treated PC12 cells with specific proteasome inhibitors and subsequently performed in-gel kinase assays. N-Acetyl-Leu-Leu-norleucinal and lactacystin, which inhibit the activity of the proteasome, induced the activation of p42/p44 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases [extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) 1 and 2]. In contrast, N-acetyl-Leu-Leu-methional, which inhibits the activity of calpains, but not of the proteasome, failed to induce ERK activation. Uniquely, the kinetics of MAP kinase activation induced by proteasome inhibitors are very slow compared with those resulting from activation by nerve growth factor; ERK activation is detectable only after a 5-h treatment with the inhibitors, and its activity remained unchanged for at least until 27 h. Proteasome inhibitor-initiated ERK activation is inhibited by pretreatment with the ERK kinase inhibitor PD 98059, as well as by overexpression of a dominant-negative form of Ras. Thus, proteasome inhibitors induce sustained ERK activation in a Ras-dependent manner. Proteasome inhibitor-induced neurite outgrowth, however, is not inhibited by PD 98059, indicating that sustained activation of ERKs is not the factor responsible for proteasome inhibitor-induced morphological differentiation. Our data suggest the presence of a novel mechanism for activation of the MAP kinase cascade that involves proteasome activity.     

Cyclic AMP induces transactivation of the receptors for epidermal growth factor and nerve growth factor,thereby modulating activation of MAP kinase,Akt, and neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells

In PC12 cells, a well studied model for neuronal differentiation, an elevation in the intracellular cAMP level increases cell survival, stimulates neurite outgrowth, and causes activation of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1 and 2 (ERK1/2). Here we show that an increase in the intracellular cAMP concentration induces tyrosine phosphorylation of two receptor tyrosine kinases, i.e. the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor and the high affinity receptor for nerve growth factor (NGF), also termed Trk(A). cAMP-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of the EGF receptor is rapid and correlates with ERK1/2 activation. It occurs also in Panc-1, but not in human mesangial cells. cAMP-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of the NGF receptor is slower and correlates with Akt activation. Inhibition of EGF receptor tyrosine phosphorylation, but not of the NGF receptor, reduces cAMP-induced neurite outgrowth. Expression of dominant-negative Akt does not abolish cAMP-induced survival in serum-free media, but increases cAMP-induced ERK1/2 activation and neurite outgrowth. Together, our results demonstrate that cAMP induces dual signaling in PC12 cells: transactivation of the EGF receptor triggering the ERK1/2 pathway and neurite outgrowth; and transactivation of the NGF receptor promoting Akt activation and thereby modulating ERK1/2 activation and neurite outgrowth.     

Role of tyrosine kinase of Trk-Receptors in realization of antioxidant effect of ganglioside GM1 in PC12 cells

Ganglioside GM1 has been shown to increase viability of PC12 cells at their induction of oxidative stress by hydrogen peroxide. However, in the presence of inhibitor of tyrosine kinase Trkreceptors K-252a this GM1 effect decreases or virtually disappears. To understand mechanism of the protective effect, there was studied action of H₂O₂, GM1, and inhibitor K-252a on formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). It has been shown that ganglioside GM1 decreases significantly the H₂O₂-induced ROS accumulation in PC12 cells; however, in the presence of inhibitor of tyrosine kinase of Trk-receptors, this GM1 effect is not revealed. It has been found that inhibitors of each of protein kinases present at the signal realization stages following the stages of activation of tyrosine kinase Trk-receptors—Erk 1/2, PI3-kinases, and PKC, decreased the GM1 ability to reduce the H₂O₂-induced ROS accumulation, while at the combined use of inhibitors of these three protein kinases, the GM1 effect was completely absent. Thus, the ganglioside GM1 antioxidant effect on PC12 is mediated by activation of tyrosine kinase Trk-receptors and protein kinases perceiving signal from this enzyme.     

Ganglioside modulation of neural cell adhesion molecule and N-cadherin- dependent neurite outgrowth

We have used monolayers of control 3T3 cells and 3T3 cells expressing transfected human neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) or chick N-cadherin as a culture substrate for PC12 cells. NCAM and N-cadherin in the monolayer directly promote neurite outgrowth from PC12 cells via a G-protein-dependent activation of neuronal calcium channels. In the present study we show that ganglioside GM1 does not directly activate this pathway in PC12 cells. However, the presence of GM1 (12.5-100 micrograms/ml) in the co-culture was associated with a potentiation of NCAM and N-cadherin-dependent neurite outgrowth. Treatment of PC12 cells with GM1 (100 micrograms/ml) for 90 min led to trypsin-stable increases in both beta-cholera toxin binding to PC12 cells and an enhanced neurite outgrowth response to N-cadherin. The ganglioside response could be fully inhibited by treatment with pertussis toxin. These data are consistent with exogenous gangliosides enhancing neuritic growth by promoting cell adhesion molecule-induced calcium influx into neurons.     

NS-417, a Novel Compound with Neurotrophic-Like Effects

NS-417 (5-(4-Chlorophenyl)-8-methyl-6-7-8-9-tetrahydro-1-H-pyrrolo[3.2-h]isoquinoline-2,3-dione-3-oxim hydrochloric acid salt) belongs to a new chemical series of compounds. NS-417 rescued differentiated PC12 cells from death induced by withdrawal of serum and nerve growth factor. Furthermore, NS-417 stimulated neurotrophic factor-induced neurite outgrowth in undifferentiated PC12 cells. In accordance with this observation, NS-417 potentiated NGF-induced signaling, such as activation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinases ERK1 and ERK2 and the Akt kinase. NS-417 also enhanced ERK activation induced by 10 minutes stimulation with NGF, bFGF or EGF in PC12 cells. In addition to the effect in PC12 cells, NS-417 increased the number of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) positive cells in cultures established from dissociated E14 rat ventral mesencephali.     

Multiple and alternative adhesive responses on defined substrata of an immortalized dorsal root neuron hybrid cell line

Attachment and neurite extension processes have been evaluated for an immortalized derivative cell of a rat dorsal root neuron after fusion with a mouse neuroblastoma cell (the clonal F11 hybrid cell line) and these processes compared with previous studies of neuroblastoma cells, since both cell types may be derived from the neural crest of the developing embryo. Biochemically defined substrata were provided by human plasma fibronectin (pFN), the heparan sulfate-binding protein platelet factor-4 (PF4), and the ganglioside GM1-binding protein cholera toxin B subunit (CTB). While some attachment of unsupplemented cells was noted on CTB substrata, GM1 supplementation permitted F11 cells to attach as well on CTB as on pFN or PF4. On PF4, very few neurite processes were observed while on pFN two morphologically distinct types of neurites could be identified: short, linear processes in a low percentage of cells resembling those of neuroblastoma cells and long, irregular and narrow processes in a higher percentage of cells resembling those of dorsal root neurons. On CTB, neurites of the latter class were even more prominent; however, cell bodies on CTB failed to spread by cytoplasmic extension as commonly observed in F11 cells on pFN and, to some extent, on PF4. The formation of both neurite classes on either pFN or CTB was completely inhibited by low concentrations of an RGDS (Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser) peptide in the medium of cultures, indicating the significance of pFN's binding to cell surface integrin or ganglioside GM1's possible interaction with integrin for mediating the differentiative process. In contrast, neurite formation of neuroblastoma cells is refractile to the soluble peptide as reported previously. Neurite extensions of F11 cells on either pFN or CTB were comparably sensitive to low concentrations of cytochalasin D, revealing the mediation of microfilament reorganization in these processes. Treatment of F11 cells with cycloheximide failed to inhibit neurite extension on pFN but did partially inhibit extension on CTB; this contrasts with the very high sensitivity of neurite formation by neuroblastoma cells on CTB substrata reported previously.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) induces neuronal differentiation and survival of PC12 cells

Apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) is a ubiquitously expressed mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase that activates the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling cascades. We report here that expression of constitutively active ASK1 (ASK1DeltaN) induces neurite outgrowth in the rat pheochromocytoma cell line PC12. We found that p38 and to a lesser extent JNK, but not ERK, were activated by the expression of ASK1DeltaN in PC12 cells. ASK1DeltaN-induced neurite outgrowth was strongly inhibited by treatment with the p38 inhibitor SB203580 but not with the MEK inhibitors, suggesting that activation of p38, rather than of ERK, is required for the neurite-inducing activity of ASK1 in PC12 cells. We also observed that ASK1DeltaN induced expression of several neuron-specific proteins and phosphorylation of neurofilament proteins, confirming that PC12 cells differentiated into mature neuronal cells by ASK1. Moreover, ASK1DeltaN-expressing PC12 cells survived in serum-starved condition. ASK1 thus appears to mediate signals leading to both differentiation and survival of PC12 cells. Together with previous reports indicating that ASK1 functions as a pro-apoptotic signaling intermediate, these results suggest that ASK1 has a broad range of biological activities depending on cell types and/or cellular context.     

GD3 synthase gene expression in PC12 cells results in the continuous activation of TrkA and ERK1/2 and enhanced proliferation

A rat pheochromocytoma cell line (PC12) transfected with ganglioside GD3 synthase gene showed a marked change in the ganglioside profile and enhanced proliferation and no response of neurite extension to nerve growth factor (NGF) stimulation. In these transfectant cells, a continuous phosphorylation of TrkA and the activation of ERK1/2 without NGF treatment were observed. Proliferation inhibition experiments with kinase inhibitors such as herbimycin A, K-252a, and PD98059 revealed that the enhanced proliferation was actually due to the activation of the Ras/MEK/ERK pathway. A TrkA dimer was detected in the GD3 synthase transfectant cells regardless of NGF treatment by cross-linking and immunoblotting. The increased expression of GD1b and GT1b in these transfectant cells might induce the conformational change of TrkA to form a dimer and to be activated continuously. These results may indicate regulatory roles of gangliosides in cell proliferation under physiological and malignant processes.     

Essential role for phospholipase D2 activation downstream of ERK MAP kinase in nerve growth factor-stimulated neurite outgrowth from PC12 cells

The signaling pathway that triggers morphological differentiation of PC12 cells is mediated by extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), the classic mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase. However, mediators of the pathway downstream of ERK have not been identified. We show here that phospholipase D2 (PLD2), which generates the pleiotropic signaling lipid phosphatidic acid (PA), links ERK activation to neurite outgrowth in nerve growth factor (NGF)-stimulated PC12 cells. Increased expression of wild type PLD2 (WT-PLD2) dramatically elongated neurites induced by NGF stimulation or transient expression of the active form of MAP kinase-ERK kinase (MEK-CA). The response was activity-dependent, because it was inhibited by pharmacological suppression of the PLD-mediated PA production and by expression of a lipase-deficient PLD2 mutant. Furthermore, PLD2 was activated by MEK-CA, whereas NGF-stimulated PLD2 activation and hypertrophic neurite extension were blocked by an MEK-specific inhibitor. Taken together, these results provide evidence that PLD2 functions as a downstream signaling effector of ERK in the NGF signaling pathway, which leads to neurite outgrowth by PC12 cells.     

Nerve growth factor stimulates the concentration of TrkA within lipid rafts and extracellular signal-regulated kinase activation through c-Cbl-associated protein

Nerve growth factor (NGF) acts through its receptor, TrkA, to elicit the neuronal differentiation of PC12 cells through the action of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 (ERK1) and ERK2. Upon NGF binding, TrkA translocates and concentrates in cholesterol-rich membrane microdomains or lipid rafts, facilitating formation of receptor-associated signaling complexes, activation of downstream signaling pathways, and internalization into endosomes. We have investigated the mechanisms responsible for the localization of TrkA within lipid rafts and its ability to activate ERK1 and ERK2. We report that NGF treatment results in the translocation of activated forms of TrkA to lipid rafts, and this localization is important for efficient activation of the ERKs. TrkA is recruited and retained within lipid rafts through its association with flotillin, an intrinsic constituent of these membrane microdomains, via the adapter protein, c-Cbl associated protein (CAP). Mutant forms of CAP that lack protein interaction domains block TrkA localization to lipid rafts and attenuate ERK activation. Importantly, suppression of endogenous CAP expression inhibited NGF-stimulated neurite outgrowth from primary dorsal root ganglion neurons. These data provide a mechanism for the lipid raft localization of TrkA and establish the importance of the CAP adaptor protein for NGF activation of the ERKs and neuronal differentiation.     

The c-Fes tyrosine kinase cooperates with the breakpoint cluster region protein (Bcr) to induce neurite extension in a Rac- and Cdc42-dependent manner

The c-fes locus encodes a cytoplasmic protein-tyrosine kinase (Fes) previously shown to accelerate nerve growth factor (NGF)-induced neurite outgrowth in rat PC12 cells. Here, we investigated the role of the Rho family small GTPases Rac1 and Cdc42 in Fes-mediated neuritogenesis, which have been implicated in neuronal differentiation in other systems. Fes-induced acceleration of neurite outgrowth in response to NGF treatment was completely blocked by the expression of dominant-negative Rac1 or Cdc42. Expression of a kinase-active mutant of Fes induced constitutive relocalization of endogenous Rac1 to the cell periphery in the absence of NGF, and led to dramatic actin reorganization and spontaneous neurite extension. We also investigated the breakpoint cluster region protein (Bcr), which possesses the Dbl and PH domains characteristic of guanine nucleotide exchange factors for Rho family GTPases, as a possible link between Fes, Rac/Cdc42 activation, and neuritogenesis. Coexpression of a GFP-Bcr fusion protein containing the Fes binding and tyrosine phosphorylation sites (amino acids 162-413) completely suppressed neurite outgrowth triggered by Fes. Conversely, coexpression of full-length Bcr with wild-type Fes in PC12 cells induced NGF-independent neurite formation. Taken together, these data suggest that Fes and Bcr cooperate to activate Rho family GTPases as part of a novel pathway regulating neurite extension in PC12 cells, and provide more evidence for an emerging role for Fes in neuronal differentiation.