Regulation of protein kinase C by the anti-Parkinson drug, MAO-B inhibitor, rasagiline and its derivatives, in vivo

We have recently shown that the anti-Parkinson-propargyl-containing monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) inhibitor drug, rasagiline [N-propargyl-(1R)-aminoindan], and its cholinesterase inhibitor derivatives TV3326 and TV3279, regulate amyloid precursor protein (APP) processing by a protein kinase C (PKC)-dependent mechanism in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma and PC12 cells. In the present study, we investigated the effect of rasagiline and its derivatives on the regulation of the PKC-dependent mechanism and APP processing under in vivo conditions. Administration of rasagiline (0.1 mg/kg) to male C57/BL mice for 14 days significantly decreased membrane-bound holoprotein APP levels in the hippocampus. Additionally, we observed that rasagiline up-regulated p-PKC levels and the expression of alpha and epsilon PKC isozymes in the hippocampus, indicating that the mechanism by which rasagiline affects APP processing may be related to PKC-associated signalling. The results also demonstrate that rasagiline treatment significantly elevated the levels of phosphorylated myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate (p-MARCKS), a major substrate for PKC, as well as the levels of receptors for activated C kinase 1 (RACK1). Similar effects on APP and PKC levels were also demonstrated for the two cholinesterase inhibitor derivatives of rasagiline, TV3326 and TV3279. These results indicate that rasagiline and its derivatives regulate PKC-dependent mechanisms and APP processing. The activation and induction of PKC and MARCKS by these drugs may have a crucial role not only in their neuroprotective activity, but also in their ability to affect neuronal plasticity and spatial learning processes.     

Neurotrophic factors stabilize microtubules and protect against rotenone toxicity on dopaminergic neurons

Parkinson disease is characterized by the selective degeneration of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in substantia nigra. Long term epidemiological studies have implicated exposure to agricultural pesticides as a significant risk factor. Systemic administration of rotenone, a widely used pesticide, causes selective degeneration of nigral DA neurons and Parkinson disease-like symptoms in rats. Our previous study has shown that the microtubule depolymerizing activity of rotenone plays a critical role in its selective toxicity on DA neurons. Rotenone toxicity is mimicked by the microtubule-depolymerizing drug colchicine and attenuated by the microtubule-stabilizing agent taxol. Here we show that nerve growth factor (NGF) significantly reduced rotenone toxicity on TH(+) neurons in midbrain neuronal cultures. The protective effect of NGF was completely abolished by inhibiting the microtubule-associated protein kinase kinase (MEK) and partially reversed by blocking phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase. In addition, NGF decreased colchicine toxicity on TH(+) neurons in a manner dependent on MEK but not phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase. The protective effect of NGF against rotenone toxicity was occluded by the microtubule-stabilizing drug taxol. In a MEK-dependent manner, NGF significantly attenuated rotenone- or colchicine-induced microtubule depolymerization and ensuing accumulation of vesicles in the soma and elevation in protein carbonyls. Moreover, other neurotrophic factors such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor and glia cell line-derived neurotrophic factor also reduced rotenone- or colchicine-induced microtubule depolymerization and death of TH(+) through a MEK-dependent mechanism. Thus, our results suggest that neurotrophic factors activate the microtubule-associated protein kinase pathway to stabilize microtubules, and this action significantly attenuates rotenone toxicity on dopaminergic neurons.     

Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor increases intracellular calcium concentration. Role of calcium/calmodulin in the activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway

Moderate increases of intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i), induced by either the activation of tropomyosin receptor kinase (Trk) receptors for neurotrophins or by neuronal activity, regulate different intracellular pathways and neuronal survival. In the present report we demonstrate that glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) treatment also induces [Ca2+]i elevation by mobilizing this cation from internal stores. The effects of [Ca2+]i increase after membrane depolarization are mainly mediated by calmodulin (CaM). However, the way in which CaM exerts its effects after tyrosine kinase receptor activation remains poorly characterized. It has been reported that phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) and its downstream target protein kinase B (PKB) play a central role in cell survival induced by neurotrophic factors; in fact, GDNF promotes neuronal survival through the activation of the PI 3-kinase/PKB pathway. We show that CaM antagonists inhibit PI 3-kinase and PKB activation as well as motoneuron survival induced by GDNF. We also demonstrate that endogenous Ca2+/CaM associates with the 85-kDa regulatory subunit of PI 3-kinase (p85). We conclude that changes of [Ca2+]i, induced by GDNF, promote neuronal survival through a mechanism that involves a direct regulation of PI 3-kinase activation by CaM thus suggesting a central role for Ca2+ and CaM in the signaling cascade for neuronal survival mediated by neurotrophic factors.     

A comparison of the neurotrophic activities of the flavonoid fisetin and some of its derivatives

Neurotrophic factors promote the development, maintenance and regeneration of nerve cells. Classical neurotrophic factors are proteins and thus not well-suited for therapeutic purposes. Recently, we showed that specific flavonoids such as fisetin (3, 7, 3', 4' tetrahydroxyflavone) promote the differentiation of nerve cells in culture through the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) suggesting that flavonoids could substitute for neurotrophic factors. It has also been shown that fisetin promotes nerve cell survival following exposure to toxic oxidative insults. To determine whether or not this is unique to fisetin, a series of related compounds were assayed for neurotrophic activities. Many of these related compounds also promote nerve cell differentiation and are neuroprotective against toxic oxidative insults. However, the mechanisms underlying these neurotrophic effects differ among the compounds.     

A comparison of the neurotrophic activities of the flavonoid fisetin and some of its derivatives

Neurotrophic factors promote the development, maintenance and regeneration of nerve cells. Classical neurotrophic factors are proteins and thus not well-suited for therapeutic purposes. Recently, we showed that specific flavonoids such as fisetin (3, 7, 3′, 4′ tetrahydroxyflavone) promote the differentiation of nerve cells in culture through the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) suggesting that flavonoids could substitute for neurotrophic factors. It has also been shown that fisetin promotes nerve cell survival following exposure to toxic oxidative insults. To determine whether or not this is unique to fisetin, a series of related compounds were assayed for neurotrophic activities. Many of these related compounds also promote nerve cell differentiation and are neuroprotective against toxic oxidative insults. However, the mechanisms underlying these neurotrophic effects differ among the compounds.     

Endogenous Repair by the Activation of Cell Survival Signalling Cascades during the Early Stages of Rat Parkinsonism

Here we report a previously unknown self repair mechanism during extremely early stages of rat Parkinsonism. Two important cell survival signaling cascades, Phosphatidylinositol-3 kinases (PI3K)/Akt pathway and extracellular signal-regulated kinase/mitogen-activated protein kinase (ERK/MAPK) pathway, could be responsible for this potential endogenous rescue system. In the 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rat, the phosphorylated p44/42 MAPK and its downstream target, the phosphorylated Bad at Ser 112, were up-regulated at post-lesion day 3 and lasted for a couple of weeks. Although the change in the phosphorylated Akt kinase was negligible throughout the studied period, its downstream target, the phosphorylated Bad at 136, was increased from post-lesion day 3 to post-lesion day 14. In the mean time, nestin-positive reactive astrocytes with low levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) appeared at post-lesion day 3 in 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rat. BDNF was expressed in both striatum and substantia nigra whereas GDNF was displayed in striatum only. At post-lesion day 14, nestin, BDNF and GDNF expressions were diminished. These neurotrophic factors were believed to initiate the above anti-apoptotic signal transduction cascades as we could see that their expression patterns were similar. The data strongly suggest that there is an endogenous repair effort by evoking the cell survival signaling and possibly via the releases of BDNF and GDNF from nestin-immunoreactive reactive astrocytes. ERK/MAPK pathway was proposed to be the key endogenous neuroprotective mechanisms, particularly in early stages of rat Parkinsonism. However, the self repair effort is only functional within an extremely short time window immediately after onset.     

TGFbeta induces GDNF responsiveness in neurons by recruitment of GFRalpha1 to the plasma membrane

We have previously shown that the neurotrophic effect of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) in vitro and in vivo requires the presence of transforming growth factor (TGF)beta. Using primary neurons (chick E8 ciliary) we show that the combination of GDNF plus TGFbeta promotes survival, whereas the single factors do not. This cooperative effect is inhibited by blocking the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)/MAPK pathway, but not by interfering with the PI3 kinase signaling cascade. Although there is no functional GDNF signaling in the absence of TGFbeta, pretreatment with TGFbeta confers GDNF responsiveness to the cells. This is not due to upregulation of GDNF receptors mRNA and protein, but to TGFbeta-induced recruitment of the glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol-anchored GDNF receptor (GFR)alpha1 to the plasma membrane. This is supported by the fact that GDNF in the presence of a soluble GFRalpha1 can promote survival in the absence of TGFbeta. Our data suggest that TGFbeta is involved in GFRalpha1 membrane translocation, thereby permitting GDNF signaling and neurotrophic effects.     

Trypanosome trans-sialidase mediates neuroprotection against oxidative stress, serum/glucose deprivation, and hypoxia-induced neurite retraction in Trk-expressing PC12 cells

Trypanosome trans-sialidase (TS) is a sialic acid-transferring enzyme and a novel ligand of tyrosine kinase (TrkA) receptors but not of neurotrophin receptor p75NTR. Here, we show that TS targets TrkB receptors on TrkB-expressing pheochromocytoma PC12 cells and colocalizes with TrkB receptor internalization and phosphorylation (pTrkB). Wild-type TS but not the catalytically inactive mutant TSDeltaAsp98-Glu induces pTrkB and mediates cell survival responses against death caused by oxidative stress in TrkA- and TrkB-expressing cells like those seen with nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). These same effects are not observed in Trk deficient PC12(nnr5) cells, but are re-established in PC12(nnr5) cells stably transfected with TrkA or TrkB, are partially blocked by inhibitors of tyrosine kinase (K-252a), mitogen-activated protein/mitogen-activated kinase (PD98059) and completely blocked by LY294002, an inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K). Both TrkA- and TrkB-expressing cells pretreated with TS or their natural ligands are protected against cell death caused by serum/glucose deprivation or from hypoxia-induced neurite retraction. The cell survival effects of NGF and BDNF against oxidative stress are significantly inhibited by the neuraminidase inhibitor, Tamiflu. Together, these observations suggest that trypanosome TS mimics neurotrophic factors in cell survival responses against oxidative stress, hypoxia-induced neurite retraction and serum/glucose deprivation.     

Monokine induced by interferon-gamma acts as a neurotrophic factor on PC12 cells and rat primary sympathetic neurons

We found that a monokine induced by interferon-gamma (Mig, CXCL9), which belongs to the CXC chemokine subfamily, acts as a neurotrophic factor on PC12 cells and rat primary sympathetic neurons. PC12 cells were shown to express a single class of high affinity binding sites for Mig (670 receptors/cell, Kd = 2.9 nm). Mig induced neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Comparison of extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling pathways between Mig and nerve growth factor (NGF) revealed that these pathways are crucial for Mig action as well as NGF. K252a, an inhibitor of tyrosine autophosphorylation of tyrosine kinase receptors (Trks) did not inhibit the action of Mig, suggesting that Mig action occurs via a different receptor from that of NGF. Furthermore, Mig as well as NGF promoted PC12 survival under serum-free conditions and activated Akt/protein kinase B downstream from phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K). Because the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 prevented the Mig- and NGF-induced survival effect, this effect is probably mediated by the PI3K signaling pathway. Mig also promoted survival of rat primary sympathetic neurons that die when deprived of NGF. These results suggest that chemokines, including Mig (CXCL9) have neurotrophic effects on the nervous system.     

The protective effects of resveratrol on Schwann cells with toxicity induced by ethanol in vitro

Schwann cells (SCs) are the myelin forming cells in the peripheral nervous system, they play a key role in the pathology of various polyneuropathies and provide trophic support to axons via expression of various neurotrophic factors, such as nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF). Ethanol (EtOH) adversely affected both SCs proliferation and myelin formation in culture. Resveratrol (Res) has been shown to regulate many cellular processes and to display multiple protective and therapeutic effects. Whether Res has protective effects on SCs with EtOH-induced toxicity is still unclear. The protective efficacy of Res on EtOH-treated SCs in vitro was investigated in the present study. Res improved cell viability of the EtOH-treated SCs. Hoechst 33342 staining and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labeling analysis showed that the EtOH-induced apoptosis was inhibited by Res. The effects of Res were blocked by the 5′-adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase inhibitor Compound C and the silencing information regulator T1 inhibitor nicotinamide. Res could increase the mRNA and protein levels of BDNF and GDNF in the EtOH-treated SCs. However, the EtOH-induced increase of NGF in the SCs is inhibited by Res. The data from the present study indicate that Res protects SCs from EtOH-induced cell death and regulates the expression of neurotrophic factors. Res and its derivative may be effective for the treatment of neuropathic diseases induced by EtOH.     

Aminoindan and hydroxyaminoindan, metabolites of rasagiline and ladostigil, respectively, exert neuroprotective properties in vitro

The anti-Parkinson, selective irreversible monoamine oxidase B inhibitor drug, rasagiline (Azilect), recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, has been shown to possess neuroprotective-neurorescue activities in in vitro and in vivo models. Recent preliminary studies indicated the potential neuroprotective effect of the major metabolite of rasagiline, 1-(R)-aminoindan. In the current study, the neuroprotective properties of 1-(R)-aminoindan were assessed employing a cytotoxic model of human neuroblastoma SK-N-SH cells in high-density culture-induced neuronal death. We show that aminoindan (0.1-1 mumol/L) significantly reduced the apoptosis-associated phosphorylated protein, H2A.X (Ser139), decreased the cleavage of caspase 9 and caspase 3, while increasing the anti-apoptotic proteins, Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl. Protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, GF109203X, prevented the neuroprotection, indicating the involvement of PKC in aminoindan-induced cell survival. Aminoindan markedly elevated pPKC(pan) and specifically that of the pro-survival PKC isoform, PKCepsilon. Additionally, hydroxyaminoindan, a metabolite of a novel bifunctional drug, ladostigil [(N-propargyl-(3R) aminoindan-5yl)-ethyl methyl carbamate], combining cholinesterase and monoamine oxidase inhibitor activity, exerted similar neuroprotective properties. Aminoindan and hydroxyaminoindan also protected rat pheochromacytoma PC-12 cells against the neurotoxin, 6-hydroxydopamine. Our findings suggest that both metabolites may contribute to the overall neuroprotective activity of their respective parent compounds, further implicating rasagiline and ladostigil as potentially valuable drugs for treatment of a wide variety of neurodegenerative disorders of aging.     

K-252a Induces Tyrosine Phosphorylation of the Focal Adhesion Kinase and Neurite Outgrowth in Human Neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y Cells

Abstract: The protein kinase inhibitor K-252a has been shown to promote cholinergic activity in cultures of rat spinal cord and neuronal survival in chick dorsal root ganglion cultures. To determine the mechanism by which K-252a acts as a neurotrophic factor, we examined the effects of this molecule on a human neuroblastoma cell line, SH-SY5Y. K-252a induced neurite outgrowth in a dose-dependent manner. Coincident with neurite outgrowth was the early tyrosine phosphorylation of 125- and 140-kDa proteins. The phosphorylation events were independent of protein kinase C inhibition because down-regulation of protein kinase C by long-term treatment with phorbol ester did not prevent K-252a-induced tyrosine phosphorylation. Similarly, the protein kinase C inhibitors H7, GF-109203X, and calphostin C did not induce the phosphorylation. We have identified one of the phosphosubstrates as the pp125 focal adhesion protein tyrosine kinase (Fak). Induction of phosphorylation coincided with increased Fak activity and appeared to be independent of ligand/integrin interaction. The induction of Fak phosphorylation by K-252a was also observed in LA-N-5 cells and primary cultures of rat embryonic striatal cells but not in PC12 cells. The protein kinase C-independent induction of tyrosine phosphorylation and the identification of Fak as a substrate of K-252a-induced tyrosine kinase activity suggest that this compound mediates neurotrophic effects through a novel signaling pathway.     

Ribosomal protein L10 interacts with the SH3 domain and regulates GDNF-induced neurite growth in SH-SY-5y cells

The 24.5 kDa ribosomal protein L10 (RP-L10), which was encoded by QM gene, was known to interact with the SH3 domain of Yes kinase. Herein, we demonstrate that RP-L10 interacts with the SH3 domain of Src and activates the binding of the Nck1 adaptor protein with skeletal proteins such as the Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Protein (WASP) and WASP interacting protein (WIP) in neuroblastoma cell line, SH-SY-5y. The RP-L10 was associated with the SH3 domains of Src and Yes. It is shown that two different regions of RP-L10 are associated with the Src-SH3. The effect of ectopic RP-L10 expression on neuronal cell scaffolding was explored in cells transiently transfected with QM. SH-SY-5y human neuroblastoma cells transfected with QM were considerably more susceptible to neurite outgrowth induced by glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF). However, RP-L10 did not directly interact with actin assembly. Taken together, these results suggest that the RP-L10 may positively regulate the GDNF/Ret-mediated signaling of neurite outgrowth in the neuroblastoma cell line, SH-SY-5y.     

Survival of Chick Embryonic Sensory Neurons in Culture Is Supported by Phorbol Esters

Sensory neurons of the chick embryo are supported in culture by several neurotrophic factors, including the phorbol esters. Because phorbol esters are known to activate one of the second messengers, namely, protein kinase C, it was of interest to see if the neurotrophic action of phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDB) was related to the activation of protein kinase C in sensory neurons. Sensory neurons were obtained from dorsal root ganglia of 10-day-old chick embryos and maintained in a serum-free medium for several days to quantify survival and analyze protein kinase C activity. PDB (30 nM) supported the survival of approximately 50% of the total number of neurons plated. This value was comparable to that supported by nerve growth factor (NGF; 40 ng/ml). If PDB and NGF were added together, there was no additive effect on the survival. The protein kinase C activity of the particulate and cytosolic fractions of sensory neurons supported by NGF for 3 days was 1.26 +/- 0.1 and 2.9 +/- 0.32 pmol/min/mg of protein, respectively. In contrast, neurons supported by PDB showed an approximately 500% increase in enzyme activity in their particulate fraction. The enzyme activity of the cytosolic fraction was decreased by approximately 40%. If NGF-supported neurons were treated with PDB (30 nM) for 15 min, protein kinase C activity increased greater than 400% in the particulate fraction, whereas an approximately 50% decrease was observed in the cytosolic fraction. The protein kinase C value, expressed as a ratio of the activities in the particulate to cytosol fractions, showed large increases after phorbol treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Glial cell-line derived neurotrophic factor and neurturin regulate the expressions of distinct miRNA precursors through the activation of GFRalpha2

Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and neurturin (NTN) are structurally related neurotrophic factors that have both been shown to prevent the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in vitro and in vivo. NTN and GDNF are thought to bind with different affinities to the GDNF family receptor alpha-2 (GFRalpha2), and can activate the same multi-component receptor system consisting of GFRalpha2, receptor tyrosine kinase Ret (RET) and NCAM. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of short, non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression through translational repression or RNA degradation. miRNAs have diverse functions, including regulating differentiation, proliferation and apoptosis in several organisms. It is currently unknown whether GDNF and NTN regulate the expression of miRNAs through activation of the same multi-component receptor system. Using quantitative real-time PCR, we measured the expression of some miRNA precursors in human BE(2)-C cells that express GFRalpha2 but not GFRalpha1. GDNF and NTN differentially regulate the expression of distinct miRNA precursors through the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2). This study showed that the expression of distinct miRNA precursors is differentially regulated by specific ligands through the activation of GFRalpha2.