TY - JOUR
T1 - Astrocyte Protection of Neurons
T2 - Role of transforming growth factor-β signaling via a c-Jun-AP-1 protective pathway
AU - Dhandapani, Krishnan M.
AU - Hadman, Martin
AU - De Sevilla, Liesl
AU - Wade, Marlene F.
AU - Mahesh, Virendra B.
AU - Brann, Darrell W.
PY - 2003/10/31
Y1 - 2003/10/31
N2 - Astrocytes have become a focal point for research in neurobiology, especially regarding their purported ability to regulate neuronal communication and survival. The present study addressed a poorly understood but important focus in this area, the mechanism(s) underlying astrocyte-induced survival of neurons. The results of the study show that soluble factors in astrocyte-conditioned media (ACM) protect murine GT1-7 neurons from serum deprivation-induced cell death and that this neuroprotection is correlated with enhanced activation/phosphorylation of the AP-1 transcription factor, c-Jun Ser-63. A parallel and correlated activation of the upstream kinases, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase-4 (MKK4) was also demonstrated. Furthermore, co-administration of JNK inhibitors, but not a MEK inhibitor, significantly attenuated ACM-induced phosphorylation of c-JunSer-63 and blocked its neuroprotective action. Gel shift analysis demonstrated that ACM enhanced AP-1 binding, an effect that appears functionally important, since an AP-1 binding inhibitor significantly attenuated the neuroprotective action of ACM. Further studies implicated transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 and TGF-β2 as critical active soluble factors released by astrocytes, since both were demonstrated in ACM, and immunoneutralization of the conditioned media with a panspecific TGF-β3 antibody significantly attenuated the enhanced AP-1 binding and neuroprotective action of the ACM. Furthermore, exogenous application of TGF-β1 and TGF-β2 was found to enhance c-JunSer-63 phosphorylation and to be neuroprotective, and co-administration of JNK inhibitors or an AP-1 binding inhibitor blocked TGF-β-induced neuroprotection. Taken together, these studies suggest that astrocytes can protect neurons from serum deprivation-induced cell death, at least in part, by release of TGF-β and activation of a c-Jun/AP-1 protective pathway.
AB - Astrocytes have become a focal point for research in neurobiology, especially regarding their purported ability to regulate neuronal communication and survival. The present study addressed a poorly understood but important focus in this area, the mechanism(s) underlying astrocyte-induced survival of neurons. The results of the study show that soluble factors in astrocyte-conditioned media (ACM) protect murine GT1-7 neurons from serum deprivation-induced cell death and that this neuroprotection is correlated with enhanced activation/phosphorylation of the AP-1 transcription factor, c-Jun Ser-63. A parallel and correlated activation of the upstream kinases, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase-4 (MKK4) was also demonstrated. Furthermore, co-administration of JNK inhibitors, but not a MEK inhibitor, significantly attenuated ACM-induced phosphorylation of c-JunSer-63 and blocked its neuroprotective action. Gel shift analysis demonstrated that ACM enhanced AP-1 binding, an effect that appears functionally important, since an AP-1 binding inhibitor significantly attenuated the neuroprotective action of ACM. Further studies implicated transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 and TGF-β2 as critical active soluble factors released by astrocytes, since both were demonstrated in ACM, and immunoneutralization of the conditioned media with a panspecific TGF-β3 antibody significantly attenuated the enhanced AP-1 binding and neuroprotective action of the ACM. Furthermore, exogenous application of TGF-β1 and TGF-β2 was found to enhance c-JunSer-63 phosphorylation and to be neuroprotective, and co-administration of JNK inhibitors or an AP-1 binding inhibitor blocked TGF-β-induced neuroprotection. Taken together, these studies suggest that astrocytes can protect neurons from serum deprivation-induced cell death, at least in part, by release of TGF-β and activation of a c-Jun/AP-1 protective pathway.
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U2 - 10.1074/jbc.M305835200
DO - 10.1074/jbc.M305835200
M3 - Article
C2 - 12888549
AN - SCOPUS:0242290324
SN - 0021-9258
VL - 278
SP - 43329
EP - 43339
JO - Journal of Biological Chemistry
JF - Journal of Biological Chemistry
IS - 44
ER -