Neuregulin potentiates agrin-induced acetylcholine receptor clustering in myotubes

Neuroreport. 2004 Nov 15;15(16):2501-5. doi: 10.1097/00001756-200411150-00014.

Abstract

Agrin and neuregulin (HRG-beta1) play complementary roles in synapse formation. While HRG-beta1 induces transcriptional up-regulation of postsynaptic proteins, here we present evidence that it can potentiate agrin-induced acetylcholine receptor (AChR) clustering in C2 myotubes. Agrin induced maximal AChR clustering in 4 h. HRG-beta1 treatment for 4 h produced no increase over basal AChR cluster numbers. When myotubes were treated for 4 h with 100 pM agrin, HRG-beta1 augmented AChR cluster numbers by 2-fold compared to myotubes treated with 100 pM agrin alone. Thus, HRG-beta1 can potentiate agrin-induced AChR clustering.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Agrin / pharmacology*
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Synergism
  • Mice
  • Myoblasts / drug effects*
  • Myoblasts / metabolism
  • Neuregulins / pharmacology*
  • RNA, Messenger / biosynthesis
  • Receptor Aggregation / drug effects*
  • Receptors, Cholinergic / drug effects
  • Receptors, Cholinergic / metabolism*
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Agrin
  • Neuregulins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Receptors, Cholinergic