Abstract
Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) exerts multiple neurotrophic actions on cultured neurons from the ciliary ganglion of chick embryo, among them promotion of neuronal survival and of neurite outgrowth. To understand the specificity of the signal transduction cascades involved in the control of these processes, we used pharmacological inhibitors of the three main effectors known to act downstream of the bFGF receptor (FGFR): phospholipase Cgamma (PLCgamma), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K). Neuronal survival was assessed at 24 and 48 hr; neurite growth was analyzed both on dissociated neurons and on explants of whole ganglia. Our data show that only the PI3-K pathway is involved in the survival-promoting effect of bFGF; on the other hand, all three effectors converge on the enhancement of neurite outgrowth, both on isolated neurons and in whole ganglia.
2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Cell Survival / drug effects
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Cell Survival / physiology
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Cells, Cultured / cytology
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Cells, Cultured / drug effects
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Chick Embryo
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Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / pharmacology
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Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / physiology*
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Ganglia, Parasympathetic / cytology
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Ganglia, Parasympathetic / drug effects*
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MAP Kinase Signaling System / drug effects
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MAP Kinase Signaling System / physiology
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Nerve Tissue Proteins / drug effects
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Nerve Tissue Proteins / physiology
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Neurites / drug effects*
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Neurites / physiology
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Organ Culture Techniques
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Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / physiology
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Phospholipase C gamma / physiology
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Phosphorylation / drug effects
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Protein Processing, Post-Translational / drug effects
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Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 1 / drug effects
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Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 1 / physiology
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Second Messenger Systems / drug effects*
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Second Messenger Systems / physiology
Substances
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Nerve Tissue Proteins
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Fibroblast Growth Factor 2
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Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases
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Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 1
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Phospholipase C gamma