Inhibition of insulin-like growth factor-I signaling by ethanol in neuronal cells

H Hallak1, A E Seiler, J S Green

  • 1Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107, USA.

Abstract

Insights

Ethanol inhibits insulin-like growth factor-I receptor (IGF-IR) signaling and downstream MAP kinase activation in neuronal cells. However, ethanol

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cell Biology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Ethanol is known to inhibit insulin-like growth factor-I receptor (IGF-IR) activation.
  • The inhibitory effect of ethanol on IGF-IR and other receptor tyrosine kinases varies across cell types.
  • Investigated ethanol's impact on IGF-I signaling in various neuronal cell types.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effect of ethanol on IGF-I signaling pathways in different neuronal cell types.
  • To determine the differential sensitivity of neuronal cells to ethanol-induced inhibition of IGF-I signaling.
  • To elucidate the mechanisms underlying ethanol's effects on IGF-IR and its downstream effectors.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells, primary rat cerebellar granule neurons, and NG-108 neuroblastoma x glioma hybrid cells.
  • Examined tyrosine phosphorylation of IGF-IR, IRS-2, Shc, and p42/p44 MAP kinase (MAPK) using immunoprecipitation and Western blotting.
  • Assessed the association of Grb-2 with Shc.

Main Results:

  • Ethanol inhibited IGF-I-mediated MAPK phosphorylation in all tested neuronal cell lines.
  • Ethanol markedly inhibited IGF-IR autophosphorylation in SH-SY5Y cells, mildly in cerebellar neurons, and not at all in NG-108 cells.
  • In vitro studies showed ethanol inhibited tyrosine autophosphorylation of immunopurified IGF-IR from all cell types, indicating differential sensitivity of proximal signaling mediators.

Conclusions:

  • IGF-I-mediated MAPK activation is a sensitive target for ethanol inhibition in diverse neuronal cells.
  • Ethanol inhibits IGF-IR activity, but IGF-IR tyrosine autophosphorylation is an unreliable marker for this inhibition.
  • Despite uniform MAPK inhibition, proximal IGF-IR signaling components exhibit differential ethanol sensitivity across neuronal cell types.