CEP-1347 promotes survival of NGF responsive neurones in primary DRG explants

CEP-1347 inhibits the signalling pathway of c-jun-N-terminal kinase, and is neuroprotective in vivo and in vitro. Embryonic chick dorsal root ganglion neurones are dependent on NGF for survival and neurite outgrowth; NGF withdrawal results in apoptotic cell death. We examined the neuroprotective and neurite outgrowth promoting activity of CEP-1347 in dissociated DRG neurones and in primary DRG explants. CEP-1347 was as effective as NGF in promoting survival of dissociated DRG neurones, but caused only limited neurite outgrowth from DRG explants. When NGF was subsequently added to CEP-1347 treated explants, the outgrowth increased to a similar level to explants which had received NGF throughout. CEP-1347 may be a useful tool to maintain viable DRG explants to allow evaluation of neurite outgrowth promoting compounds and dissection of survival and neurite outgrowth signalling pathways.