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Analyzing Murine Schwann Cell Development Along Growing Axons
Published on: November 21, 2012
An autocrine function of nerve growth factor for cell cycle regulation of vascular endothelial cells
Akane Tanaka1, Utako Wakita, Naotomo Kambe
1Laboratory of Clinical Immunology, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 3-5-8 Saiwai-cho, Fuchu, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan.
Abstract:
Nerve growth factor (NGF) regulates maintenance, survival, and function of not only neuronal cells but also various kinds of non-neuronal cells. Here we clearly demonstrated that mouse aortic endothelial cells (AEC) produced bioactive NGF, and the production was enhanced by a proinflammatory cytokine, interleukin (IL)-1beta. AEC expressed both high affinity (TrkA) and low affinity (p75(NGFR)) receptors for NGF. Exogenously added NGF induced rapid phosphorylation of TrkA tyrosine kinase. Addition of anti-NGF neutralizing antibody resulted in an increase in the proportion of AEC in S and G(2)/M phases and in a hypodiploid range. Since the vascular endothelium plays a pivotal role in inflammatory conditions, these results strongly suggest that NGF, whose production is enhanced at the affected site, may contribute to maintenance, survival, and function of vascular endothelial cells by autocrine and/or paracrine mechanisms.
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