Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 24, 2026

Protocol for Culturing Sympathetic Neurons from Rat Superior Cervical Ganglia (SCG)
11:49

Protocol for Culturing Sympathetic Neurons from Rat Superior Cervical Ganglia (SCG)

Published on: January 30, 2009

Nerve growth factor (NGF) induces mRNA expression of the new transcription factor protein p48ZnF

Klaus Heese1, Yasuo Nagai, Tohru Sawada

  • 1BF Research Institute Inc., c/o National Cardiovascular Center 5-7-1 Fujishirodai, Suita, Osaka 565-0873, Japan. KHEESE@NTU.EDU.SG

Experimental & Molecular Medicine
|May 20, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Researchers identified p48ZnF, a novel protein involved in apoptosis. This protein is upregulated in neuronal cells stimulated by nerve growth factor (NGF), suggesting a role in neuronal survival and potentially neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Area of Science:

  • Cell biology
  • Neuroscience
  • Molecular biology

Background:

  • Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is vital for tissue homeostasis.
  • Dysregulated apoptosis is linked to cancer, autoimmune diseases, and neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify novel proteins involved in the apoptotic process.
  • To investigate the role of newly identified proteins in neuronal survival.

Main Methods:

  • cDNA subtraction analysis was used to compare gene expression in apoptotic cells.
  • Protein localization and expression were analyzed in rat neuronal PC12 cells.

Main Results:

  • A novel zinc-finger protein, p48ZnF, was identified and found to be predominantly located in the cytoplasm.
  • p48ZnF expression was significantly upregulated in rat neuronal PC12 cells treated with nerve growth factor (NGF).

Conclusions:

  • p48ZnF may play a critical role in regulating neuronal survival.
  • Further research into p48ZnF could offer new insights into neuroprotection and Alzheimer's disease (AD).

More Related Videos

Identifying, Diagnosing, and Grading Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors in Genetically Engineered Mouse Models08:57

Identifying, Diagnosing, and Grading Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors in Genetically Engineered Mouse Models

Published on: May 17, 2024

Designing Porous Silicon Films as Carriers of Nerve Growth Factor10:12

Designing Porous Silicon Films as Carriers of Nerve Growth Factor

Published on: January 25, 2019

Related Concept Videos

NF-κB-dependent Signaling Pathway02:26

NF-κB-dependent Signaling Pathway

The transcription factor NF-κB was discovered in 1986 in the lab of Nobel laureate Professor David Baltimore, for its interaction with the immunoglobulin light chain enhancer in B-cells. After more than three decades of study, it is now evident that NF-κB regulates the expression of over 100 genes. Most of these genes play an essential role in the innate and adaptive immune responses as well as the inflammatory responses of animals.
NF-κB-dependent Signaling Mechanism
The heterodimer of NF-κB...
TGF - β Signaling Pathway01:16

TGF - β Signaling Pathway

The TGF-β signaling pathway regulates cell growth, differentiation, adhesion, motility, and development. TGF-β ligands that induce TGF-β signaling are synthesized in their latent form. Several proteases or cell surface receptors such as integrins act upon the latent form, releasing the active ligand. There are three types of mammalian TGF-βs: (TGF-β1, TGF-β2, and TGF-β3) that bind as homodimers or heterodimers to TGF-β receptors. The TGF-β receptors are of three kinds RI, RII, and RIII. The RI...
Enzyme-linked Receptors01:00

Enzyme-linked Receptors

Enzyme-linked receptors are proteins that act as both receptor and enzyme, activating multiple intracellular signals. This is a large group of receptors that include the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) family. Many growth factors and hormones bind to and activate the RTKs.
Neurotrophin (NT) receptors are a family of RTKs, including trkA, trkB, and trkC (tropomyosin-related kinase) receptors. TrkA is specific for nerve growth factor (NGF), neurotrophin-6, and neurotrophin-7. TrkB binds...
MAPK Signaling Cascades01:07

MAPK Signaling Cascades

Mitogen-activated protein kinase, or MAPK pathway, activates three sequential kinases to regulate cellular responses such as proliferation, differentiation, survival, and apoptosis. The canonical MAPK pathway starts with a mitogen or growth factor binding to an RTK. The activated RTKs stimulate Ras, which recruits Raf or MAP3 Kinase (MAPKKK), the first kinase of the MAPK signaling cascade. Raf further phosphorylates and activates MEK or MAP2 Kinases (MAPKK), which in turn phosphorylates MAP...
Master Transcription Regulators02:23

Master Transcription Regulators

Master transcription regulators are regulatory proteins that are predominantly responsible for regulating the expression of multiple genes. Often these genes work in concert to drive a  complex process. Activation of a master transcription regulator can lead to a cascade of transcriptional activation necessary for that outcome. These regulators can directly bind to the regulatory sequences of the various genes involved, or they can indirectly regulate transcription by binding to regulatory...
Activation and Inactivation of G Proteins01:22

Activation and Inactivation of G Proteins

Heterotrimeric G proteins are guanine nucleotide-binding proteins. As the name suggests, heterotrimeric G proteins are composed of three subunits: alpha, beta, and gamma. They remain GDP-bound or GTP-bound inside the cells and switch between inactive/active states. The Gα subunit possesses the nucleotide-binding pocket that binds guanine nucleotides and switches between GDP or GTP-bound states. In contrast, the Gꞵ and Gγ subunits are always bound together with high affinity and are together...