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Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Visualizing Axonal Growth Cone Collapse and Early Amyloid β Effects in Cultured Mouse Neurons
Published on: October 30, 2018
Epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors promote CNS axon growth through off-target effects on glia
Zubair Ahmed1, Steven J Jacques, Martin Berry
1Molecular Neuroscience Group, School of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Institute of Biomedical Research (West), Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK. z.ahmed.1@bham.ac.uk
Abstract:
Administration of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors (e.g. AG1478/PD168393) promotes central nervous system (CNS) axon regeneration in vivo by an unknown mechanism. Here, we show that EGFR activation is not required for AG1478-/PD168393-induced neurite outgrowth in cultures of dorsal root ganglion neurons (DRGN) with added inhibitory CNS myelin extract (CME), but is mediated by the paracrine and autocrine actions of the glia-/neuron-derived neurotrophins (NT) NGF, BDNF and NT-3 through Trk signalling in DRGN potentiated by elevated cAMP levels. The DRGN neurite growth seen in CME-inhibited cultures treated with AG1478 is eradicated by blocking Trk signalling but undiminished after siRNA knockdown of >90% EGFR. Moreover, addition of the combined triplet of NT restores neurite outgrowth in CME-inhibited cultures, when cAMP levels are raised. Accordingly, we suggest that chemical EGFR inhibitors act independently of EGFR, inducing glia and neurons to secrete NT and raising cAMP levels in DRG cultures, leading to Trk-dependent disinhibited DRGN neurite outgrowth.
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