Dystrophin Dp71f associates with components of the beta1-integrin adhesion complex in PC12 cell neurites

Dystrophin Dp71 has been implicated with cognitive impairment shown by Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients. To study Dp71 neural role, we used PC12 cell line, since these cells differentiate into sympathetic like neurons when stimulated with nerve growth factor Previously in undiferentiated PC12 cells, it was demonstrated that dystrophin Dp71f is a key component of the beta1-integrin adhesion complex that confers proper complex assembly. Since integrin based mediated adhesion is important during neuronal differentiation, it was important to know if dystrophin Dp71f was a structural component of the beta1-integrin adhesion complex in neurites of nerve growth factor stimulated PC12 cells. In the present work, by performing immunofluorescence assays, we determined the association of dystrophin Dp71f with some components of the beta1-integrin adhesion complex such as beta1-integrin subunit, talin, alpha-actinin and vinculin in neurites of nerve growth factor stimulated PC12 cells seeded onto the extracellular matrix protein laminin. The association was stronger in neural growth cones suggesting that dystrophin Dp71f is important for the function that the beta1-integrin complex has during neurite outgrowth.