A novel function of the human oncogene Stil: Regulation of PC12 cell toxic susceptibility through the Shh pathway

Lei Li1, Aprell L Carr1, Lei Sun2

  • 1Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556.

Scientific Reports
|November 10, 2015
PubMed

Insights

The human oncogene Stil regulates toxic susceptibility in dopaminergic neurons. Stil

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Oncology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • The human oncogene SCL/TAL1 interrupting locus (Stil) is crucial in vertebrate development.
  • Its role in neural toxic susceptibility remains largely unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the function of Stil in regulating toxic susceptibility in mammalian dopaminergic (DA)-like PC12 cells.
  • To elucidate the signaling pathways involved in Stil-mediated regulation of cellular response to toxins.

Main Methods:

  • RNAi-mediated knockdown and overexpression of Stil in PC12 cells.
  • Assessment of cell survival following toxic drug treatment in proliferating and differentiated PC12 cells.
  • Modulation of Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling to investigate its interaction with Stil.

Main Results:

  • Stil knockdown increased cell death in differentiated neurons upon toxic drug exposure.
  • Stil overexpression enhanced toxic susceptibility in proliferating PC12 cells but not in differentiated neurons.
  • Manipulation of Shh signaling mimicked Stil's effects, indicating its involvement in the pathway.

Conclusions:

  • The human oncogene Stil plays a novel role in modulating neural toxic susceptibility.
  • Stil exerts its regulatory function through the Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling pathway.
  • These findings offer new insights into the mechanisms underlying neuronal vulnerability to toxins.

Related Concept Videos

Hedgehog Signaling Pathway02:33

Hedgehog Signaling Pathway

The Hedgehog gene (Hh) was first discovered due to its control of the growth of disorganized, hair-like bristles phenotype in Drosophila, much like hedgehog spines. Hh plays a crucial role in the development of organs and the maintenance of homeostasis in both invertebrates and vertebrates. However, while Drosophila has only one Hh protein, mammals have multiple functional Hedgehog proteins - Sonic (Shh), Desert (Dhh), and Indian Hedgehog (Ihh). All of these homologous proteins have adapted to...
10.4K
Role Of Notch Signalling In Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal01:12

Role Of Notch Signalling In Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal

Notch signaling was first discovered in Drosophila melanogaster, where it is involved in cell lineage differentiation. Notch signaling regulates the maintenance and differentiation of intestinal stem cells or ISCs by controlling the expression of atonal homolog 1 or Atoh1. Atoh1 directs cells to differentiate into secretory cells.
Direct cell-to-cell contact is needed for the activation of Notch signaling. The signal is initiated when a notch ligand binds to a receptor on an adjacent cell, also...
2.6K
The JAK-STAT Signaling Pathway01:20

The JAK-STAT Signaling Pathway

Several cytokine receptors have tightly bound Janus kinase or JAK proteins attached at their cytosolic tail. Small signaling molecules such as cytokines, growth hormones, or prolactins bind to the cytokine receptors and initiate their dimerization. The dimerization brings the cytosolic JAKs together that trans-phosphorylate and activates each other. The activated JAKs now phosphorylate cytosolic tails of the cytokine receptors, which serve as binding sites for adaptor proteins such as  SH2...
13.9K
Abnormal Proliferation02:23

Abnormal Proliferation

Under normal conditions, most adult cells remain in a non-proliferative state unless stimulated by internal or external factors to replace lost cells. Abnormal cell proliferation is a condition in which the cell's growth exceeds and is uncoordinated with normal cells. In such situations, cell division persists in the same excessive manner even after cessation of the stimuli, leading to persistent tumors. The tumor arises from the damaged cells that replicate to pass the damage to the...
5.4K
Interactions Between Signaling Pathways01:19

Interactions Between Signaling Pathways

Signaling cascades usually lack linearity. Multiple pathways interact and regulate one another, allowing cells to integrate and respond to diverse environmental stimuli.
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...
7.9K
Notch Signaling Pathway03:14

Notch Signaling Pathway

The Notch signaling pathway is a major intracellular signaling pathway that is highly conserved over a broad spectrum of metazoan species. It stands unique from other intracellular signaling mechanisms in animals because notch protein itself acts as the receptor as well as the primary signaling molecule.
The Notch gene came into the limelight in 1914 after the discovery that its mutation in Drosophila melanogaster leads to a serrated (or "notched") wing margin phenotype. It was not...
6.9K