Brain derived neurotrophic factor induces a rapid upregulation of synaptophysin and tau proteins via the neurotrophin receptor TrkB in rat cerebellar granule cells

• Published in: Neuroscience letters Vol. 227; no. 3; pp. 177 - 180
• Main Authors: Coffey, Eleanor T, Åkerman, Karl E.O, Courtney, Michael J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 23.05.1997; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animals; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Biological and medical sciences; Brain derived neurotrophic factor; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor - pharmacology; Cerebellar granule cells; Cerebellum - chemistry; Cerebellum - cytology; Cerebellum - metabolism; Development. Senescence. Regeneration. Transplantation; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Immunoblotting; Neurotrophin; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos - chemistry; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos - immunology; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos - metabolism; Rats; Receptor, Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor; Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor - analysis; Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor - immunology; Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor - physiology; Signal Transduction - physiology; Synaptophysin; Synaptophysin - analysis; Synaptophysin - immunology; Synaptophysin - metabolism; Tau; tau Proteins - analysis; tau Proteins - immunology; tau Proteins - metabolism; TrkB; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; Neurotrophin; Synaptophysin; Tau; TrkB; Brain derived neurotrophic factor; Cerebellar granule cells; Cerebellum; Membrane protein; Growth associated protein 43; Granule neuron; Rat; Rodentia; Central nervous system; Nerve growth factor; Ripening; Neurotrophic factor; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Tau protein; Development; Brain (vertebrata); Biological receptor
• ISSN: 0304-3940; 1872-7972
• DOI: 10.1016/S0304-3940(97)00335-2

We have examined the effects of neurotrophins brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF) on the expression of the maturation-specific proteins synaptophysin and tau, and the growth-associated protein (GAP)-43 in cerebellar granule cells. We find that BDNF but not NGF rapidly (within 2 h) upregulates levels of synaptophysin, tau and c-Fos correlating with expression of the neurotrophin receptor TrkB. The rapid increase in synaptophysin is not preceded by c-Fos elevation suggesting a post-transcriptional mechanism may be involved. In contrast, no upregulation of GAP-43 levels are seen within this time period. Phorbol ester mimics the effects of BDNF, indicating that protein kinase C (PKC) is either a component of, or feeds into the signalling mechanism. We conclude that BDNF, characterized to be survival promoting early in differentiation of cerebellar granule cells, enhances maturation at a later stage.