Gicerin/CD146 is involved in neurite extension of NGF-treated PC12 cells

• Published in: Journal of cellular physiology Vol. 204; no. 2; pp. 632 - 637
• Main Authors: Taira, Eiichi, Kohama, Keiko, Tsukamoto, Yasuhiro, Okumura, Shigeki, Miki, Naomasa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01.08.2005
• Subjects: Animals; Antigens, CD - biosynthesis; Antigens, CD - physiology; CD146 Antigen; Cell Adhesion - physiology; Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments - pharmacology; Nerve Growth Factors - pharmacology; Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules - biosynthesis; Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules - physiology; Neurites - physiology; Neurons - drug effects; Neurons - physiology; PC12 Cells; Rats; Recombinant Fusion Proteins - pharmacology
• ISSN: 0021-9541; 1097-4652
• DOI: 10.1002/jcp.20365

Gicerin/CD146 is a cell adhesion molecule, which belongs to the immunoglobulin (Ig) superfamily. We have reported that it has a homophilic binding activity, which participates in the neurite extension from embryonic neurons. To elucidate how gicerin is involved in the neurite extension mechanism, we employed PC12 cells, which expresses gicerin/CD146. PC12 cells extend longer neurites by nerve growth factor (NGF) on gicerin substrate than on without gicerin substrate, which indicates that gicerin participates in neurite extension by NGF. We also found that the expression of gicerin in PC12 cells is induced by NGF. Over‐expression of gicerin also promotes neurite extension by gicerin–gicerin homophilic interaction. These findings suggested that increase of gicerin expression by NGF promotes the gicerin–gicerin homophilic interaction resulting in the neurite extension. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.