Inhibition of PACAP activity by a receptor antagonist results in changes in cell cycle and apoptotic proteins in chick neuroblasts.

We showed previously that early chick neuroblasts stop proliferating and undergo apoptosis when deprived of endogenous pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP). To identify proteins involved in these processes, we blocked the primary PACAP receptor and determined protein changes using isotope-coded affinity tag (ICAT) analysis. Cell cycle exit was characterized by a decrease in proteins regulating ribosome biogenesis and protein translation.

PACAP maintains cell cycling and inhibits apoptosis in chick neuroblasts.

We previously reported that pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) increased cAMP in neuroblast-enriched cultures from embryonic day 3.5 chick brain. Also, the neuroblasts expressed the mRNA, peptide, and receptor for PACAP.