Ryanodine receptor-mediated interference of neuronal cell differentiation by presenilin 2 mutation.

Neuronal cell differentiation alterations induced by mutant presenilin 2 (PS2) were investigated in transgenic mice expressing wild-type or mutant-type PS2. Progressive increases in differentiation and marker protein expression were found in neuronal cells expressing wild-type PS2, whereas these processes were much perturbed in mutant-type PS2 with elevated ryanodine-receptor (RyR) expression and intracellular calcium levels. Moreover, dantrolene, a blocker of RyR reduced the PS2 mutation-induced interference of cell differentiation and calcium release, but caffeine, an activator of RyR, exacerbated PS2 mutation-induced interference with cell differentiation.

Neuronal differentiation of embryonic midbrain cells by upregulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma via the JNK-dependent pathway.

Our previous study showed that the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-gamma) agonist 15-deoxy-PGJ(2) has the promoting ability to differentiate neuronal PC12 cells. To expand our study, the effect of 15-deoxy-PGJ(2) on the differentiation of embryonic midbrain cells into dopaminergic neuronal cells was investigated in this study. The relationship between cell differentiation with activation of PPAR-gamma and the possible signal pathway were also investigated.

Protective role of Bcl-2 on beta-amyloid-induced cell death of differentiated PC12 cells: reduction of NF-kappaB and p38 MAP kinase activation.

Activation of the apoptosis program by an increased production of beta-amyloid peptides (Abeta) has been implicated in the neuronal cell death of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Bcl-2 is a well-demonstrated anti-apoptotic protein, however, the mechanisms of anti-apoptotic action of Bcl-2 in Abeta-induced neuronal cell death are not fully understood. In the present study, we therefore have investigated the possibility that overexpression of Bcl-2 may prevent Abeta-induced cell death through inhibition of pro-apoptotic activation of p38 MAP kinase and the transcription factor NF-kappaB in nerve growth factor (NGF)-induced differentiated PC12 cells.

Activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and activator protein-1 during the promotion of neurite extension of PC-12 cells by 15-deoxy-delta12,14-prostaglandin J2.

15-Deoxy-Delta(12,14)-prostaglandin J(2) (15-deoxy-PGJ(2)), a naturally occurring ligand, activates the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-gamma). Activation of PPAR-gamma has been found to induce cell differentiation in such cells as adipose cells and macrophages. Herein, we investigated whether 15-deoxy-PGJ(2) has neuronal cell differentiation and possible underlying molecular mechanisms.