Abstract
Expression of the c-fos proto-oncogene in rat neocortical astrocytes in culture was examined using Northern blotting and immunocytochemistry. Marked induction of c-fos mRNA in astrocytes was observed after treatment with epidermal growth factor (EGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), dibutyryl cyclic AMP (db-cAMP), and phorbol diester (TPA; 12-O-tetra-decanoylphorbol 13-acetate), which are known to induce the proliferation or differentiation of astrocytes. Increase of c-fos protein immunoreactivity (IR) was obtained after treatment with fetal calf serum, EGF, bFGF, db-cAMP and TPA. High concentrations of calcium ionophore A23187, which were lethal to cultured astrocytes, also increased c-fos protein-IR. Treatment with lower concentrations of calcium ionophore (which slightly increase Ca2+ uptake), higk K+ and nerve growth factor had no detectable effect on c-fos expression. These results show that depolarization does not induce c-fos in astrocytes and suggest that c-fos may play a role in differentiation and proliferation of astrocytes.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 69-75 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Molecular Brain Research |
Volume | 8 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1990 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Astrocyte culture
- c-fos
- Cyclic AMP
- Epidermal growth factor
- Phorbol ester
- Protein kinase
- Proto-oncogene
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Molecular Biology
- Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience