Kano Y, Horie N, Doi S, Aramaki F, Maeda H, Hiragami F, Kawamura K, Motoda H, Koike Y, Akiyama J, Eguchi S, Hashimoto K.
Source
Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health Science, Kibi International University, 8 Iga-machi, Takahashi-city, Okayama, 716-8508, Japan. yoshio@kiui.ac.jp
Abstract
We investigated whether artepillin C, a major component of Brazilian propolis, acts as a neurotrophic-like factor in rat PC12m3 cells, in which nerve growth factor (NGF)-induced neurite outgrowth is impaired. When cultures of PC12m3 cells were treated with artepillin C at a concentration of 20 microM, the frequency of neurite outgrowth induced by artepillin C was approximately 7-fold greater than that induced by NGF alone. Artepillin C induced-neurite outgrowth of PC12m3 cells was inhibited by the ERK inhibitor U0126 and by the p38 MAPK inhibitor SB203580. Although artepillin C-induced p38 MAPK activity was detected in PC12m3 cells, phosphorylation of ERK induced by artepillin C was not observed. On the other hand, artepillin C caused rapid activation of ERK and the time course of the activation was similar to that induced by NGF treatment in PC12 parental cells. However, NGF-induced neurite outgrowth was inhibited by artepillin C treatment. Interestingly, inhibition of ERK by U0126 completely prevented artepillin C-induced p38 MAPK phosphorylation of PC12m3 cells. These findings suggest that artepillin C-induced activation of p38 MAPK through the ERK signaling pathway is responsible for the neurite outgrowth of PC12m3 cells.
* THESE STATEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN EVALUATED BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION. THIS IS NOT INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT CURE OR PREVENT ANY DISEASE.