Skip to main content

Growth-associated protein 43 is down-regulated in cultured astrocytes

Metabolic Brain Disease volume 4, pages 47–53 (1989)Cite this article

Abstract

Growth-associated protein 43 (GAP-43; other designations—pp46, F1, B-50, p-57) is an abundant, neural, membrane-associated protein involved in synaptic plasticity and regeneration. We recently reported that GAP-43 is present in plasma membranes of cultured rat astrocytes. In the present study the level of astrocytic GAP-43 was assessed by indirect immunofluorescence labeling of cells with a specific anti-GAP-43 serum and immunoblotting of plasma membrane proteins. The results indicate that all astrocytes from 1-day-old cortex contained GAP-43 and those differentiated in culture did not. Furthermore, GAP-43 decreased dramatically during 3 weeks in culture. These results are consistent with the developmental down-regulation of GAP-43in vivo.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

43,34 €

Price includes VAT (Finland)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

References

  • Basi, G. S., Jacobson, R. D., Virag, I., Schilling, J., and Skene, J. H. P. (1987). Primary structure and transcriptional regulation of GAP-43, a protein associated with nerve growth.Cell 49: 785–791.

    Google Scholar 

  • Benowitz, L. I., and Routtenberg, A. (1987). A membrane phosphoprotein associated with neural development, axonal regeneration, phospholipid metabolism, and synaptic plasticity.Trends Neurosci. 10: 527–532.

    Google Scholar 

  • Benowitz, L. I., Apostolides, P. J., Perrone-Bizzozero, N. I., Finkelstein, S. P., and Zwiers, H. (1988). Anatomical distribution of the growth-associated protein GAP-43/B-50 in the adult rat brain.J. Neurosci. 8: 339–352.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cimier, B. M., Andreasen, T. J., Andreasen, K. I., and Storm, D. R. (1985). P-57 is a neural specific calmodulin-binding protein.J. Biol. Chem. 260: 10784–10788.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jacobson, R. D., Virag, I., and Skene, J. H. P. (1986). A protein associated with axon growth, GAP-43, is widely distributed and developmentally regulated in rat CNS.J. Neurosci. 6: 1843–1855.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meiri, K. F., Pfenninger, K. H., and Willard, M. B. (1986). Growth-associated protein, GAP-43, a polypeptide that is induced when neurons extend axons, is a component of growth cones and corresponds to pp46: a major polypeptide of a subcellular fraction enriched in growth cones.Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 83: 3537–3541.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mersel, M., Benenson, A., Delaunoy, J.-P., Devilliers, G., and Mandel, P. (1983). Long-term effects of brain trypsinization before cell seeding on cell morphology and surface composition.Neurochem. Res. 8: 449–463.

    Google Scholar 

  • Neve, R. L., Perrone-Bizzozero, N. I., Finkelstein, S., Zwiers, H., Bird, E., Kurnit, D. M., and Benowitz, L. I. (1987). The neuronal growth associated protein GAP-43 (B-50, F1): Neuronal specificity, developmental regulation and regional distribution of the human and rat mRNAs.Mol. Brain Res. 2: 177–183.

    Google Scholar 

  • O'Farrell, P. H. (1975). High resolution two-dimensional electrophoresis of proteins.J. Biol. Chem. 250: 4001–4021.

    Google Scholar 

  • Perrone-Bizzozero, N. I., Finkelstein, S. P., and Benowitz, L. I. (1986). Synthesis of a growth-associated protein by embryonic rat cerebrocortical neurons in vitro.J. Neurosci. 66: 3721–3730.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sensenbrenner, M., Devilliers, G., Bock, E., and Porte, A. (1980). Biochemical and ultrastructural studies of cultured rat astroglial cells.Differentiation 17: 51–61.

    Google Scholar 

  • Skene, J. H. P. (1984). Growth-associated proteins and the curious dichodomies of nerve regeneration.Cell 37: 697–700.

    Google Scholar 

  • Skene, J. H. P., Jacobson, R. D., Snipes, G. J., McGuire, C. B., Norden, J. J., and Freedman, J. M. (1986). A protein induced during nerve growth (GAP-43) is a major component of growth-cone membranes.Science 233: 783–786.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steisslinger, H. W., Aloyo, V. J., and Vitković, L. (1987). Characterization of two plasma membrane proteins abundant in rat brain.Brain Res. 415: 375–379.

    Google Scholar 

  • Temple, S., and Raff, M. C. (1985). Differentiation of a bipotential progenitor cell in a single cell micro-culture.Nature 313: 223–225.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vitković, L., Steisslinger, H. W., Aloyo, V. J., and Mersel, M. (1988) The 43kDa neuronal growth-associated protein GAP-43 is present in plasma membranes of rat astrocytes.Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85: 8296–8300.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Affiliations

  1. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Laboratory of Immunoregulation, 20892, Bethesda, Maryland

    Ljubiša Vitković

  2. Centre de Neurochimie du CNRS et INSERM U. 44, 5 rue Blaise Pascal, 67084, Strasbourg, France

    Marcel Mersel

Authors
  1. Ljubiša Vitković
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Marcel Mersel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Vitković, L., Mersel, M. Growth-associated protein 43 is down-regulated in cultured astrocytes. Metab Brain Dis 4, 47–53 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00999493

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00999493

Key words

  • growth-associated protein 43
  • development
  • astrocytes
  • rat
  • cortex