Ect2, an Ortholog of Drosophila's Pebble, Negatively Regulates Neurite Outgrowth in Neuroblastoma x Glioma Hybrid NG108-15 Cells

Takahiro Tsuji, Chiharu Higashida, Yasumasa Yoshida, Mohammad Saharul Islam, Mitsuko Dohmoto, Keita Koizumi, Haruhiro Higashida*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

To identify genes required for brain development, we previously performed in vivo RNA interference (RNAi) screening in Drosophila embryos. We identified pebble as a gene that disrupts development of the Drosophila nervous system. Although pebble has been shown to be involved in neuronal development of Drosophila in several screens, the involvement of Ect2, a mammalian ortholog of pebble, in mammalian neuronal development has not been addressed. To examine the role of Ect2 in neuronal differentiation, we performed Ect2 RNAi in the mouse neuroblastoma x rat glioma NG108-15 cell line. Depletion of Ect2 resulted in an increased proportion of binucleate cells and morphological differentiation of NG108-15 cells characterized by the outgrowth of neurites. These morphological changes were correlated with an increased level of acetylcholine esterase mRNA. In addition, expression of Ect2 was decreased in differentiated NG108-15 cells induced by dibutyryl cyclic AMP. These findings indicate that Ect2 negatively regulates the differentiation of NG108-15 cells and suggest that Ect2 may play a role in neuronal differentiation and brain development in vivo.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)663-668
Number of pages6
JournalCellular and molecular neurobiology
Volume31
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jul 2011

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

  • Neuron
  • NG108-15
  • Differentiation
  • RNA interference screening
  • Guanine nucleotide exchange factors
  • NUCLEOTIDE EXCHANGE FACTOR
  • NERVOUS-SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT
  • SYNAPSE FORMATION
  • RHO-GTPASES
  • ACETYLCHOLINE-RELEASE
  • RNA INTERFERENCE
  • EXPRESSION
  • SCREEN
  • CYTOKINESIS
  • TRANSITION

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