Internalization of nerve growth factor by pheochromocytoma PC12 cells: absence of transfer to the nucleus

Journal Article · Tue Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1982 · J. Neurosci.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6710527

Rohrer, H; Schaefer, T; Korsching, S; Thoenen, H

The intracellular distribution of /sup 125/I-labeled nerve growth factor (NGF) in rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells was studied by quantitative electron microscopic (EM) autoradiography and by subcellular fractionation. PC12 cells were grown as monolayer cultures in medium supplemented with serum in the presence of /sup 125/I-NGF. EM autoradiography showed that /sup 125/I-NGF was localized at the plasma membrane and cytoplasmic compartments but did not accumulate in the nuclear chromatin or in the nuclear membrane compartment of cells analyzed after 1 hr and 1, 2, and 8 d of incubation with /sup 125/I-NGF. /sup 125/I-NGF also was not detected in nuclear subcellular fractions prepared from cells grown in serum-supplemented medium either in suspension for 1 d or in monolayer cultures for 1 to 8 d. In contrast, and in confirmation of the results of Yankner and Shooter, about 60% of the cell-bound /sup 125/I-NGF was found in the nuclear pellet after cell fractionation if the cells had been kept previously in suspension for 1 d in phosphate-buffered saline supplemented with 0.2% glucose, 0.1% bovine serum albumin, and /sup 125/I-NGF. The ultrastructure of PC12 cells grown under such conditions, however, revealed signs of varying degrees of damage. Autoradiography of the nuclear pellet from these cells showed the grains to be located mainly over damaged nuclei or over cell debris between nuclei. It is concluded that NGF, after binding to specific receptors at the plasma membrane, is transferred to membrane-confined cytoplasmic compartments but does not have to be transferred further to the nuclear membrane or to the nuclear chromatin as a prerequisite for its physiological action.

• Research Organization: Department of Neurochemistry, Max-Planck-Institute for Psychiatry, Munich, Federal Republic of Germany
• OSTI ID: 6710527
• Journal Information: J. Neurosci.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Neurosci.; (United States) Vol. 2:6; ISSN JNRSD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMAL TISSUES
AUTORADIOGRAPHY
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BINDING ENERGY
BODY
BUILDUP
CELL CONSTITUENTS
CELL CULTURES
CELL MEMBRANES
CELL NUCLEI
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHROMATIN
CYTOPLASM
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
ELECTRON CAPTURE RADIOISOTOPES
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
ENERGY
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
IODINE 125
IODINE ISOTOPES
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
ISOTOPES
MEMBRANES
MICROSCOPY
MORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES
NERVE TISSUE
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
PHYSIOLOGY
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
RADIOISOTOPES
TISSUES
TUMOR CELLS
ULTRASTRUCTURAL CHANGES