Global expression analysis identified a preferentially NGF-induced transcriptional program regulated by sustained MEK/ERK and AP-1 activation during PC12 differentiation.

Neuronal differentiation of PC12 cells in response to NGF is a prototypical model in which signal duration determines a biological response. Sustained ERK activity induced by NGF, as compared to transient activity induced by EGF, is critical to the differentiation of these cells. To characterize the transcriptional program activated preferentially by NGF, we compared global gene expression profiles between cells treated with NGF and EGF for 2-4 hrs, when sustained ERK signaling in response to NGF is most distinct from the transient signal elicited by EGF. This analysis identified 69 genes that were preferentially upregulated in response to NGF.PC12细胞响应神经生长因子（Nerve Growth Factor, NGF）的神经元分化，是一类以信号时长决定生物学应答的经典研究模型。相较于表皮生长因子（Epidermal Growth Factor, EGF）诱导的瞬时细胞外调节蛋白激酶（Extracellular Regulated Protein Kinases, ERK）活性，NGF所诱导的持续ERK活性，对该类细胞的分化进程至关重要。为了表征NGF优先激活的转录程序，我们对经NGF与EGF处理2-4小时的细胞进行了全局基因表达谱对比分析；此时NGF触发的持续性ERK信号，与EGF引发的瞬时信号差异最为显著。本次分析共鉴定出69个在NGF处理条件下优先上调的基因。