In the last decade, Nerve Growth Factor (NGF)-based clinical approaches have lacked specific and efficient Tyrosine Kinase A (TrkA) agonists for brain delivery. Nowadays, the characterization of novel small peptidomimetic is taking centre stage in preclinical studies, in order to overcome the main size-related limitation in brain delivery of NGF holoprotein for Central Nervous System (CNS) pathologies. Here we investigated the NGF mimetic properties of the human NGF 1-14 sequence (hNGF1-14) and its derivatives, by resorting to primary cholinergic and dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons. Briefly, we observed that: 1) hNGF1-14 peptides engage the NGF pathway through TrkA phosphorylation at tyrosine 490 (Y490), and activation of ShcC/PI3K and Plc-gamma/MAPK signalling, promoting AKT-dependent survival and CREB-driven neuronal activity, as seen by levels of the immediate early gene c-Fos, of the cholinergic marker Choline Acetyltransferase (ChAT), and of Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF); 2) their NGF mimetic activity is lost upon selective TrkA inhibition by means of GW441756; 3) hNGF1-14 peptides are able to sustain DRG survival and differentiation in absence of NGF. Furthermore, the acetylated derivative Ac-hNGF1-14 demonstrated an optimal NGF mimetic activity in both neuronal paradigms and an electrophysiological profile similar to NGF in cholinergic neurons. Cumulatively, the findings here reported pinpoint the hNGF1-14 peptide, and in particular its acetylated derivative, as novel, specific and low molecular weight TrkA specific agonists in both CNS and PNS primary neurons.

Triaca, V., Fico, E., Sposato, V., Caioli, S., Ciotti, M.t., Zona, C., et al. (2020). hNGF peptides elicit the NGF-TrkA signalling pathway in cholinergic neurons and retain full neurotrophic activity in the DRG assay. BIOMOLECULES, 10(2), 216 [10.3390/biom10020216].

hNGF peptides elicit the NGF-TrkA signalling pathway in cholinergic neurons and retain full neurotrophic activity in the DRG assay

Sposato V.;Caioli S.;Zona C.;Calissano P.
2020-01-01

Abstract

In the last decade, Nerve Growth Factor (NGF)-based clinical approaches have lacked specific and efficient Tyrosine Kinase A (TrkA) agonists for brain delivery. Nowadays, the characterization of novel small peptidomimetic is taking centre stage in preclinical studies, in order to overcome the main size-related limitation in brain delivery of NGF holoprotein for Central Nervous System (CNS) pathologies. Here we investigated the NGF mimetic properties of the human NGF 1-14 sequence (hNGF1-14) and its derivatives, by resorting to primary cholinergic and dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons. Briefly, we observed that: 1) hNGF1-14 peptides engage the NGF pathway through TrkA phosphorylation at tyrosine 490 (Y490), and activation of ShcC/PI3K and Plc-gamma/MAPK signalling, promoting AKT-dependent survival and CREB-driven neuronal activity, as seen by levels of the immediate early gene c-Fos, of the cholinergic marker Choline Acetyltransferase (ChAT), and of Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF); 2) their NGF mimetic activity is lost upon selective TrkA inhibition by means of GW441756; 3) hNGF1-14 peptides are able to sustain DRG survival and differentiation in absence of NGF. Furthermore, the acetylated derivative Ac-hNGF1-14 demonstrated an optimal NGF mimetic activity in both neuronal paradigms and an electrophysiological profile similar to NGF in cholinergic neurons. Cumulatively, the findings here reported pinpoint the hNGF1-14 peptide, and in particular its acetylated derivative, as novel, specific and low molecular weight TrkA specific agonists in both CNS and PNS primary neurons.
2020
Pubblicato
Rilevanza internazionale
Articolo
Esperti anonimi
Settore BIO/09 - FISIOLOGIA
English
NGF mimetic
hNGF1-14
TrkA agonist
cholinergic neurons
DRG
neurotrophic therapy
Animals
Biological Assay
Cell Differentiation
Cell Survival
Cells, Cultured
Cholinergic Neurons
Ganglia, Spinal
Humans
Nerve Growth Factor
Peptides
Phosphorylation
Rats
Receptor, trkA
Signal Transduction
Src Homology 2 Domain-Containing, Transforming Protein 3
Tyrosine
Triaca, V., Fico, E., Sposato, V., Caioli, S., Ciotti, M.t., Zona, C., et al. (2020). hNGF peptides elicit the NGF-TrkA signalling pathway in cholinergic neurons and retain full neurotrophic activity in the DRG assay. BIOMOLECULES, 10(2), 216 [10.3390/biom10020216].
Triaca, V; Fico, E; Sposato, V; Caioli, S; Ciotti, Mt; Zona, C; Mercanti, D; Mendola, Dl; Satriano, C; Rizzarelli, E; Tirassa, P; Calissano, P
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2108/274787
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