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Cyclic AMP Decreases the Expression of a Neuronal Marker (GAD 67 ) and Increases the Expression of an Astroglial Marker (GFAP) in C6 Cells
Author(s) -
Segovia José,
Lawless George M.,
Tillakaratne Niranjala J. K.,
Brenner Michael,
Tobin Allan J.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
journal of neurochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.75
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1471-4159
pISSN - 0022-3042
DOI - 10.1046/j.1471-4159.1994.63041218.x
Subject(s) - microbiology and biotechnology , glial fibrillary acidic protein , biology , chemistry , immunohistochemistry , immunology
C6 cells express proteins and mRNAs that are characteristic of both glia and neurons. Agents that increase intracellular levels of cyclic AMP (cAMP) decrease the enzymatic activity of glutamate decarboxylase (GAD), a neuronal marker, and the mRNA levels for one of the two GAD isoenzymes, GAD 67 . This reduction is accompanied by increased levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) mRNA, an astrocyte marker. Transient transfection assays, in which a 2‐kb upstream regulatory region of the human GFAP gene was linked to a reporter gene, indicate that at least some of the cAMP‐mediated increase of GFAP mRNA levels is due to increased transcription. Increases in intracellular cAMP appear to induce differentiation of C6 cells toward a more mature astrocyte phenotype.