A chromaffin cell-derived protein induces the NADPH-diaphorase phenotype in cultured rat spinal cord neurons.

Abstract

We have recently demonstrated that neurotrophins induce reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-diaphorase activity in cultured spinal cord neurons. One prominent neuron population of the spinal cord expressing NADPH-diaphorase activity in vivo are preganglionic sympathetic neurons, including those innervating the adrenal medulla. These neurons receive trophic support from their target. We have shown previously that chromaffin cells contain as yet unidentified neurotrophic molecules, which may include releasable factors relevant for the survival and differentiation of developing preganglionic sympathetic neurons. We have studied the influence of proteins derived from bovine chromaffin cells and released by nicotine on NADPH-diaphorase expression in spinal cord cultures established from 16-day-old rat embryos. At this embryonic age, NADPH-diaphorase activity becomes apparent in the spinal cord and predominantly expressed in sympathetic nuclei. Similar to brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neurotrophin-4, a heat- and trypsin-sensitive component from chromaffin cells contained in granule preparations up-regulated the number of NADPH-diaphorase-positive neurons in spinal cord cultures. Combined application of this activity and neurotrophin-4 resulted in an additive effect, indicating that the effect of the chromaffin cell-derived active component is not mediated by one of the trk B ligands. This was confirmed by co-treatment studies with the trk-signalling pathway inhibitor K252b, which did not inhibit the effect of the chromaffin cell-derived protein(s). Further studies revealed that NADPH-diaphorase reactivity is inducible in spinal cord neurons at any time point throughout the entire culture period of six days, suggesting de novo induction of the enzyme rather than a survival-promoting effect of the activity from chromaffin cells. Culture supernatants from nicotine-stimulated bovine chromaffin cells induced NADPH-diaphorase-positive neurons at the same magnitude as the material obtained from chromaffin granule preparations. Our data suggest that chromaffin cell-derived proteins are capable of up-regulating NADPH-diaphorase activity or to induce de novo this transmitter phenotype in neuron populations of the spinal cord, which may include preganglionic sympathetic neurons.