Abstract

Cell survival is an essential function in the development and maintenance of the nervous system. We demonstrate here a previously unappreciated role for extracellular nucleotide signaling through the P2Y<sub>2</sub> receptor in the survival of neurons: PC12 (pheochromocytoma 12) cells and dorsal root ganglion neurons are protected from serum starvation-induced apoptosis by ATP, UTP, and ATPγS, an effect mediated via P2Y<sub>2</sub> receptors, as demonstrated by small interfering RNA and genetic knock-out models. This protection occurs independently of neurophin signaling but requires Src activation of ERK (extracellular signal-regulated kinase) and Akt. Moreover, ATPγS and NGF act synergistically to enhance neuronal survival through enhanced TrkA signaling. The results, which define a novel mechanism for inhibition of apoptosis, implicate parallel, interacting systems—extracellular nucleotides/P2Y<sub>2</sub> receptors and neurotrophin/TrkA—to sustain neuronal survival.

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