Daidzein induces neuritogenesis in DRG neuronal cultures

• Published in: Journal of biomedical science 2012-08, Vol.19 (1), p.80-80, Article 80
• Main Authors: Yang, Shih-Hung, Liao, Chih-Chen, Chen, Ying, Syu, Jhih-Pu, Jeng, Chung-Jiuan, Wang, Seu-Mei
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Cells, Cultured; Colleges & universities; Daidzein; DRG neuronal culture; Estrogen; Ganglia, Spinal - cytology; Ganglia, Spinal - drug effects; Ganglia, Spinal - growth & development; Gene Expression Regulation - drug effects; In Vitro Techniques; Isoflavones; Isoflavones - pharmacology; Kinases; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases - antagonists & inhibitors; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases - metabolism; Mitogens; Neurite outgrowth; Neurites - drug effects; Neurites - physiology; Neurons; Neuroprotective Agents - pharmacology; Oncogene Protein pp60(v-src) - antagonists & inhibitors; Oncogene Protein pp60(v-src) - metabolism; Protein Kinase C-delta - antagonists & inhibitors; Protein Kinase C-delta - metabolism; Protein kinases; Proteins; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Rodents; Signal Transduction; Signaling mechanism
• ISSN: 1423-0127; 1021-7770; 1423-0127
• DOI: 10.1186/1423-0127-19-80

Daidzein, a phytoestrogen found in isoflavone, is known to exert neurotrophic and neuroprotective effects on the nervous system. Using primary rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neuronal cultures, we have examined the potential neurite outgrowth effect of daidzein. Dissociated dorsal root ganglia (DRG) cultures were used to study the signaling mechanism of daidzein-induced neuritogenesis by immunocytochemistry and Western blotting. In response to daidzein treatment, DRG neurons showed a significant increase in total neurite length and in tip number per neuron. The neuritogenic effect of daidzein was significantly hampered by specific blockers for Src, protein kinase C delta (PKCδ) and mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinases (MEK/ERK), but not by those for estrogen receptor (ER). Moreover, daidzein induced phosphorylation of Src, PKCδ and ERK. The activation of PKCδ by daidzein was attenuated in the presence of a Src kinase inhibitor, and that of ERK by daidzein was diminished in the presence of either a Src or PKCδ inhibitor. Daidzein may stimulate neurite outgrowth of DRG neurons depending on Src kinase, PKCδ and ERK signaling pathway.