A peptide derived from the CD loop-D helix region of ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) induces neuronal differentiation and survival by binding to the leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) receptor and common cytokine receptor chain gp130

• Published in: European journal of cell biology 2011-12, Vol.90 (12), p.990-999
• Main Authors: Rathje, Mette, Pankratova, Stanislava, Nielsen, Janne, Gotfryd, Kamil, Bock, Elisabeth, Berezin, Vladimir
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: AKT protein; Amino Acid Sequence; Antibodies; Antigens, CD - metabolism; Axonogenesis; Cell death; Cell Differentiation - drug effects; Cell survival; Cerebellum; Ciliary neurotrophic factor; Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor - metabolism; Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor - pharmacology; Cytokine receptors; Cytokines; Differentiation; Extracellular signal-regulated kinase; Glycoprotein gp130; Granule cells; Humans; Hydrogen peroxide; Interleukin-6 - metabolism; Leukemia inhibitory factor; Leukemia Inhibitory Factor - metabolism; Microscopy, Confocal; Molecular Sequence Data; Neurite outgrowth; Neuronal survival; Neurons - cytology; Neurons - drug effects; Neurons - metabolism; Peptide Fragments - metabolism; Peptide Fragments - pharmacology; Phosphorylation; Potassium; Protein Binding; Receptors, Cytokine - metabolism; Signal Transduction; Stat3 protein; surface plasmon resonance
• ISSN: 0171-9335; 1618-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2011.08.001

Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) induces neuronal differentiation and promotes the survival of various neuronal cell types by binding to a receptor complex formed by CNTF receptor α (CNTFRα), gp130, and the leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) receptor (LIFR). The CD loop-D helix region of CNTF has been suggested to be important for the cytokine interaction with LIFR. We designed a peptide, termed cintrofin, that encompasses this region. Surface plasmon resonance analysis demonstrated that cintrofin bound to LIFR and gp130, but not to CNTFRα, with apparent K D values of 35 nM and 1.1 nM, respectively. Cintrofin promoted the survival of cerebellar granule neurons (CGNs), in which cell death was induced either by potassium withdrawal or H 2O 2 treatment. Cintrofin induced neurite outgrowth from CGNs, and this effect was inhibited by specific antibodies against both gp130 and LIFR, indicating that these receptors are involved in the effects of cintrofin. The C-terminal part of the peptide, corresponding to the D helix region of CNTF, was shown to be essential for the neuritogenic action of the peptide. CNTF and LIF induced neurite outgrowth in CGNs plated on laminin-coated slides. On uncoated slides, CNTF and LIF had no neuritogenic effect but were able to inhibit cintrofin-induced neuronal differentiation, indicating that cintrofin and cytokines compete for the same receptors. In addition, cintrofin induced the phosphorylation of STAT3, Akt, and ERK, indicating that it exerts cell signaling properties similar to those induced by CNTF and may be a valuable survival agent with possible therapeutic potential.