• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.10
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• pp.1183-1191
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• 2013

Human apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease (APEX-1) is a multifunctional protein that is capable of repairing abasic sites and single-strand breaks in damaged DNA. In addition, it serves as a redox-modifying factor for a number of transcription factors. Identifying the transcriptional targets of APEX-1 is essential for understanding how it affects various cellular outcomes. Expression array analysis was used to identify glial cell-derived neurotropic factor receptor ${\alpha}1$ ($GFR{\alpha}1$), which is an encoding receptor for the glial cell-derived neurotropic factor (GDNF) family, the expression of which is induced by APEX-1. A target of GDNF/$GFR{\alpha}$ signaling, c-Src (Tyr418) was strongly phosphorylated by GNDF in the APEX-1 expressing cells. Moreover, GDNF initiated cell proliferation, measured by counting the number of cells, in the APEX-1 expressing cells. Importantly, the down-regulation of APEX-1 by siRNA caused a marked reduction in the $GFR{\alpha}1$ expression level, and it reduced the ability of GDNF to phosphorylate c-Src (Tyr418) and stimulate cell proliferation. These results demonstrate an association between APEX-1 and GDNF/$GFR{\alpha}$ signaling and suggest a potential molecular mechanism for the involvement of APEX-1 in cell survival and proliferation.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.349-356
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• 2009

We previously reported that glial cell line-derived neurotropic factor (GDNF) receptor ${\alpha}$ 1 (GFR ${\alpha}$ 1) is a direct target of apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (Ape1/Ref-1). In the present study, we further analyzed the physiological roles of Ape1/Ref-1-induced GFR ${\alpha}$ 1 expression in Neuro2a mouse neuroblastoma cells. Ape1/Ref-1 expression caused the clustering of GFR ${\alpha}$ 1 immunoreactivity in lipid rafts in response to GDNF. We also found that Ret, a downstream target of GFR ${\alpha}$ 1, was functionally activated by GDNF in Ape1/Ref-1-expressing cells. Moreover, GDNF promoted the proliferation of Ape1/Ref-1-expressing Neuro2a cells. Furthermore, GFR ${\alpha}$ 1-specific RNA experiments demonstrated that the downregulation of GFR ${\alpha}$ 1 by siRNA in Ape1/Ref-1-expressing cells impaired the ability of GDNF to phosphorylate Akt and PLC ${\gamma}$-1 and to stimulate cellular proliferation. These results show an association between Ape1/Ref-1 and GDNF/GFR ${\alpha}$ signaling, and suggest a potential molecular mechanism for the involvement of Ape1/Ref-1 in neuronal proliferation.