Prostaglandin J2 and its metabolites promote neurite outgrowth induced by nerve growth factor in PC12 cells

Although A- and J-type prostaglandins (PG's) arrest the cell cycle at the G(1) phase in vitro and suppress tumor growth in vivo, their effects on neuronal cells have not so far been clarified. Here, we found promotion of neurite outgrowth as a novel biological function of PGJ's, In PC12h cells, PGJ's (PGJ(2), Delta(12)-PGJ(2) and 15-deoxy-Delta(12,14)-PGJ(2)) promoted neurite outgrowth in the presence of nerve growth factor (NGF), whereas they themselves did not show such a promotion, The potency of promoting neurite outgrowth was PGJ(2) < Delta(12)-PGJ(2) < 15-deoxy-Delta(12,14)PGJ(2). However, troglitazone, an activator of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR gamma), and other PG's including PGA(1), PGA(2) and PGD(2) did not promote neurite outgrowth. These results suggest that PGJ's promote neurite outgrowth independently of PPAR gamma activation. (C) 1999 Academic Press.