Abstract
A mechanism has been characterized by which the transcription factor CREB regulates neurotrophin-induced gene expression. Whereas CREB can mediate calcium- or cyclic AMP-induced c-fos transcription independently of other promoter-bound transcription factors, CREB mediates NGF induction of c-fos transcription via a novel mechanism that appears to require a cooperative interaction with another transcription factor, the serum response factor. A similar transcriptional mechanism may explain how neurotrophins and growth factors induce distinct subsets of delayed response genes. Neurotrophins induce the phosphorylation of CREB at a key regulatory site, Serine 133, with prolonged kinetics that are distinct from the transient kinetics of CREB phosphorylation elicited by growth factors. These results indicate that CREB is a versatile transcription factor that activates transcription via distinct mechanisms in a stimulus-specific manner. In addition, by selectively activating delayed response genes, CREB may confer specificity to neurotrophin signals that promote the survival and differentiation of neurons.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 168-183 |
Number of pages | 16 |
Journal | Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience |
Volume | 6 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Apr 1995 |
Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
- Molecular Biology
- Cell Biology
- Developmental Neuroscience