Militarinone A induces differentiation in PC12 cells via MAP and Akt kinase signal transduction pathways.

The fungal metabolite militarinone A (MILI A) promotes neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells. This study was conducted to investigate the signaling pathways involved in the cellular differentiation processes induced by the compound, with a focus on cascades implicated with nerve growth factor (NGF)-mediated neuritogenesis. MILI A possessed pronounced amphiphilic properties. The compound rapidly accumulated in the cell membrane and was slowly released into the cytoplasma. In primed PC12 cells, an early activation of protein kinase B (Akt), representing a downstream target of phosphoinositol 3 (PI3) kinase, and a delayed phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2), and of transcription factor cAMP responsive element binding protein (CREB) was found. The NGF-dependent activation of c-Jun amino terminal kinase (SAPK/JNK1) was potentiated. Morphological differentiation of cells and the phosphorylation of specific signal molecules were blocked by the MAP kinase (MEK1) inhibitor PD098059, the PI3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor wortmannin and the adenylyl cyclase inhibitor 9-cyclopentyladenine.