Fertility relies upon pulsatile release of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) that drives pulsatile luteinizing hormone secretion. Kisspeptin (KP) neurons in the arcuate nucleus are at the center of the GnRH pulse generation and the steroid feedback control of GnRH secretion. However, KP evokes a long-lasting response in GnRH neurons that is hard to reconcile with periodic GnRH activity required to drive GnRH pulses. Using calcium imaging, we show that 1) the tetrodotoxin-insensitive calcium response evoked by KP relies upon the ongoing activity of canonical transient receptor potential channels maintaining voltage-gated calcium channels in an activated state, 2) the duration of the calcium response is determined by the rate of resynthesis of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2), and 3) nitric oxide terminates the calcium response by facilitating the resynthesis of PIP2via the canonical pathway guanylyl cyclase/3′,5′-cyclic guanosine monophosphate/protein kinase G. In addition, our data indicate that exposure to nitric oxide after KP facilitates the calcium response to a subsequent KP application. This effect was replicated using electrophysiology on GnRH neurons in acute brain slices. The interplay between KP and nitric oxide signaling provides a mechanism for modulation of the refractory period of GnRH neurons after KP exposure and places nitric oxide as an important component for tonic GnRH neuronal pulses.

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Previous studies have shown that amyloid-b oligomers (AbO) bind with high affinity to cellular prion protein (PrP C ). The AbO-PrP C complex binds to cellsurface co-receptors, including the laminin receptor (67LR). Our current studies revealed that in Neuroscreen-1 cells, 67LR is the major co-receptor involved in the cellular uptake of AbO and AbΟ-induced cell death. Both pharmacological (dibutyryl-cAMP, forskolin and rolipram) and physiological (pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide) cAMP-elevating agents decreased cell-surface PrP C and 67LR, thereby attenuating the uptake of AbO and the resultant neuronal cell death. These cAMP protective effects are dependent on protein kinase A, but not dependent on the exchange protein directly activated by cAMP. Conceivably, cAMP protects neuronal cells from AbO-induced cytotoxicity by decreasing cell-surface-associated PrP C and 67LR.

Introduction: After a stroke, axonal regeneration is inhibited by diverse axonal growth inhibitors, such as Nogo-A. They bind to the Nogo-A receptor 1 (NgR1) and induce the collapse of growth cones and inhibit neurite outgrowth. Since NgR1 is the receptor for a variety of axonal growth inhibitors, it is a crucial target for the prevention of axonal growth inhibition. Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) has neuroprotective and neurotrophic activities and increases neuritogenesis and synaptic plasticity. It enhances functional recovery after stroke in various animal models. Methods: Neuroscreen-1 (NS-1) cells were selected for this study as they produce rapid and robust neurite outgrowth with NGF. Cell surface NgR1 was detected using the indirect immunofluorescence method. The internalization of NgR1 was quantitated using the biotinylation method and Western immunoblotting. Results: Using the indirect immunofluorescence method, we found that PACAP (PACAP-38) induced a rapid decrease in the cell surface expression of NgR1 in NS-1 cells. The biotinylation method revealed that PACAP induced the internalization of NgR1. This internalization of NgR1 was blocked by pretreatment of NS-1 cells with SQ 22536, an inhibitor for adenylate cyclase, suggesting that cAMP plays a crucial role in the internalization of NgR1. The protein kinase A (PKA)-specific inhibitor KT5720 did not block PACAP-induced NgR1 internalization, whereas the exchange protein directly activated by cAMP (Epac)-specific inhibitor ESI-09 blocked this internalization. Collectively, this data suggests that PACAP-induced NgR1 internalization is independent of PKA but is dependent on Epac. The PACAP-induced decrease in cell surface expression of NgR1 and its internalization desensitized NS-1 cells to Nogo-66-induced growth cone collapse and enhanced neuritogenesis. Conclusion: Cyclic-AMP and Epac are involved in the PACAP-induced desensitization of neuronal cells to Nogo-A and increase in neuritogenesis. Since PACAP crosses the blood-brain barrier, it may be a useful therapeutic agent to overcome axonal growth inhibitors and enhance functional recovery after stroke.