Mp. Abbracchio et al., EFFECTS OF ATP ANALOGS AND BASIC FIBROBLAST GROWTH-FACTOR ON ASTROGLIAL CELL-DIFFERENTIATION IN PRIMARY CULTURES OF RAT STRIATUM, International journal of developmental neuroscience, 13(7), 1995, pp. 685-693
We have used primary cultures of rat striatum to study the effects of
ATP analogues on the elongation of astrocytic processes, a parameter o
f astroglial cell differentiation. Parallel studies were performed wit
h basic fibroblast growth factor, a known regulator of astroglial cell
function. After three days in culture, both the growth factor and alp
ha beta-methylene-ATP induced dramatic increases in the mean length of
astrocytic processes/cell. For both agents, effects were dose-depende
nt. The effect of alpha beta-methylene-ATP was antagonized by the tryp
anoside suramin and mimicked by 2-methyl-thio-ATP, suggesting the invo
lvement of a suramin-sensitive P2-purinoceptor. Neither all additive n
or a synergistic effect between ap-methylene-ATP and basic fibroblast
growth factor on the elongation of processes was detected in cultures
exposed to both agents. Indeed, an inhibition with respect to the effe
cts induced by either agent alone was recorded, suggesting that the gr
owth factor and the purine analogue can modulate astrocytic differenti
ation by activation of common intracellular pathways. It is concluded
that, like basic fibroblast growth factor, ATP can promote the maturat
ion of astrocytes towards a more differentiated phenotype characterize
d by the presence of longer astrocytic processes. These findings might
have interesting implications for astroglial cell differentiation dur
ing brain development and for ischemia- and trauma-associated hypergli
osis.