%0 Journal Article
%T Orexin-A Promotes Cell Migration in Cultured Rat Astrocytes via Ca2+-Dependent PKC¦Á and ERK1/2 Signals
%A Qing Shu
%A Zhuang-Li Hu
%A Chao Huang
%A Xiao-Wei Yu
%A Hua Fan
%A Jing-Wen Yang
%A Peng Fang
%A Lan Ni
%A Jian-Guo Chen
%A Fang Wang
%J PLOS ONE
%D 2014
%I Public Library of Science (PLoS)
%R 10.1371/journal.pone.0095259
%X Orexin-A is an important neuropeptide involved in the regulation of feeding, arousal, energy consuming, and reward seeking in the body. The effects of orexin-A have widely studied in neurons but not in astrocytes. Here, we report that OX1R and OX2R are expressed in cultured rat astrocytes. Orexin-A stimulated the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), and then induced the migration of astrocytes via its receptor OX1R but not OX2R. Orexin-A-induced ERK1/2 phosphorylation and astrocytes migration are Ca2+-dependent, since they could be inhibited by either chelating the extracellular Ca2+ or blocking the pathway of store-operated calcium entry (SOCE). Furthermore, both non-selective protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor and PKC¦Á selective inhibitor, but not PKC¦Ä inhibitor, prevented the increase in ERK1/2 phosphorylation and the migration of astrocytes, indicating that the Ca2+-dependent PKC¦Á acts as the downstream of the OX1R activation and mediates the orexin-A-induced increase in ERK1/2 phosphorylation and cell migration. In conclusion, these results suggest that orexin-A can stimulate ERK1/2 phosphorylation and then facilitate the migration of astrocytes via PLC-PKC¦Á signal pathway, providing new knowledge about the functions of the OX1R in astrocytes.
%U http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0095259