Adiponectin stimulates proliferation of adult hippocampal neural stem/progenitor cells through activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK)/glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β)/β-catenin signaling cascade

Di Zhang, Ming Guo, Wei Zhang, Xinyun Lu

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

112 Scopus citations

Abstract

Adiponectin is the most abundant adipokine secreted from adipocytes. Accumulating evidence suggests that the physiological roles of adiponectin go beyond its metabolic effects. In the present study, we demonstrate that adiponectin receptors 1 and 2 (AdipoR1 and AdipoR2) are expressed in adult hippocampal neural stem/progenitor cells (hNSCs). Adiponectin treatment increases proliferation of cultured adult hNSCs in a dose- and time-dependent manner, whereas apoptosis and differentiation of adult hNSCs into neuronal or glial lineage were not affected. Adiponectin activates AMP-activated protein kinase and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK) signaling pathways in adult hNSCs. Pretreatment with the p38MAPK inhibitor SB203580, but not the AMP-activated protein kinase inhibitor Compound C, attenuates adiponectin-induced cell proliferation. Moreover, adiponectin induces phosphorylation of Ser-389, a key inhibitory site of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β), and this effect can be blocked by inhibition of p38MAPK with SB203580. Levels of total and nuclear β-catenin, the primary substrate of GSK-3β, were increased by adiponectin treatment. These results indicate that adiponectin stimulates proliferation of adult hNSCs, via acting on GSK-3β to promote nuclear accumulation of β-catenin. Thus, our studies uncover a novel role for adiponectin signaling in regulating proliferation of adult neural stem cells.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)44913-44920
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of Biological Chemistry
Volume286
Issue number52
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 30 2011

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology

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