期刊名称:Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
印刷版ISSN:0027-8424
电子版ISSN:1091-6490
出版年度:2004
卷号:101
期号:43
页码:15476-15481
DOI:10.1073/pnas.0403283101
语种:English
出版社:The National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
摘要:Rai (Shc C or N-Shc) is a neuron-specific member of the family of Shc-like adaptor proteins. Rai functions in the cytoplasmic propagation of Ret-dependent survival signals and regulates, in vivo, the number of sympathetic neurons. We report here a function of Rai, i.e., the regulation of the neuronal adaptive response to environmental stresses. We demonstrate that (i) primary cultures of cortical neurons from Rai-/- mice are more sensitive to apoptosis induced by hypoxia or oxidative stress; (ii) in Rai-/- mice, ischemia/reperfusion injury induces severe neurological deficits, increased apoptosis and size of the infarct area, and significantly higher mortality; and (iii) Rai functions as a stress-response gene that increases phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activation and Akt phosphorylation after hypoxic or oxidation insults. These data suggest that Rai has a functional neuroprotective role in brain injury, with possible implications in the treatment of stroke.