Summary
Studies on PC12 and isolated adrenal chromaffin cells have revealed that PC12 cells have a closer identity to the adrenergic nerve ending than do the chromaffin cells. This is revealed by the presence of monoamine oxidase (MAO) A and tyramine-released pool of catecholamines in PC12, resembling that in adrenergic neurones, and their absence in adrenal chromaffin cells. Indeed, chromaffin cells possess primarilly MAO-B activity. Like the observations on adrenergic neurones, non-selective and selective MAO-A inhibitors potentiate the catecholamine-releasing property of tyramine in PC12 cells. This property has clearly been demonstrated to be associated with selective inhibition of MAO-A and not MAO-B. The fact that MAO-A and MAO-B are different proteins and under separate gene product control suggests that their regulation may be highly differentiated. Indeed, it has been shown that while steroids such as progesterone and hydrocortisone induce and estrogen diminishes MAO-A activity in PC12 cells, no such regulatory mechanism has been identified for MAO-B activity in chromaffin cells. In the final analysis the inter-relationship between MAO-A activity and the presence of tyramine-releasable pool of catecholamines in adrenergic neurons and PC12 cells may have a genetic basis and could be important in illuminating the differentiation of neural crest into adrenergic neurones and adrenal medulla on the one hand and chromaffin cells to PC12 cells on the other.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsPreview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Bach AWJ, Lan NC, Johnson DL, Abell CW, Bembenek ME, Kwan SW, Seeburg PH, Shin JC (1988) cDNA cloning of human liver monoamine oxidase A and B: molecular basis of differences in enzymic properties. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 85: 4934–4938
Baker PF, Knight DE (1984) Calcium control of exocytosis in bovine adrenal medullary cells. TINS 7: 120–126
Carmichael SW, Pfeiffer GL (1985) Histochemical localization of monoamine oxidase type A and B in the adrenal gland. Histochem J 17: 1289–1298
Carmichael SW, Pfeiffer GL (1987) Monoamine oxidase A and B in the human adrenal gland and phaeochromocytoma. Neurochem Int 10: 49–55
Denney RM, Abell CW (1984) The genetics of MAO. In: Tipton K, Dostert P, Strolin- Benedetti M (eds) Monoamine oxidase and disease. Academic Press, London, pp 243–252
Denney RM, Denney CB (1985) An update on the identity crisis of monoamine oxidase: new and old evidence for independence of MAO-A and B. Pharmacol Ther 30: 227–259
Finberg JPM, Tenne M (1982) Relationship between tyramine potentiation and selective inhibition of monoamine oxidase types A and B in the rat vas deferens. Br J Pharmacol 77: 13–21
Finberg JPM, Youdim MBH (1988) Potentiation of tyramine pressor response in conscious rats by reversible inhibitors of monoamine oxidase A. J Neural Transm [Suppl 26]: 11–17
Finberg JPM, Tenne M, Youdim MBH (1981) Tyramine antagonistic properties of AGN 1135, an irreversible inhibitor of monoamine oxidase B. Br J Pharmacol 73: 65–74
Greene LA, Rein G (1977a) Release, storage and uptake of catecholamines by a clonal cell line of nerve growth factor ( NGF) response pheochromocytoma cell. Brain Res 129: 247–263
Greene LA, Rein G (1977b) Release of 3H-noradrenaline from a clonal line of pheochromocytoma (PC12) by nicotinic-cholinergic stimulation. Brain Res 138: 521–528
Jarrott B (1971) Occurrence and properties of monoamine oxidase in adrenergic neurons. J Neurochem 18: 7–16
Johnston J (1968) Some observations upon a new inhibitor of monoamine oxidase in brain tissue. Biochem Pharmacol 17: 1285–1297
Knoll J, Magyar K (1972) Some puzzling pharmacological effects of monoamine oxidase inhibitors. Adv Biochem Psychopharmacol 5: 393–408
Lee V, Shelanski ML, Greene LA (1977) Specific neural and adrenal medullary antigens detected by antisera to clonal PC12 and pheochromocytoma cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 74: 5021–5025
Lee VM, Shelanski ML, Greene LA (1980) Characterization of antisera raised against cultured rat sympathetic neurons. Neuroscience 5: 2239–2245
Naoi M, Suzuki H, Takahashi T, Shibahara K, Nagatsu T (1987) Ganglioside GMI causes expression of type B monoamine oxidase in a rat clonal pheochromocytoma cell line PC12. J Neurochem 49: 1600–1605
Pollard HB, Orenberg R, Levine M, Keiner K, Morita K, Levine R, Forsberg E, Brocklehurst KW, Duong L, Elkes RI, Heldman E, Youdim MBH (1985) Hormone secretion by exocytosis with emphasis on information from chromaffin cell system, In: McCormick DB (ed) Vitamins and hormones; advances in research and applications. Academic Press, New York, pp 109–174
Westlund KN, Denney RM, Kochersperger LM, Rose RM, Abell CW (1985) Distinct monoamine oxidase A and B population in primate brain. Science 230: 181–183
Youdim MBH (1990) Monoamine oxidase (MAO)-A but not MAO-B inhibitors potentiated tyramine-induced catecholamine release from PC12 cells. J Neurochem 54: 411–414
Youdim MBH (1991) Regulation of monoamine oxidase A in PC12 cells by steroids. Eur J Pharmacol 192: 201–202
Youdim MBH, Banergee DK, Pollard HB (1984a) Isolated chromaffin cells from adrenal medulla contain primarily monoamine oxidase B. Science 224: 619–621
Youdim MBH, Heldman E, Pollard HB (1984b) Phenotypic changes of MAO activity and catecholamine release characterize the transformation of chromaffin cells to PC12. J Pharm Pharmacol 36: 13–14
Youdim MBH, Heldman E, Pollard HB, Fleming P, McHugh E (1986) Contrasting monoamine oxidase and tyramine induced catecholamine release in PC12 and chromaffin cells. Neuroscience 19: 1311–1318
Youdim MBH, Finberg JPM, Tipton KF (1988) Monoamine oxidase. In: Trendelenburg U, Weiner N (eds) Catecholamine II. Advances in experimental pharmacology, vol 92. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York Tokyo, pp 121–197
Youdim MBH, Banergee DK, Offut L, Kelner K, Pollard HB (1989) Steroid regulation of monoamine oxidase activity in the adrenal medulla. FASEB J 3: 1753–1759
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1991 Springer-Verlag
About this paper
Cite this paper
Youdim, M.B.H. (1991). PC12 cells as a window for the differentiation of neural crest into adrenergic nerve ending and adrenal medulla. In: Bönisch, H., Graefe, KH., Langer, S.Z., Schömig, E. (eds) Recent Advances in Neuropharmacology. Journal of Neural Transmission, vol 34. Springer, Vienna. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-9175-0_8
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-9175-0_8
Publisher Name: Springer, Vienna
Print ISBN: 978-3-211-82300-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-7091-9175-0
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive