Activation of Nuclear Factor κb and bcl-x Survival Gene Expression by Nerve Growth Factor Requires Tyrosine Phosphorylation of IκBα

NGF has been shown to support neuron survival by activating the transcription factor nuclear factor-κB (NFκB). We investigated the effect of NGF on the expression of Bcl-xL, an anti–apoptotic Bcl-2 family protein. Treatment of rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells, human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells, or primary rat hippocampal neurons with NGF (0.1–10 ng/ml) increased the expression of bcl-xL mRNA and protein. Reporter gene analysis revealed a significant increase in NFκB activity after treatment with NGF that was associated with increased nuclear translocation of the active NFκB p65 subunit. NGF-induced NFκB activity and Bcl-xL expression were inhibited in cells overexpressing the NFκB inhibitor, IκBα. Unlike tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), however, NGF-induced NFκB activation occurred without significant degradation of IκBs determined by Western blot analysis and time-lapse imaging of neurons expressing green fluorescent protein–tagged IκBα. Moreover, in contrast to TNF-α, NGF failed to phosphorylate IκBα at serine residue 32, but instead caused significant tyrosine phosphorylation. Overexpression of a Y42F mutant of IκBα potently suppressed NFG-, but not TNF-α–induced NFκB activation. Conversely, overexpression of a dominant negative mutant of TNF receptor-associated factor-6 blocked TNF-α–, but not NGF-induced NFκB activation. We conclude that NGF and TNF-α induce different signaling pathways in neurons to activate NFκB and bcl-x gene expression.