Leucine-rich glioma inactivated 3 induces neurite outgrowth through Akt and focal adhesion kinase.

Leucine-rich glioma inactivated 3 (LGI3) is a secreted protein that belongs to LGI/epitempin family. LGI3 is highly expressed in brain in a transcriptionally and developmentally regulated manner. Here we found that LGI3 induced neurite outgrowth in Neuro-2a cells and dorsal root ganglia explants. LGI3 treatment or overexpression increased neurite outgrowth and knockdown of LGI3 by siRNA had opposite effect. LGI3 treatment increased phosphorylation of Akt and a 125-kDa protein. Immunoprecipitation identified the 125-kDa protein as focal adhesion kinase (FAK). LGI3 overexpression increased phospho-Akt, phospho-FAK and FAK protein. Inhibition of Akt activation by PI3 kinase inhibitor attenuated LGI3-induced FAK phosphorylation and neurite outgrowth. Taken together, we propose that LGI3 is a neuritogenic factor whose signaling pathway involves Akt-mediated FAK activation.