Leukemia inhibitory factor and NGF regulate signal transducers and activators of transcription activation in sympathetic ganglia: convergence of cytokine- and neurotrophin-signaling pathways.

We have used the response of the superior cervical ganglia (SCG) to axotomy to investigate interactions between neuropoietic cytokines and neurotrophins. Postganglionic sympathetic axotomy leads to a prolonged leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF)-dependent activation of signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) factors. To study regulation of LIF-dependent activation of STAT proteins and to mimic the loss of target-derived NGF resulting from postganglionic axotomy in vivo, SCG were explanted into media lacking NGF and activation of STAT proteins was assessed by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Like postganglionic axotomy in vivo. STAT proteins were activated for up to 8 days after explantation of SCG in vitro. SCG cultured in the presence of NGF showed decreased STAT binding when compared to ganglia cultured in NGF-free media. This inhibition of STAT activation by NGF was only present in ganglia cultured for more than 5 days and was mimicked by brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). The serine kinase inhibitor H7 augmented the increase of STAT binding produced by explantation, suggesting the presence of a labile repressor of STAT activation in the SCG. These data indicated that the neuropoietic cytokine-signaling pathway interacts with neurotrophin and H7-sensitive-signaling pathways to regulate activation of STAT proteins in sympathetic neurons. Moreover, these data suggest that one of the mechanisms leading to prolonged activation of STAT proteins after postganglionic axotomy in vivo is loss of target-derived neurotrophins.