A Ca2+/calmodulin kinase inhibitor, KN-62, inhibits neurite outgrowth stimulated by CAMs and FGF.

We have used monolayers of parental 3T3 fibroblasts and 3T3 cells expressing transfected cell adhesion molecules (CAMs, NCAM, N-cadherin, or L1) as a culture substrate for cerebellar neurons. Previous studies suggest that the transfected CAMs promote neurite outgrowth by activating a second messenger pathway within the responding neuron that involves influx of calcium into neurons as a consequence of activation of an FGF receptor. The same neurite outgrowth response can be induced by FGF or a number of agents that directly activate defined steps in the CAM signaling pathway. In the present study we show that the neurite outgrowth stimulated by the above three CAMs, FGF, arachidonic acid (AA), and K+ depolarization can be abolished by the Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent (CaM) kinase inhibitor, KN-62. We also demonstrate that neurite outgrowth over astrocytes, which represent a more physiologically relevant cellular substrate, can be substantially inhibited by a number of agents that block the CAM signaling pathway, including KN-62. However, neurite outgrowth induced by activation of protein kinase A is unaffected by inhibition of CaM kinase activity as is basal neurite outgrowth over 3T3 monolayers or a polylysine/laminin substrate. These results suggest that CaM kinase activity is specifically required downstream of calcium influx in the CAM and FGF signaling pathway leading to axonal growth.