Borasio, Gian D.John, JassonWittinghofer, AlfredBarde, Y. A.Sendtner, MichaelHeumann, Rolf2016-07-142016-07-142009-01Borasio, G.D., John, J., Wittinghofer, A., Barde, Y.A., Sendtner, M. and Heumann, R., 1989. ras p21 protein promotes survival and fiber outgrowth of cultured embryonic neurons. Neuron, 2(1), pp.1087-1096.http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11810/3218Full text can be accessed at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/089662738990233XAlthough evidence obtained with the PC12 cell line has suggested a role for the ras oncogene proteins in the signal transduction of nerve growth factor-mediated fiber outgrowth, little is known about the signal transduction mechanisms involved in the neuronal response to neurotrophic factors in nontransformed cells. We report here that the oncogene protein T24-ras, when introduced into the cytoplasm of freshly dissociated chick embryonic neurons, promotes the in vitro survival and neurite outgrowth of nerve growth factor-responsive dorsal rootganglion neurons, brain-derived neurotrophic factor-responsive nodose ganglion neurons, and ciliary neuronotrophic factor-responsive ciliary ganglion neurons. The proto-oncogene product c-Ha-ras also promotes neuronal survival, albeit less strongly. No effect could be observed with truncated counterparts of T24-ras and c-Ha-ras lacking the 23 C-terminal amino acids including the membrane-an-choring, palmityl-accepting cysteine. These results sug-gest a generalized involvement of ras or ras-like proteins in the intracellular signal transduction pathway for neurotrophic factors.enJournal Article10.1016/0896-6273(89)90233-X