Bicarbonate-responsive “soluble” adenylyl cyclase resides, in part, inside the mammalian cell nucleus where it stimulates the activity of nuclear protein kinase A to phosphorylate the cAMP response element binding protein (CREB). The existence of this complete and functional, nuclear-localized cAMP pathway establishes that cAMP signals in intracellular microdomains and identifies an alternate pathway leading to CREB activation.

Growth cones at the tips of nascent and regenerating axons direct axon elongation. Netrin-1, a secreted molecule that promotes axon outgrowth and regulates axon pathfinding, elevates cyclic AMP (cAMP) levels in growth cones and regulates growth cone morphology and axonal outgrowth. These morphological effects depend on the intracellular levels of cAMP. However, the specific pathways that regulate cAMP levels in response to netrin-1 signaling are unclear. Here we show that 'soluble' adenylyl cyclase (sAC), an atypical calcium-regulated cAMP-generating enzyme previously implicated in sperm maturation, is expressed in developing rat axons and generates cAMP in response to netrin-1. Overexpression of sAC results in axonal outgrowth and growth cone elaboration, whereas inhibition of sAC blocks netrin-1-induced axon outgrowth and growth cone elaboration. Taken together, these results indicate that netrin-1 signals through sAC-generated cAMP, and identify a fundamental role for sAC in axonal development.

1 Ethanol inhibits inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in C6 glioma cells by an unknown mechanism. Because relatively high concentrations are needed for inhibition in drug-naõÈ ve cells (IC 50 &150 mM), suppression due to cytotoxicity is one possible mechanism that has not been ruled out. Therefore, the present study examined the e ects of ethanol and other alkanols on C6 glioma cell viability and iNOS activity to better understand the mechanism for inhibition. 2 iNOS expression was induced in cell culture with lipopolysaccharide and phorbol ester treatment. Nitrite accumulation in culture medium, the in vitro conversion of [ 3 H]-L-arginine to [ 3 H]-Lcitrulline, and immunoblotting were used to quantify iNOS induction and activity. Trypan blue exclusion, extracellular release of lactate dehydrogenase, and quantity of total cell protein were used as measures of viability. 3 Short chain alkanols, methanol through 1-heptanol, concentration-dependently inhibited nitrite accumulation. Longer chain alkanols, 1-octanol and 1-decanol, did not except at cytotoxic concentrations. Experiments indicated short chain alkanol inhibition was not due to direct actions on iNOS catalytic activity, but that it transpires during iNOS induction. Immunoblots showed reduced iNOS protein levels. 4 Correlation analysis ruled out iNOS inhibition as being due to decreased cell number, total cell protein, or cell viability. In contrast, there was signi®cant correlation with physical measures of lipophilicity. 5 In conclusion, inhibition of iNOS expression by ethanol and other short chain alkanols is not due to cytotoxicity. Instead, the strong correlation with lipophilicity suggests the inhibition derives from an interaction with unknown hydrophobic cellular sites.