Neuronal motility relies on actin treadmilling. In addition to regulating cytoskeletal dynamics in the cytoplasm, actin modulates nuclear gene expression. We present a hitherto unappreciated cross talk of actin signaling with gene expression governing neuronal motility. Toward this end, we used a novel approach using mutant actins either favoring (G15S) or inhibiting (R62D) F-actin assembly. Overexpressing these mutant actins in mouse hippocampal neurons not only modulated growth-cone function but also neurite elongation, which was ambiguous by traditional pharmacological interference. G15S actin enhanced neurite outgrowth and filopodia number. In contrast, R62D reduced neurite length and impaired growth-cone filopodia formation. Growth-cone collapse induced by ephrin-As, a family of repulsive axon guidance molecules, is impaired upon R62D expression, resulting in perseverance of ring-shaped F-actin filaments. R62D-induced phenotypes strongly resemble neurons lacking SRF (Serum Response Factor). SRF controls gene transcription of various actin isoforms (e.g., Actb, Acta1) and actin-binding proteins (e.g., Gsn) and is the archetypical transcription factor to study actin interplay with transcription. We show that neuronal motility evoked by these actin mutants requires SRF activity. Further, constitutively active SRF partially rescues R62D-induced phenotypes. Conversely, actin signaling regulates neuronal SRF-mediated gene expression. Notably, a nucleus-resident actin (R62D NLS ) also regulates SRF's transcriptional activity. Moreover, R62D NLS decreases neuronal motility similar to the cytoplasmic R62D actin mutant although R62D NLS has no access to cytoplasmic actin dynamics. Thus, herein we provide first evidence that neuronal motility not only depends on cytoplasmic actin dynamics but also on the availability of actin to modulate nuclear functions such as gene transcription.

Skeletal muscle cells have been established as significant producers of IL-6 during exercise. This IL-6 production is discussed as one possible mediator of the beneficial effects of physical activity on glucose and fatty acid metabolism. IL-6 itself could be the exercise-related factor that upregulates and maintains its own production. We investigated this hypothesis and the underlying molecular mechanism in cultured C(2)C(12) cells. IL-6 led to a rapid and prolonged increase in IL-6 mRNA, which was also found in human myotubes. Because IL-6 has been shown to activate AMP-activated kinase (AMPK), we studied whether, in turn, activated AMPK induces IL-6 expression. Pharmacological activation of AMPK with 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-beta-4-ribofuranoside upregulated IL-6 mRNA expression, which was blocked by knockdown of AMPK alpha(1) and alpha(2) using small, interfering RNA (siRNA) oligonucleotides. However, the effect of IL-6 was shown to be independent of AMPK, since the siRNA approach silencing the AMPK alpha-subunits did not reduce the upregulation of IL-6 induced by IL-6 stimulation. The self-stimulatory effect of IL-6 partly involves a Ca(2+)-dependent pathway: IL-6 increased intracellular Ca(2+), and intracellular blockade of Ca(2+) with a Ca(2+) chelator reduced the IL-6-mediated increase in IL-6 mRNA levels. Moreover, inhibition of Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent kinase kinase with STO-609 or the siRNA approach decreased IL-6 mRNA levels of control and IL-6-stimulated cells. A major, STO-609-independent mechanism is the IL-6-mediated stabilization of its mRNA. The data suggest that IL-6 could act as autocrine factor upregulating its mRNA levels, thereby supporting its function as an exercise-activated factor in skeletal muscle cells.