Alternative AChE molecular forms exhibit similar ability to induce neurite outgrowth in transfected neuroblastoma clones

Several groups have reported that acetylcholinesterase (AChE), through a mechanism not involving its catalytic activity may have a role in fiber elongation. These observations were performed on experimental systems in which acetylcholine synthesis was active. Since neurite outgrowth can be modulated by neurotrasmitter, we used the N18TG2 neuroblastoma line which is defective for neurotransmitter production in order to evaluate whether AChE may modulate neurite sprouting in non-enzymatic ways. We performed transfections of FB5 cells (a subclone of N18TG2) with three distinct constructs encoding for: i) the glycosylphosphoinositol- anchored AChE form, ii) the tetrameric AChE form and iii) a soluble monomeric AChE form truncated in its C-terminal. A morphometric analysis of retinoic acid differentiated clones was then undertaken. The results revealed that higher AChE expression following transfection brings about a higher ability of the clones to grow fibers with respect to non-transfected or mock-transfected cells, irrespective of the used construct.