Deletion of the adaptor protein p66ShcA prevents the apoptosis of neural stem cells in response to mitogen deprivation

Background Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has been associated with altered hippocampal neurogenesis and the depletion of the neural stem cell (NSC) niche. NSCs rely on cues from their extracellular environment to mediate their survival and maturation. The Shc adaptor family mediates this mitogenic signaling in response to a wide range of growth factors and is necessary for embryonic neurogenesis. A member of this family, p66ShcA has been found to antagonize mitogenic signalling, however its role in neurogenesis has not been established. Moreover, the genetic ablation of p66ShcA, has a been reported to reverse cognitive decline in mouse models of AD, despite its minimal expression in mature neurons. Method To evaluate p66ShcA’s role in the fate of NSCs, we generated and characterized a p66ShcA‐null murine NSC line (p66KO‐NSC). The NSCs were characterized by assessing their differentiation competency and viability in response to alterations in epidermal growth factor (EGF) signalling. Result The p66KO‐NSCs exhibited enhanced neurogenesis in response to EGF withdrawal, relative to WT NSCs. The pharmacologic inhibition of either EGFR or ERK induced the apoptosis of the WT NSCs via the release of cytochrome C and caspase activation. Surprisingly, the inhibition of EGFR or ERK had a negligible effect on the survival of the p66KO‐NPCs and instead induced their neuronal differentiation. Conclusion p66ShcA mediates NSC apoptosis in response to the loss of mitogenic cues. The deletion of p66ShcA increases neurogenesis by facilitating the survival of NSCs during their neuronal differentiation.