Tunneling-nanotube development in astrocytes depends on p53 activation

Tunneling nanotubes (TNTs) can be induced in rat hippocampal astrocytes and neurons with H2O2 or serum depletion. Major cytoskeletal component of TNTs is F-actin. TNTs transfer endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, Golgi, endosome and intracellular as well as extracellular amyloid beta. TNT development is a property of cells under stress. When two populations of cells are co-cultured, it is the stressed cells that always develop TNTs toward the unstressed cells. p53 is crucial for TNT development. When p53 function is deleted by either dominant negative construct or siRNAs, TNT development is inhibited. In addition, we find that among the genes activated by p53, epidermal growth factor receptor is also important to TNT development. Akt, phosphoinositide 3-kinase and mTOR are involved in TNT induction. Our data suggest that TNTs might be a mechanism for cells to respond to harmful signals and transfer cellular substances or energy to another cell under stress. Cell Death and Differentiation (2011) 18, 732-742; doi:10.1038/cdd.2010.147; published online 26 November 2010