Midkine is a mediator of retinoic acid induced neuronal differentiation of embryonal carcinoma cells

Abstract

Midkine (MK) is a novel growth factor and is the product of a retinoic acid responsive gene. When P19 murine embryonal carcinoma (EC) cells were exposed to MK, they differentiated into neurons, and the neuronal differentiation was accompanied by expression of choline acetyltransferase activity. Synthesis and release of MK in the EC cells treated with retinoic acid were shown by Western blot analysis, and rabbit anti-MK antibody attenuated the action of retinoic acid to induce the neuronal differentiation. These results indicate that MK is one of the mediators of retinoic acid action to induce the neuronal differentiation in EC cells.