The tyrosine kinase inhibitor methyl 2,5-dihydroxycinnimate disrupts changes in the actin cytoskeleton required for neurite formation.

In the current studies, we investigated the relationship between tyrosine phosphorylation and neurite formation. In SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells, the tyrosine kinase inhibitor methyl 2, 5-dihydroxycinnimate blocked neurite formation on laminin. This corresponded with inhibition of paxillin and focal adhesion kinase tyrosine phosphorylation as well as a disruption of actin filament organization and actin polymerization. This suggests that tyrosine phosphorylation helps direct changes in the actin cytoskeleton required for neurite formation.