Ethanol enhances growth factor activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases by a protein kinases by a protein kinase C-dependent mechanism

Analysis of the activation of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases, a crucial step in growth factor signaling, shows that ethanol accelerates the nerve growth factor (NGF)- and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF)-induced activation of MAP kinases. Ethanol improves growth factor signal transmission via a delta or epsilon protein kinase C-regulated pathway, thereby promoting neurite growth.