Neurotrophic Factor Receptors and Their Signal Transduction Capabilities in Rat Astrocytes

Until recently, astrocytes were not considered as sites for neurotrophic factor action. We show here that, both in vivo and in vitro , astrocytes express receptors for two separate families of neurotrophic factors. In the intact adult rat CNS, astrocytes express the extracellular domain of the neurotrophin receptor TrkB and, in a more restricted population, the low-affinity nerve growth factor receptor p75^LNGFR. In the lesioned CNS, expression of the alpha component of the receptor for ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTFRα) switches from a purely neuronal localization to cells in the glial scar at the edge of the wound. Using cultured hippocampal astrocytes as a model to address the functional status of these receptors, we have found only the truncated forms of TrkB and TrkC, which are incapable of signal transduction as measured by protein tyrosine phosphorylation or immediate early gene induction. In contrast, a fully functional CNTF receptor complex capable of signal transduction is present on cultured astrocytes. Thus, the neurotrophin receptors may act primarily to sequester or present the neurotrophins, whereas in the case of CNTF a functional response can be initiated within the astrocyte.     

Regulation of Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor in Cultured Rat Hippocampal Astrocytes

Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) is a pleiotrophic cytokine which is detectable only at very low levels in the intact adult rat CNS, but following an aspirative lesion to the dorsal hippocampus and overlying cortex, CNTF mRNA levels are dramatically up-regulated in reactive astrocytes. In cultured rat hippocampal astrocytes, CNTF mRNA levels are high, similar to the levels in reactive astrocytes in vivo , but are strongly suppressed after administration of isoproterenol and forskolin, which stimulate the production of intracellular cyclic AMP, induce marked morphological change in the astrocytes and up-regulate glial fibrillary acidic protein mRNA and nerve growth factor mRNA in these cells. Following a single administration of forskolin to cultured astrocytes, suppression of CNTF mRNA was sustained for up to 7 days. A similar down-regulation was observed with the endogenous adrenergic agonists noradrenaline and adrenaline as well as, to a lesser extent, dopamine and adenosine. Down-regulation of CNTF mRNA resulted in a gradual reduction in the level of CNTF protein within the astrocytes. A single addition of forskolin or isoproterenol resulted in a drop in CNTF protein levels to 29 and 52% of control levels respectively after 9 days in vitro , although the rate of turnover of CNTF remained the same. Down-regulation of CNTF mRNA in cultured hippocampal astrocytes by adenylyl cyclase activation was quite specific, as a wide range of growth factors, cytokines and neurotransmitters had little or no effect upon CNTF mRNA levels.     

Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor Enhances the Survival of Purkinje Cells In Vitro

We have examined the effects of ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) on the development of rat Purkinje cells in vitro. Cerebellar cells, derived from embryonic day 16 rat fetuses, were found to respond rapidly to CNTF treatment by induction of c-Fos protein, such that 40% of the cells were immunopositive after 60 min. Treatment with low doses of CNTF (10-100 pg/ml) for 8 days resulted in an ∼ 1.6-fold increase in the number of Purkinje cells, identified by immunohistochemical staining for calbindin. Immunohistochemical staining for other Purkinje cell markers-cyclic-GMP-dependent protein kinase and the low-affinity nerve growth factor receptor-verified increased Purkinje cell survival following CNTF treatment. In addition, CNTF increased specific high-affinity GABA uptake by 45%, and the number of GABAergic neurons by 70%. A maximal increase in the number of Purkinje cells and GABA-uptake was only achieved if CNTF was added within 48 h of plating the cells, further suggesting that CNTF enhances Purkinje cell survival in vitro. These results taken together strongly support a direct effect of CNTF in promoting the survival of Purkinje cells and possibly other GABAergic cerebellar neurons.     

CNTF多克隆抗体的制备与初步应用

以重组表达并经纯化的人睫状神经营养因子（hCNTF）免疫家兔，得到抗ACNTF抗血清。经硫酸铵沉铁、proteinA亲和层析后得到纯化的抗hCNTF多克隆抗体。应用该抗体对大鼠脑组织进行免疫组化研究，结果发现：CNTF抗体染色阳性物不仅存在于各脑区胶质细胞中，而且也存在于皮质的各层神经元，小脑分子层神经元、蒲肯野细胞、小脑颗粒细胞，海马锥体细胞、齿状回勤粒细胞及面神经核细胞中。CNTF祥物质不仅存在于神经元胞浆中，也存在于胞核中。     

Perinatal Undernutrition Modifies Cell Proliferation and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Levels During Critical Time-Windows for Hypothalamic and Hippocampal Development in the Male Rat

Maternal perinatal undernutrition (MPU) modifies the activity of the hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal axis and sensitises to the development of metabolic and cognitive adult diseases. Because the hypothalamus and hippocampus are involved in the regulation of neuroendocrine activity, energy metabolism and cognition, we hypothesised that a maternal 50% food restriction (FR50) from day 14 of pregnancy (E14) until postnatal day 21 (P21) would affect the development of these structures in male rat offspring. Protein and mRNA levels of brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and cell proliferation [analysed by 5‐bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation] were compared in both control and FR50 rats from E21 to P22. Although the pattern of the evolution of BDNF concentration and cell proliferation throughout development was not strikingly different between groups, several disturbances at specific developmental stages were observed. FR50 rats exhibited a delayed increase of hippocampal BDNF content whereas, in the hypothalamus, BDNF level was augmented from E21 to P14 and associated, at this latter stage, with an increased mRNA expression of TRkB‐T2. In both groups, a correlation between BDNF content and the number of BrdU positive cells was noted in the dentate gyrus, whereas opposite variations were observed in CA1, CA2 and CA3 layers, and in the arcuate and ventromedial nuclei. In the hippocampus, P15‐FR50 rats showed an increased number of BrdU positive cells in all regions, whereas, at P22, a decrease was observed in the CA2. In the hypothalamus, between E21 and P8, MPU increases the number of BrdU positive cells in all regions analysed and, until P15, marked differences were noticed in the median eminence, the paraventricular nucleus and the arcuate nucleus. Taken together, the results obtained in the present study show that MPU changes the time course of production of BDNF and cell proliferation in specific hippocampal and hypothalamic areas during sensitive developmental windows, suggesting that these early perinatal modifications may have long‐lasting consequences.     

Injury-induced Regulation of Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor mRNA in the Adult Rat Brain

Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) is a pleiotropic molecule that acts as a neurotrophic factor for a wide range of embryonic neurons as well as a differentiation factor for sympathetic neuroblasts and O2A progenitor cells in culture. CNTF messenger RNA (mRNA) is present at very low levels in the normal adult rat central nervous system (CNS), but is dramatically up-regulated after an aspiration lesion of dorsal hippocampus and overlying cortex, in the area coincident with glial scar. The increased level of CNTF mRNA in lesioned hippocampus is maximal by 3 days and is sustained for up to 20 days, the longest time point examined. In contrast, mRNA levels for brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) were slightly decreased during the same period. In situ hybridization experiments revealed that cells expressing CNTF mRNA were concentrated at the margin of the wound, and also present within the gelfoam which filled the lesion cavity. This distribution of CNTF-expressing cells corresponded very closely to that of cells expressing high levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein mRNA at the wound site. Paralleling the observed increase in CNTF mRNA, increased levels of CNTF-like neurotrophic activity were apparent in soluble extracts of the lesioned tissues. This neurotrophic activity for ciliary ganglion neurons was completely blocked by the addition of neutralizing antiserum against CNTF. Basic fibroblast growth factor, which has been shown by others to increase after a similar lesion paradigm (Frautschy et al., Brain Res. , 553 , 291–299, 1991), does not contribute appreciably to this trophic activity. We conclude that CNTF is markedly increased as a function of injury to the CNS and that its expression is most likely restricted to reactive astrocytes in the glial scar.     

Neurotrophic Factors Increase Axonal Growth after Spinal Cord Injury and Transplantation in the Adult Rat

The capacity of CNS neurons for axonal regrowth after injury decreases as the age of the animal at time of injury increases. After spinal cord lesions at birth, there is extensive regenerative growth into and beyond a transplant of fetal spinal cord tissue placed at the injury site. After injury in the adult, however, although host corticospinal and brainstem-spinal axons project into the transplant, their distribution is restricted to within 200 μm of the host/transplant border. The aim of this study was to determine if the administration of neurotrophic factors could increase the capacity of mature CNS neurons for regrowth after injury. Spinal cord hemisection lesions were made at cervical or thoracic levels in adult rats. Transplants of E14 fetal spinal cord tissue were placed into the lesion site. The following neurotrophic factors were administered at the site of injury and transplantation: brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), neurotrophin-4 (NT-4), ciliary-derived neurotrophic factor (CNTF), or vehicle alone. After 1–2 months survival, neuroanatomical tracing and immunocytochemical methods were used to examine the growth of host axons within the transplants. The neurotrophin administration led to increases in the extent of serotonergic, noradrenergic, and corticospinal axonal ingrowth within the transplants. The influence of the administration of the neurotrophins on the growth of injured CNS axons was not a generalized effect of growth factors per se, since the administration of CNTF had no effect on the growth of any of the descending CNS axons tested. These results indicate that in addition to influencing the survival of developing CNS and PNS neurons, neurotrophic factors are able to exert aneurotropicinfluence on injured mature CNS neurons by increasing their axonal growth within a transplant.     

Developmentally Regulated Expression of HDNF/NT-3 mRNA in Rat Spinal Cord Motoneurons and Expression of BDNF mRNA in Embryonic Dorsal Root Ganglion

Northern blot analysis was used to demonstrate high levels of hippocampus-derived neurotrophic factor/neurotrophin-3 (HDNF/NT-3) mRNA in the embryonic day (E) 13 - 14 and 15 - 16 spinal cord. The level decreased at E18 - 19 and remained the same until postnatal day (P) 1, after which it decreased further to a level below the detection limit in the adult. In situ hybridization revealed that the NT-3 mRNA detected in the developing spinal cord was derived from motoneurons and the decrease seen at E18 - 19 was caused by a reduction in the number of motoneurons expressing NT-3 mRNA. The distribution of NT-3 mRNA-expressing cells in the E15 spinal cord was very similar to the distribution of cells expressing choline acetyltransferase or nerve growth factor receptor (NGFR) mRNA. Moreover, a striking similarity between the developmentally regulated expression of NT-3 and NGFR mRNA was noted in spinal cord motoneurons. A subpopulation of all neurons in the dorsal root ganglia expressed brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA from E13, the earliest time examined, to adulthood. These results are consistent with a trophic role of NT-3 for proprioceptive sensory neurons innervating the ventral horn, and imply a local action of BDNF for developing sensory neurons within the dorsal root ganglia.     

BDN F Down-regulates Neurotrophin Responsiveness, TrkB Protein and TrkB mRNA Levels in Cultured Rat Hippocampal Neurons

Regulation of Trk receptors by their ligands, the neurotrophins, was investigated in dissociated cultures of embryonic day 18 rat hippocampal neurons. Cultures were exposed to brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) or NT-4/5 for 24 h upon plating followed by factor washout. As determined by immunohistochemical staining and phosphotyrosine blotting, the functional responses to acute stimulation with BDNF, NT-3 and NT-4/5, including c-Fos induction and phosphorylation of Trk and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) proteins, were significantly decreased after 6 days in culture by prior exposure to BDNF. As determined by Western and Northern blot analysis respectively, there was a parallel down-regulation of TrkB protein as well as of trkB and trkC mRNA levels in BDNF-pretreated cultures. Exposure to NT-3 or NT-4/5 at the same concentrations as BDNF did not down-regulate any of the measured cellular responses or TrkB protein and/or trkB and trkC mRNA levels. Regulation of hippocampal neuronal TrkB protein does not appear to be just a developmental phenomenon, as infusion of BDNF into the hippocampus of adult rats for 6 days produced an 80% decrease in levels of full-length TrkB protein. We thus show that exposure of hippocampal neurons to BDNF, both in culture and in the adult brain, results in down-regulation of TrkB. At least in vitro , this leads to long-term functional desensitization to BDNF. NT-3 and NT-4/5. as well as down-regulation of trkB and trkC mRNA.     

Endogenous Control of Hippocampal Epileptogenesis: A Molecular Cascade Involving Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Neuropeptide Y

Summary: Purpose : Seizures increase the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the hippocampus. Because this neurotrophin exerts modulatory effects on hippocampal neuronal excitability, it may play an important role in epileptogenesis initiated in this structure. Moreover BDNF is known to regulate the expression of neuropeptide Y (NPY), which displays modulatory properties on seizure activity. This suggests that the effects of BDNF on epileptogenesis may be mediated by NPY.
Methods : Adult male rats received a 7-day chronic intrahippocampal infusion of BDNF, BDNF antisense oligodeoxy-nucleotides, NPY, or anti-NPY immunoglobulin G during kindling of the hippocampus. The long-term regulation of NPY expression by BDNF was also studied by immunohistochemistry and radioimmunoassay.
Results : BDNF applied during the first week of hippocampal stimulation significantly delayed the progression of kindling, an effect that outlasted the end of the infusion by at least 7 days. Conversely, infusion of BDNF antisense oligodeoxynucleotides to reduce the expression of endogenous BDNF in the hippocampus aggravated the electroencephalographic expression of seizures. Chronic infusion of BDNF increased the expression of NPY in the hippocampus, with a time course similar to that of the protective effect of the neurotrophin on kindling. Finally, chronic infusion of NPY in the hippocampus delayed the progression of hippocampal kindling, whereas anti-NPY antibodies had an aggravating effect.
Conclusions : Our results suggest that the seizure-induced increase in BDNF expression in the hippocampus may constitute an endogenous protective mechanism able to counteract hippocampal epileptogenesis. This protective effect appears to be mediated at least in part through the regulation of NPY expression.     

红景天苷和脑源性神经营养因子与神经干细胞共移植对致鼠神经干细胞定向分化的研究

目的：探讨红景天苷和脑源性神经营养因子（BDNF）、神经干细胞（NSCs）共移植对致鼠NSCs定向分化影响。方法：将戊四氮致大鼠分为模型组、NSCs组、NSCs＋BDNF组和NSCs＋BDNF＋红景天苷组。取新生大鼠海马组织,将培养的NSCs与BDNF＋红景天苷＋BDNF和基础培养基分别移植至致鼠海马组织中,苏木精-伊红染色及免疫组化检测不同时间点5-溴脱氧尿嘧啶核苷（BrdU）、谷氨酸脱羧酶（GAD65）阳性细胞数,并观察大鼠行为学改变。结果：NSCs＋BDNF＋红景天苷共移植组与其他组比较,各时间点BrdU、GAD65阳性细胞数均增多（P〈0.05）。第3周开始,大鼠癫发作次数最少（P〈0.05）。结论：BDNF与红景天苷联合有利于神经干细胞向γ-氨基丁酸能神经元分化。两者联合移植至致鼠后能减少大鼠的癫发作次数。     

Differential patterns of ERK and STAT3 phosphorylation after sciatic nerve transection in the rat

Peripheral nerve injury induces a specific pattern of expression of growth factors and cytokines, which regulate injury responses and regeneration. Distinct classes of growth factors and cytokines signal through specific intracellular phosphorylation cascades. For example, the ERK phosphorylation cascade mediates signaling through transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptors and the JAK/STAT cascade mediates signaling through the GP130 receptor complex. We tested whether specific phosphorylation patterns of ERK and STAT3 result from nerve injury and whether such phosphorylation correlates with the expression of specific growth factors and cytokines. At sites adjacent to a nerve transection, we observed that ERK phosphorylation peaked early, persisted throughout 16 days, and was equally intense at proximal and distal sites. In contrast, STAT3 phosphorylation peaked later than ERK but did not persist as long and was stronger in the proximal than in the distal segment adjacent to the injury. In addition, in distal segments further away from the injury site, ERK became phosphorylated with a delayed time course, while STAT3 remained unphosphorylated. These patterns of phosphorylation correlated well with the expression of neurotrophin and interleukin-6 mRNAs in the distal stump. In addition, we found that the pattern of SAPK phosphorylation is similar to the pattern observed for STAT3, while the pattern of macrophage infiltration into the transected nerve was distinct from all the phosphorylation patterns observed. Together, these observations suggest that ERK activation is important in the establishment of a regeneration-promoting extracellular environment in the far distal stump of transected nerves and that STAT3 activation is important in the control of cellular responses close to the site of injury.     

The role of p75NTR in modulating neurotrophin survival effects in developing motoneurons

Neurotrophins exert their biological functions on neuronal cells through two types of receptors, the trk tyrosine kinases and the low-affinity neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR), which can bind all neurotrophins with similar affinity. The p75NTR is highly expressed in developing motoneurons and in adult motoneurons after axotomy, suggestive of a physiological role in mediating neurotrophin responses under such conditions. In order to characterize this specific function of p75NTR, we have tested the effects of nerve growth factor (NGF) on embryonic motoneurons from control and p75NTR-deficient mice. NGF antagonizes brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)- and neurotrophin-3 (NT-3)-mediated survival in control but not p75NTR-deficient motoneurons. Survival of cultured motoneurons in the presence of 0.5 ng/mL of either ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) or glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) was not reduced by 20 ng/mL NGF. Dose-response investigations revealed that five times higher concentrations of BDNF are required for half-maximal survival of p75NTR-deficient motoneurons in comparison to motoneurons from wild-type controls. After facial nerve lesion in newborn wild-type mice, local administration of NGF reduced survival of corresponding motoneurons to less than 2% compared to the unlesioned control side. In p75NTR-deficient mice, the same treatment did not enhance facial motoneuron death on the lesioned side. In the facial nucleus of 1-week-old p75NTR -/- mice, a significant reduction of motoneurons was observed at the unlesioned side in comparison to p75NTR +/+ mice. The observation that motoneuron cell numbers are reduced in the facial nucleus of newborn p75NTR-deficient mice suggests that p75NTR might not function as a physiological cell death receptor in developing motoneurons.     

高血压对慢性脑缺血大鼠海马和大脑皮质的脑源性神经营养因子表达的影响

目的 探讨高血压对慢性脑缺血大鼠海马及大脑皮质部位脑源性神经营养因子（Brain-derivedneurotrophic factor,BDNF）表达的影响。方法 使用正常血压的WKY大鼠以及有高血压的SHR大鼠制作双侧总颈动脉永久阻塞的慢性脑缺血模型。应用原位杂交及免疫组织化学染色观察BDNF在缺血后第1～4周的变化,H&E染色比较缺血后第4周脑梗死范围的大小。结果 慢性脑缺血后,在SHR大鼠海马CA1和大脑皮质,BDNF的mRNA及免疫染色密度在缺血后第1~4周皆有显著的减少（P <0.05）,蛋白质印迹（Western-blot）实验也呈现了相同的结果。而WKY大鼠,只在缺血后第1周有短暂的减少（P <0.05）。在第4周,HE染色显示SHR大鼠比WKY大鼠有较大范围的脑组织受损（[ 12.40±4.26）% vs（0.41±0.17）%,P =0.026]。结论 在慢性脑缺血的情况下,长期的高血压会加重脑损伤,并且影响BDNF的mRNA及蛋白质的表达,尤其在缺血耐受性低的海马CA1及大脑皮质部位。     

Astrocytes Are the Major Source of Nerve Growth Factor Upregulation Following Traumatic Brain Injury in the Rat

Previous studies from our group have demonstrated an upregulation in nerve growth factor (NGF) RNA and protein in the cortex 24 h following traumatic brain injury (TBI) in a rat model. This increase in NGF is suppressed if rats are subjected to 4 h of whole-body hypothermia following TBI. In the present study we usedin situhybridization to extend our initial RNA gel-blot (Northern) hybridization findings by demonstrating that NGF RNA is increased in the cortex following TBI and that hypothermia diminishes this response. Further, by combiningin situhybridization with immunocytochemistry for glial fibrillary acidic protein we demonstrate that astrocytes are the major cellular source for the upregulation in NGF and that this upregulation can be observed in the hippocampus as early as 3 h posttrauma. The predominantly astrocytic origin suggests that the NGF upregulation is not related primarily to cholinotrophic activities. We hypothesize that its function is to stimulate upregulation of antioxidant enzymes, as part of an injury-induced cascade, and that supplementation of NGF or antioxidants may be warranted in hypothermic therapies for head injury.     

针刺对缺血再灌注大鼠海马脑源性神经营养因子mRNA的影响

目的 探讨针刺对缺血再灌注大鼠海马内脑源性神经营养因子（BONF）基因表达的影响，推测针刺改善缺血再灌注的可能机制。方法 采用4-血管阴断法制备大鼠全脑缺血再灌注模型，电针刺激百会、肾俞、足三里穴后，利用RT-PCR检测BDNF mRNA。结果 正常组大鼠海马BDNF mRNA表达极低，缺血再灌注组大鼠海马BDNF mRNA表达明显增高，治疗15d的针刺1、2组大鼠海马BDNF mRNA表达较缺血再灌注组更高，及早治疗且治疗时间为20d的针刺3组大鼠海马BDNF mRNA表达较降低。结论 缺血再灌注大鼠海马BDNF水平增高有利于损伤的神经元存活、恢复；针刺促进脑内细胞分泌内源性BDNF可能是针刺有效治疗缺血再灌注的机制之一。     

Human Recombinant Nerve Growth Factor Replaces Deficient Neurotrophic Support in the Diabetic Rat

Manipulation of neurotrophic support is a developing strategy for new therapy aimed at neurodegenerative diseases. This study demonstrates reduced content and retrograde transport of endogenous nerve growth factor (NGF) in sciatic nerve of diabetic rats. There were also reductions in the diabetic rats in NGF protein and mRNA in skin and muscle of the hindlimb. These deficits correlated with reductions in substance P and calcitonin gene-related peptide–both products of NGF-influenced genes in primary afferents. These manifestations of deficient neurotrophic support were corrected by intensive insulin treatment and surmounted by administration of exogenous human recombinant NGF in a dose-related manner. Impaired neurotrophic support may, therefore, participate in the pathogenesis of diabetic and other peripheral neuropathies.