Effect of a nerve growth factor on glucose metabolism by sympathetic and sensory nerve cells

Abstract

The effect of a nerve factor on glucose metabolism of sympathetic, and sensory nerve cells has been investigated. The addition of nerve growth factor (0.05 μg/ml) to the incubation medium markedly increases the oxidation of glucose to CO 2. From experiments with specifically labelled glucose it would appear that this increase is mainly due to the oxidation of [ i- 14C]glucose. The ratio of the radioactivity recovered as 14CO 2 from C- i over that from C-6 was found to be approx. i.3 in control ganglia and approx. 2, or more, in the nerve growth factor-treated ganglia. These findings would suggest an activation of the hexose monophosphate pathway in the nerve cells under the influence of the nerve growth factor.