Increases In Nerve Growth Factor Protein Research Articles

Immune System Induction of Nerve Growth Factor in an Animal Model of Multiple Sclerosis: Implications in Re-Myelination and Myelin Repair.

Nerve growth factor (NGF) expression is augmented during neuroinflammation. However, its function in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and spinal cord (SC) during experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), the inflammatory model of Multiple Sclerosis, is indistinct. Thus, the role of antigenically induced NGF in Lewis rats under a state of EAE was considered. NGF mRNA and protein expression were highly increased in DRG and SC tissues in animals with EAE. Between 18 and 24 days post induction (dpi), NGF mRNA and protein were elevated in the DRG, correlating with neurological recovery. In the SC, an increase in NGF protein at 12 dpi was, in contrast, preceded by neurological recovery. NGF mRNA expression became elevated in the SC at 15 dpi at the onset of neurological improvement and amelioration of EAE. This study revealed that antigenic induction of the 25 kDa pro-NGF isoform is associated with the disease course of EAE. Our findings suggest the induction of NGF represents an adaptive response against immune-mediated neuroinflammation in the DRG and SC that likely contributes to the EAE attenuation.

Nerve growth factor signaling following unilateral pelvic ganglionectomy in the rat ventral prostate is age dependent

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a serious health concern and is an underlying cause of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in many men. In affected men, LUTS/BPH is believed to result from benign proliferation of the prostate resulting in bladder outlet obstruction. Postnatal growth of the prostate is controlled via growth factor and endocrine mechanisms. However, little attention had been given to the function of the autonomic nervous system in prostate growth and differentiation. Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a prostatic mitogen that has a trophic role in autonomic sensory end organ interaction. In this study, we examine how the autonomic nervous system influences prostate growth as a function of age by quantifying NGF in the rat ventral prostate (VP) after pelvic ganglionectomy. Unilateral pelvic ganglionectomy was performed on postnatal days 30 (P30), 60 and 120 Sprague-Dawley rats in comparison to sham controls (n=39). Semiquantitative RT-PCR, Western blotting and immunohistochemical analysis for NGF were performed on denervated, intact (contralateral side) and sham control VP 7 days after surgery. Ngf RNA expression was significantly increased in the denervated and intact hyperplastic VP. Western blotting showed age-dependent increases in NGF protein at P60 in the contralateral intact VP. NGF was localized in the nerves, basal cells and columnar epithelium of the prostatic ducts. Denervation causes age-dependent increases in NGF in the VP, which is a potential mechanism by which the autonomic nervous system may regulate prostate growth and lead to BPH/LUTS.

Molecular and behavioral changes in nociception in a novel rat model of chronic pancreatitis for the study of pain

The approach to the management of painful chronic pancreatitis has been empirical, primarily due to the lack of information about biological mechanisms producing pain. To facilitate research into pain mechanisms, our aim was to assess a rat model of chronic pancreatitis induced by pancreatic infusion of trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid as a model of painful pancreatitis. Nociception was assessed by measuring mechanical sensitivity of the abdomen and by recording the number of nocifensive behaviors in response to electrical stimulation of the pancreas. Expression of neuropeptides calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and substance P (SP) in the thoracic dorsal root ganglia receiving input from the pancreas and nerve growth factor (NGF) in the pancreas were measured. Rats with pancreatitis exhibited marked increase in sensitivity to mechanical probing of the abdomen and increased sensitivity to noxious electrical stimulation of the pancreas. There were significant increases in NGF protein in the pancreas and in expression of neuropeptides CGRP and SP in the sensory neurons from dorsal root ganglia receiving input from the pancreas. We have established quantitative measures of referred nociception and pancreatic hyperalgesia in a rat model of chronic pancreatitis that bears histological similarities to the human disease. This model has considerable construct, face and predictive validity for the human condition. It is of importance for the study of the pathogenesis of pain in this condition and can facilitate the development of new therapeutic options.

Evidence for reduced accumulation of exogenous neurotrophin by aged sympathetic neurons

The present study investigated the potential for neurotrophin uptake by cerebrovascular axons and subsequent accumulation in the aged superior cervical ganglion (SCG) following a two week intracerebroventricular infusion of nerve growth factor (NGF). In the SCG from aged rats, NGF protein levels declined significantly compared with the SCG from young adult rats. Following NGF infusion, perivascular axons from both young adult and aged rats showed intense NGF immunostaining. In addition, significant increases in NGF protein were shown using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and in counts of NGF immunopositive cell bodies in the SCG when compared with age-matched controls. NGF accumulation in ganglia from aged rats, however, was significantly less when compared with ganglia from young adult rats. The results of the present study suggest that NGF protein is significantly reduced in aged ganglia with the neurons retaining some capacity to take up and transport exogenous neurotrophin. Even so, the potential for NGF accumulation is dramatically reduced in aged rats when compared with that of young adult rats. While previous results have shown robust NGF-induced neurotransmitter responses by sympathetic neurons from the aged animal, the present finding of reduced accumulation of NGF in aged sympathetic neurons suggests an age-related difference in the utilization or transport of NGF.

Serotonergic lesion of median raphe nucleus alters nerve growth factor content and vulnerability of cholinergic septohippocampal neurons in rat

About 45% of the serotonergic raphe neurons are reported to express nerve growth factor (NGF) receptors. We therefore investigated whether selective serotonergic lesions of the median or dorsal raphe nuclei are associated with changes in NGF protein levels of the brain and whether the loss of serotonergic function alters the vulnerability of cholinergic septohippocampal neurons. In adult rats the hippocampal NGF content changed in a biphasic way after lesion of the median raphe nucleus by 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT), with a significant increase after 2–3 weeks of up to 35%, followed by a significant reduction of 22% below control levels after 7 weeks, and a return to control levels within the following 4 weeks. By contrast, the decrease in hippocampal serotonin and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid remained throughout the observation period of 11 weeks, being still reduced to 15 and 30% of the control levels, respectively. In the frontal cortex the partial loss of the serotonergic innervation projecting from the median raphe was associated 5 weeks after 5,7-DHT injection with an increase in NGF protein of 39.7±9.6% ( P<0.05), which remained elevated up to 11 weeks. At 9 weeks after 5,7-DHT, the lesion of the septohippocampal cholinergic neurons induced by the cholinotoxin ethylcholine aziridinium (AF64A) was exaggerated ( P<0.05) as compared to AF64A-treated rats with intact serotonergic innervation. The present data indicate that a serotonergic lesion of the median raphe nucleus results in biphasic changes of NGF protein content and in a delayed increase in the vulnerability of septohippocampal cholinergic neurons.

Repeated immunolesions display diminished stress response signal

Cholinergic basal forebrain neurons (CBFNs) retrogradely transport neurotrophins released in the hippocampus and cortex as part of a general response to injury in a process that is impaired in the aged rodent and can be spared by the exogenous addition of pharmacological doses of nerve growth factor (NGF). This observation suggests that components of stress response signal transduction pathways in the aged CNS can be exogenously activated. The extent and mechanism of the endogenous stimulation of NGF in response to injury can be mimicked via treatment with 192 IgG-saporin of rat CNS, an immunolesion model. Here we report on the use of a conditioning lesion paradigm to determine if repeated partial immunolesions have a conditioning effect on the immunolesion-induced increases in NGF protein or decreases in choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity.We report that chronic repeated immunolesions, as used here, were not as effective as a one time equivalent immunolesion in terms of induced NGF protein increases or decreasing ChAT and AChE activity in the hippocampus and cortex. Thus, chronic lesions resulting in cholinergic impairment typical of the aged CNS may differ from acute toxic models as a result of desensitization due to a conditioning effect of chronic subthreshold lesioning events in the CNS.

Nerve growth factor mRNA and protein levels measured in the same tissue from normal and Alzheimer's disease parietal cortex.

Nerve growth factor (NGF) mRNA and protein levels were determined in parietal cortex samples from both normal and Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. NGF protein levels were slightly elevated in AD patients compared to controls, but NGF mRNA levels were unchanged in the same tissue samples. Thus, small but reproducible increases in NGF protein reported in AD cortex do not result from increases in NGF mRNA.

1505 The influence of occlusaland masticatory on cholinergic neurons in aging rats

About 45% of the serotonergic raphe neurons are reported to express nerve growth factor (NGF) receptors. We therefore investigated whether selective serotonergic lesions of the median or dorsal raphe nuclei are associated with changes in NGF protein levels of the brain and whether the loss of serotonergic function alters the vulnerability of cholinergic septohippocampal neurons. In adult rats the hippocampal NGF content changed in a biphasic way after lesion of the median raphe nucleus by 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT), with a significant increase after 2–3 weeks of up to 35%, followed by a significant reduction of 22% below control levels after 7 weeks, and a return to control levels within the following 4 weeks. By contrast, the decrease in hippocampal serotonin and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid remained throughout the observation period of 11 weeks, being still reduced to 15 and 30% of the control levels, respectively. In the frontal cortex the partial loss of the serotonergic innervation projecting from the median raphe was associated 5 weeks after 5,7-DHT injection with an increase in NGF protein of 39.7±9.6% (P<0.05), which remained elevated up to 11 weeks. At 9 weeks after 5,7-DHT, the lesion of the septohippocampal cholinergic neurons induced by the cholinotoxin ethylcholine aziridinium (AF64A) was exaggerated (P<0.05) as compared to AF64A-treated rats with intact serotonergic innervation. The present data indicate that a serotonergic lesion of the median raphe nucleus results in biphasic changes of NGF protein content and in a delayed increase in the vulnerability of septohippocampal cholinergic neurons.

Nerve growth factor strategy and preparation of animal model for Alzheimer-type senile dementia

Nerve growth factor (NGF) plays an important role in the survival and maintenance of cholinergic neurons in the central nervous system. In senile dementia of the Alzheimer type (SDAT), learning and memory are impaired by the loss of neurons in the magnocellular cholinergic neuronal system. It is, therefore, of interest to investigate the role of NGF in this degenerative disorder. Since NGF does not cross the blood-brain barrier and is easily metabolized by peptidases when administered peripherally, it can be used for medical treatment only when directly injected into the brain. We tried to develop drugs which could be taken orally and stimulate the NGF synthesis in the brain. In addition, we attempted to develop a SDAT animal model using osmotic minipump to infuse beta-amyloid protein into cerebral ventricle, since there are no SDAT model animals accompanied with various pathophysiological changes. We demonstrate here that the oral administration of propentofylline, idebenone and trimethylquinone derivative, potent in vitro NGF synthesis stimulators, induced the increase in NGF protein and mRNA, and in choline acetyltransferase activity, in basal forebrain-lesioned and aged rats, but not in intact young rats. These drugs also ameliorated the behavioral deficits in habituation, water maze, and passive avoidance tasks in these animals. These results suggest that these drugs stimulated NGF synthesis in vivo and ameliorated the behavioral deficits which were accompanied with the reduced choline acetyltransferase activity in the basal forebrain-lesioned and aged rats. In terms of the SDAT animal model, the performance of the water maze and passive avoidance tasks was impaired and choline acetyltransferase activity significantly decreased in beta-amyloid protein-treated rats. Histochemical results showed the deposition of beta-amyloid protein in the cortex and hippocampus and atrophy and loss of hippocampal neurons. These results suggest that the deposition of beta-amyloid protein in the brain is related to the impairment of learning and cholinergic neuronal degeneration, and that beta-amyloid protein-treated rats could be an animal model for SDAT and used for the screening of drugs for SDAT.

Sustained expression of functional nerve growth factor in primary septo-hippocampal cell cultures by liposome-mediated gene transfer

We examined liposome-mediated gene transfection of nerve growth factor (NGF) in primary central nervous system cultures. RT-PCR analyses detected increased expression of NGF mRNA one day after liposome-mediated NGF gene transfection. ELISA studies detected large increases in NGF protein in cells and in culture medium after NGF gene transfection. Cells continued to secrete NGF into the medium for at least 2 weeks. NGF bioassays confirmed that the NGF secreted after gene transfection was biologically active.

Upregulation of Nerve Growth Factor Following Cortical Trauma

As part of the inflammatory response to brain injury, CSF and tissue levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) are elevated after trauma. This elevation in IL-1β initiates a cascade of events among which may be an upregulation in nerve growth factor (NGF) in brain tissue. We infused IL-1β into the ventricle of adult rats and found a two- to fourfold increase in NGF in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum, suggesting that IL-1β induced in vivo may also increase NGF in the brain. To test this hypothesis we utilized two models of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the rat and examined NGF protein and RNA in the cortex over a period of several days. Both weight drop and controlled cortical contusion models of CNS trauma demonstrated large and significant increases in NGF protein in the cortex. NGF RNA was assessed in the controlled cortical contusion model and increased approximately fivefold by 1 day post-trauma. The remarkable elevation of NGF observed following TBI suggests that its role in response to injury may be other than as a target-derived growth substance. We hypothesize that the elevation of NGF in trauma induces upregulation of enzymes which suppress free-radical formation after injury.

Chronic 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3-mediated induction of nerve growth factor mRNA and protein in L929 fibroblasts and in adult rat brain

We have proposed that elevating levels of nerve growth factor (NGF) in the CNS is a rational strategy for treating certain neurodegenerative disorders. The present studies were conducted to determine: (1) if pharmacologically induced levels of NGF could be sustained for an extended time, and (2) if correlations exist between increases in NGF mRNA and NGF protein in L929 cells and in vivo. Short-term treatment of L929 cells with 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 resulted in a two-fold increase in both NGF mRNA and NGF protein. These increases were sustained for up to 48 h with continuous exposure to 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3. In rats, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 (2.5 nmol; i.c.v.) induced NGF mRNA transiently, with peak two-fold increased observed 4 h post-injection. In contrast to L929 cells, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 did not elicit an increase in NGF protein after a single administration in vivo. However, consistent with long-term exposure in L929 cells, chronic 6 day infusion of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 resulted in induction of both NGF mRNA and NGF protein in the brain. These results indicate that 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3-mediated NGF induction in cultured L929 cells may predict of NGF induction in vivo, suggesting that L929 cells may have utility in studying underlying mechanisms of NGF induction by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3. On the basis of NGF's ability to increase cholinergic function in animal models of cholinergic degeneration, these results are supportive of a role for NGF inducers as potential drugs for neurodegenerative disorders.

Adrenal steroids mediate the increase of hippocampal nerve growth factor biosynthesis following bicuculline convulsions.

Northern blot analysis of nerve growth factor (NGF) messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA), together with a two-site enzyme immunoassay for NGF protein, showed that a convulsive dose of bicuculline (0.4 mg/kg, IV) induced a rapid (within 1 hour) three-fold increase in hippocampal NGF mRNA. This increase was followed by a significant increase in NGF protein 5 hours later. No changes were detected in the cerebral cortex. The increase of rat hippocampal NGF mRNA and protein content was associated with an increase in plasma corticosterone content. Both responses were completely prevented by a pretreatment with diazepam (5 mg/kg, IP), which suggested that adrenal steroids might be a stimulus underlying the rapid increase in NGF biosynthesis following bicuculline convulsions. Therefore, we tested to determine whether a convulsive dose of bicuculline could increase NGF mRNA in adrenalectomized and sham-operated rats. Bicuculline increases hippocampal NGF mRNA in sham-operated rats, but not in adrenalectomized rats despite the presence of convulsions in both experimental groups. Moreover, in adrenalectomized rats, dexamethasone (0.5 mg/kg, SC) could partly restore the increase in hippocampal NGF mRNA content induced by bicuculline convulsions; thus, adrenal steroids might have an essential role in the induction of hippocampal NGF biosynthesis elicited by bicuculline convulsions.