Expression of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor... : NeuroReport (original) (raw)

Regeneration and Transplantation

Expression of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) mRNA following mechanical injury to mouse striatum

Liberatore, Gabriel T.1; Wong, John Y. F.1; Porritt, Michelle J.1; Donnan, Geoffrey A.1; Howells, David W.1,2

1Departments of Neurology and Medicine, University of Melbourne, Austin & Repatriation Medical Centre, Heidelberg, Victoria 3084, Australia

2Corresponding Author: David W. Howells

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: This study was supported by the Australian National Health & Medical Research Council, the Austin Hospital Medical Research Foundation and Parkinson's Victoria. G.T.L. was supported by a Bethlehem Griffiths Research Foundation Scholarship. We gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Dr Duncan MacGregor and Dr Renata Kalnins, neuropathologists at A&RMC.

Received 8 July 1997; accepted 1 August 1997

Abstract

ALTHOUGH glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) expression is low in the adult brain, its administration protects dopaminergic neurons against a range of insults, leading to the suggestion of a role in dopaminergic regeneration. If locally produced GDNF is to fulfil a role in dopaminergic regeneration after injury, it seems reasonable to hypothesize that its expression will increase after mechanical trauma. We have demonstrated that GDNF mRNA expression increases within 6 h of using a wire knife to injure adult mouse striatum. Expression doubles after 1 week and remains elevated for at least 1 month. Most GDNF expression is associated with haemosiderin-containing cells, indicating production by brain macrophages. GDNF production by macrophages may be essential for neural regeneration following CNS trauma.