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Role of brain‐derived neurotrophic factor in wobbler mouse motor neuron disease
Author(s) -
Tsuzaka Kazufumi,
Ishiyama Takeo,
Pioro Erik P.,
Mitsumoto Hiroshi
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
muscle and nerve
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.025
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1097-4598
pISSN - 0148-639X
DOI - 10.1002/mus.1029
Subject(s) - motor neuron , spinal cord , neuroprotection , neurotrophic factors , endocrinology , medicine , brain derived neurotrophic factor , nitric oxide synthase , nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate , neuron , amyotrophic lateral sclerosis , neuroscience , nitric oxide , biology , disease , biochemistry , enzyme , receptor , oxidase test
Brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is neuroprotective for motoneurons undergoing degeneration, including those in natural motor neuron disease (MND) in wobbler mice. To assess the role of BDNF in this model of MND, endogenous BDNF immunoreactivity was analyzed by semiquantitative video‐image analysis. Affected cervical spinal cord motoneurons had significantly greater BDNF immunoreactivity compared to motoneurons of healthy littermates ( P = 0.01) and affected lumbar spinal cord motoneurons ( P = 0.008 at age 4 weeks; P = 0.005 at age 8 weeks). Neuronal nitric oxide synthase (n‐NOS) immunocytochemistry revealed increased immunoreactivity in the affected cervical spinal cord motoneurons. Exogenous BDNF treatment partially inhibited the increased NOS activity, as quantitatively measured by nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate diaphorase (NADPH‐d) histochemistry. The mean number of NADPH‐d + motoneurons in the cervical anterior horn decreased from 3.5 ± 1.2 to 1.5 ± 1.2 ( P = 0.002). The increase in endogenous BDNF immunoreactivity in the affected spinal cord may be compensatory in diseased motoneurons, yet it appears to still be inadequate because exogenous BDNF treatment is required to suppress increased NOS activity in degenerating motoneurons. Our study indicates that BDNF is important in halting nitric oxide (NO)‐mediated motor neuron degeneration, which has potential implications for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Muscle Nerve 24: 474–480, 2001.