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Effect of Nerve Growth Factor in Ethylcholine Mustard Aziridinium (AF64A)‐Treated Rats: Sensitization of Cholinergic Enzyme Activity in the Septohippocampal Pathway
Author(s) -
Willson Christopher A.,
Hanin Israel
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
journal of neurochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.75
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1471-4159
pISSN - 0022-3042
DOI - 10.1046/j.1471-4159.1995.65020856.x
Subject(s) - choline acetyltransferase , nerve growth factor , cholinergic , acetylcholinesterase , medicine , endocrinology , cholinergic neuron , aché , cholinergic system , chemistry , enzyme , biochemistry , receptor
In this study, we examined the effects of nerve growth factor (NGF) administration on cholinergic enzyme activity in both normal and ethylcholine mustard aziridinium (AF64A)‐treated rats. Choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and acetylcholinesterase activity were measured in the hippocampus and septum of rats chronically administered NGF (0.36–2.85 µg/day) into the lateral ventricle for 14 days. In both normal and AF64A‐treated rats, NGF increased cholinergic enzyme activity in a dose‐dependent manner. Furthermore, although NGF increased ChAT activity in normal rats by 147%, it had a greater effect in AF64A‐treated rats, increasing ChAT activity as much as 273%. NGF increased acetylcholinesterase activity in normal rats by only 125% but produced a 221% increase in this activity in AF64A‐treated rats. These data indicate that AF64A produces an increased sensitivity to NGF in cholinergic neurons.