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Interferon Suppresses Sympathetic Neuronal Cell Death Caused by Nerve Growth Factor Deprivation
Author(s) -
Chang Jason Y.,
Martin David P.,
Johnson Eugene M.
Publication year - 1990
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 - 10.1111/j.1471-4159.1990.tb04155.x
Subject(s) - nerve growth factor , programmed cell death , interferon , receptor , cell , endocrinology , sympathetic nerve , medicine , biology , sympathetic innervation , apoptosis , cancer research , neuroscience , microbiology and biotechnology , immunology , biochemistry , stimulation
Cultured rat sympathetic neurons die within 48 h after being deprived of nerve growth factor. Addition of interferons (IFN‐α/β or IFN‐γ) prevented the cell death in a dose‐dependent manner. Upon longer periods of nerve growth factor deprivation, IFNs failed to maintain survival. Thus, IFNs retarded neuronal death, but did not prevent it. Ligand binding, autoradiography, and cross‐linking experiments demonstrated the presence of specific IFN‐γ receptors on sympathetic neurons similar to those seen on other cell types. The possible relationships of the death‐suppressing actions of IFNs are compared to the mechanisms of the antiviral or antiproliferative actions of IFNs.