title: Effects of catechol compound administration on nerve growth factor synthesis in the peripheral nervous system.
abstract: The effects of the intraperitoneal administration of catechol compounds on nerve growth factor (NGF) synthesis in the peripheral nervous system were examined in Wistar male rats. Five injections of 4-methylcatechol (4-MC) during a three-day period caused a threefold to fourfold increase in the NGF content of organs with sympathetic innervation (heart, submandibular gland) and the sciatic nerve. Next, we investigated time-dependent changes in the NGF content after a single injection of 2 micrograms of 4-MC. A transient increase in the NGF content was detected in the heart and submandibular gland at 16 hours after administration. In the sciatic nerve, a transient increase in the NGF content was noted at 20 hours in the nerve segments on the distal side, and at 24 hours in the segments on the proximal side. In the superior cervical ganglion and dorsal root ganglion, i.e., the locations of the sympathetic and sensory nerve cell bodies, an increase in the NGF content was detected between 32 and 40 hours. Therefore, catechol compounds stimulate NGF synthesis in the peripheral nervous system, and NGF induced by 4-MC is transported retrogradely in the axon to the soma in a physiological manner. Furthermore, in the dorsal root ganglion and superior cervical ganglion, the use of substance P and tyrosine hydroxylase activity as biochemical markers of sensory and sympathetic neurons has demonstrated the biological activity of newly-synthesized NGF induced by catechol compounds.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Jikei University, School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kaechi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002396:Catechols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D002396:Catechols; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; C018599:4-methylcatechol