title: Hippocampal neurotrophic factor: characterization and response to denervation.
abstract: The rat hippocampus contains an acidic macromolecular neurotrophic factor (NTF) which supports the survival of cultured chick ciliary ganglion cells. Hippocampal NTF increases approximately 2-fold from birth to adulthood with no further change with aging. Disruption of extrinsic inputs to the hippocampus from the entorhinal cortex, locus coeruleus or contralateral hippocampus, but not from the septum, results in an increase in the concentration of NTF in the hippocampus. Destruction of intrinsic hippocampal neurons by kainic acid treatment is accompanied by a large increase in hippocampal NTF, a result consistent with a glial origin for the factor. This conclusion is supported by the finding that a lesion-induced rise in NTF can be suppressed by administration of methotrexate, an inhibitor of gliosis.
mesh_terms: D000320:Adrenergic Fibers / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002799:Cholinergic Fibers / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000032:analysis* / Q000254:growth & development; D007608:Kainic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000494:pharmacology; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000032:analysis*; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D007608:Kainic Acid; D008727:Methotrexate