title: Platelet-derived growth factor promotes survival of rat and human mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons in culture.
abstract: The effect of two isoforms of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), PDGF-AA and PDGF-BB, was tested on dissociated cell cultures of ventral mesencephalon from rat and human embryos. PDGF-BB but not PDGF-AA reduced the progressive loss of tyrosine hydroxylase- (TH)-positive neurons in rat and human cell cultures. The mean number of TH-positive cells in the PDGF-BB-treated rat culture was 64% and 106% higher than in the control cultures after 7 and 10 days in vitro, respectively. Corresponding figures for human TH-positive neurons were 90% and 145%. The influence of PDGF-BB was specific for TH-positive neurons and not a general trophic effect, since no change of either total cell number or metabolic activity was found. In PDGF-BB-treated cultures of human but not rat tissue the TH-positive neurons had longer neurites than observed in control or PDGF-AA-treated cultures. These data indicate that PDGF-BB may act as a trophic factor for mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons and suggest that administration of PDGF-BB could ameliorate degeneration and possibly promote axonal sprouting of these neurons in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nikkhah
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Odin
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Smits
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tingström
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Othberg
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brundin
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Funa
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Lindvall
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004298:Dopamine / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000166:cytology*; D016501:Neurites / Q000187:drug effects; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects*; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; C022616:thiazolyl blue; D004298:Dopamine