title: Ciliary neurotrophic factor prevents retrograde neuronal death in the adult central nervous system.
abstract: The neurocytokine ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) was described originally as an activity that supports the survival of neurons of the chicken ciliary ganglia in vitro. The widespread expression of CNTF and its principal binding protein, CNTF receptor alpha, in the central and peripheral nervous systems suggests a broader trophic role for this peptide. In the present study, we report that CNTF prevents axotomy-induced cell death of neurons in the anteroventral and anterodorsal thalamic nuclei of the adult rat. Using the polymerase chain reaction, we also demonstrate the presence of CNTF and CNTF receptor alpha mRNA in these same thalamic nuclei. The coincidence of CNTF and its receptor in a population of neurons responding to the factor suggests a paracrine function for CNTF. The present findings establish that CNTF has significant effects on neurons of the central nervous system in vivo and demonstrate that neurocytokines can prevent cell death in the adult central nervous system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205.
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Clatterbuck
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Price
authors.forename: V E
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Koliatsos
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology; D001483:Base Sequence; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects*; D020934:Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor; D003001:Cloning, Molecular / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000187:drug effects; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000502:physiology*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D020934:Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011994:Recombinant Proteins