title: Involvement of leukemia inhibitory factor in the increases in galanin and vasoactive intestinal peptide mRNA and the decreases in neuropeptide Y and tyrosine hydroxylase mRNA in sympathetic neurons after axotomy.
abstract: In response to axonal injury, noradrenergic sympathetic neurons of the adult superior cervical ganglion (SCG) alter their neurotransmitter phenotype. These alterations include increases in the levels of the neuropeptides, galanin, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), and substance P (SP) and a decrease in the catecholamine biosynthetic enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). Previous studies have indicated that after axotomy in vivo, leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) plays an important role in increasing the contents of galanin and VIP in the SCG. In the present study, by examining the time courses of the changes in LIF and neuropeptide mRNA and by using LIF null mutant mice, we have determined that LIF alters neuropeptide content in part by increasing levels of peptide mRNA. In addition, LIF also makes a small contribution to the axotomy-induced down-regulation of mRNA encoding TH and neuropeptide Y, both of which are normally expressed at high levels in the SCG. Finally, by using a LIF-blocking antiserum, this cytokine was found to regulate SP expression in an in vitro axonal injury model. Thus, after axotomy, a single factor, LIF, participates in the down-regulation of peptides/proteins involved in normal neurotransmission and the up-regulation of a group of neuropeptides normally not present in the SCG that may be involved in regeneration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio 44106-4975, USA.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Zigmond
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology*; D019004:Galanin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006131:Growth Inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D007106:Immune Sera; D015850:Interleukin-6; D007700:Kinetics; D053605:Leukemia Inhibitory Factor; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009474:Neurons / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology*; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017783:Superior Cervical Ganglion / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000502:physiology*; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D006131:Growth Inhibitors; D007106:Immune Sera; D015850:Interleukin-6; D053605:Leukemia Inhibitory Factor; C507838:Lif protein, mouse; D008222:Lymphokines; D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide; D019004:Galanin; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase