title: Midbrain dopaminergic neurons are protected from radical induced damage by GDF-5 application. Short communication.
abstract: Embryonic day 14 rat midbrain cultures were kept for 7 days in vitro and then intoxicated with radical donors iron and sodium-nitroprusside for 24 h. Tyrosine-hydroxylase positive neurons in cultures which were additionally treated with growth/differentiation factor-5 (GDF-5) survived to a significantly higher percentage as compared to sister cultures without factor supplementation. Since the degeneration of TH positive cells is a key feature in Parkinson's disease, GDF-5 might be a putative therapeutical agent for this disorder.
authors.affiliation: University of Heidelberg, Federal Republic of Germany.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lingor
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Unsicker
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Krieglstein
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005296:Ferrous Compounds / Q000633:toxicity; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000633:toxicity*; D055428:Growth Differentiation Factor 5; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D020030:Nitric Oxide Donors / Q000494:pharmacology; D009599:Nitroprusside / Q000494:pharmacology; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; D005296:Ferrous Compounds; D005609:Free Radicals; D055428:Growth Differentiation Factor 5; D006133:Growth Substances; D020030:Nitric Oxide Donors; D009599:Nitroprusside; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; C029451:ferrous chloride; D004298:Dopamine