Rat primary cultured microglia express glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor receptors.
The neurotrophic effect of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) has been well documented in both the central and peripheral nervous systems. From the histological findings, target cells of GDNF have been considered to be neurons. In the present study, the expression of GDNF receptors, ret and GFRalpha-1, was demonstrated in rat primary cultured microglia by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and the protein-level expression of Ret was also confirmed by Western-blotting analyses. Moreover, GDNF stimulated the phosphorylation of MAP kinase (ERK1/2) in the cells. These results suggest that GDNF regulates not only neuronal survival and maturation but also certain functions of microglia in the brain.
Honda
S
S
Department of Neurochemistry, National Institute of Neuroscience, Kodaira, Tokyo, Japan.
Nakajima
K
K
Nakamura
Y
Y
Imai
Y
Y
Kohsaka
S
S
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D051097:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Receptors; D007700:Kinetics; D017628:Microglia / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D051096:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C495041:Gdnf protein, rat; C494989:Gfra1 protein, rat; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D051097:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Receptors; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051096:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; C416649:Ret protein, Drosophila; C495001:Ret protein, rat; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases