title: Expression of human GFR alpha-1 (GDNF receptor) at the neuromuscular junction and myelinated nerves.
abstract: Motor neurons have been known to require a wide variety of neurotrophic factors for their survival. As one of the target-derived trophic factors, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) has been shown to exert its effects on motor neurons via a receptor complex including GDNF receptor alpha 1 (GFR alpha-1). Immunoreactivity of GFR alpha-1 was observed at myelinated peripheral nerves and neuromuscular junction (NMJ) of human skeletal muscles. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analyses showed that mRNA of GFR alpha-1 existed in the ventral horn of human spinal cord, but not in the skeletal muscles. The results suggested that GFR alpha-1 might play a key role for uptake and internalization of GDNF at the human NMJ.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuromuscular Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, NCNP, Kodaira, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hase
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Arahata
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Akazawa
mesh_terms: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D051097:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Receptors; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051096:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C495039:GDNF protein, human; C494987:GFRA1 protein, human; 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