Neurotrophin 3 is increased in the spontaneously hypertensive rat.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether the noradrenergic sympathetic hyperinnervation in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR), a genetic model of essential hypertension, is associated with changes in neurotrophin 3 (NT3) concentrations.


METHODS
NT3 levels were measured using a sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in the superior cervical ganglia (SCG), heart, mesenteric artery (MA) and blood of postnatal and mature SHR and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats.


CONCLUSIONS
NT3 levels in SHR are significantly higher in the SCG during the first 4 postnatal weeks, and in the heart and MA from 2 to 10 weeks of age, compared with levels in WKY rats. The elevated NT3 found in the sympathetic ganglia and hyperinnervated organs of SHR indicates that NT3 may play an important role in the development of hyperinnervation, possibly by enhancing the survival and/or nerve sprouting of sympathetic neurons.
Zhang
S H
SH
Department of Human Physiology and Centre for Neuroscience, The Flinders University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia. shu.zhang@flinders.edu.au
Rush
R A
RA
D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006973:Hypertension / Q000378:metabolism*; D008638:Mesenteric Arteries / Q000378:metabolism; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D020933:Neurotrophin 3 / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR / Q000378:metabolism*; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY; D017783:Superior Cervical Ganglion / Q000378:metabolism
D020933:Neurotrophin 3