The effects of Neotrofin on septodentate sprouting after unilateral entorhinal cortex lesions in rats.
OBJECTIVE
Recent research on the purine derivative of hypoxanthine Neotrofin (4-[[3-(1,6-dihydro-6-oxo-9-purin-9-yl)-1-oxopropyl]amino]benzoic acid; AIT-082) has indicated that Neotrofin treatment elevates the mRNA levels of various neurotrophic factors, including nerve growth factor (NGF), in the CNS. Several previous studies have indicated that NGF may regulate septodentate sprouting after entorhinal cortex lesions in rats. Thus, the objective of this investigation was to determine whether Neotrofin treatment would enhance lesion-induced septodentate sprouting from 4 to 15 days postlesion.


METHODS
Sham-operated rats or rats with EC lesions were injected (i.p.) with either Neotrofin (30 mg/kg) or saline (0.9%) immediately after surgery and every day thereafter until the end of the treatment regimen. Septodentate sprouting, as indicated by intensity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) label in the dentate gyrus, was assessed with optical densitometry.


RESULTS
We observed that Neotrofin elevated the AChE-label in the outer molecular layer of the ventral dentate gyrus at 4 days postlesion and of the dorsal dentate gyrus at 15 days postlesion.


CONCLUSIONS
Neotrofin appears to have exerted limited stimulatory effects on lesion-induced sprouting by a cholinergic pathway.
Ramirez
J J
JJ
Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Davidson College, Davidson, North Carolina 28035-7017, USA. juramirez@davidson.edu
Parakh
T
T
George
M N
MN
Freeman
L
L
Thomas
A A
AA
White
C C
CC
Becton
A
A
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy; D062365:Aminobenzoates; D000818:Animals; D003714:Denervation; D018891:Dentate Gyrus / Q000166:cytology*; D018728:Entorhinal Cortex / Q000166:cytology*; D007042:Hypoxanthines; D008297:Male; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000187:drug effects; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011687:Purines; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012686:Septal Nuclei / Q000166:cytology*
D062365:Aminobenzoates; D007042:Hypoxanthines; D018697:Nootropic Agents; D011687:Purines; C086241:4-((3-(1,6-dihyro-6-oxo-9H-purin-9-yl)-1-oxopropyl)amino)benzoic acid