title: Dynamic patterns of BDNF expression in injured sensory neurons: differential modulation by NGF and NT-3.
abstract: It has been suggested that altered retrograde neurotrophin support contributes to the phenotypic switch observed in BDNF expression in injured sensory neurons. Thus, modulatory influences of NGF and NT-3 on BDNF expression in injured adult rat DRG neurons were examined using in situ hybridization and immunohistochemical approaches. Quantitative analysis reveals a biphasic response to sciatic nerve injury, whereby in the first day following injury, BDNF expression is up-regulated in approximately 83% of injured neurons including all small neurons, and a larger pool of trkB expressing neurons than in intact. By 1 week and up to 3 weeks later expression is still seen in approximately 66% of injured neurons, but the characteristic phenotypic switch in the subpopulations expressing BDNF occurs, whereby expression in the trkA population is reduced and expression in trkB- and in trkC-positive neurons is elevated. NGF infusion results in elevated levels of BDNF expression in both intact and injured trkA-positive neurons, accompanied by reduced trkB expression. NT-3 acts in an opposite fashion effecting a down-regulation in BDNF expression in intact neurons and preventing/reducing the injury-associated increases in BDNF expression in both trkC- and nontrkC-expressing subpopulations of injured neurons. These effects suggest NGF can regulate BDNF expression in trkA-expressing neurons regardless of the axonal state and that elevated levels of BDNF may contribute to the down-regulation in trkB expression associated with these states. Furthermore, the findings demonstrate that NT-3 can act in an antagonistic fashion to NGF in the regulation of BDNF expression in intact neurons, and mitigate BDNF's expression in injured neurons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anat. & Cell Biol., University of Saskatchewan, S7N 5E5, Canada.
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Karchewski
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Gratto
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wetmore
authors.forename: V M K
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Verge
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D048429:Cell Size / Q000502:physiology; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000293:injuries* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D020933:Neurotrophin 3 / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020917:Receptor, trkA / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020813:Receptor, trkB / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020812:Receptor, trkC / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000293:injuries* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D020933:Neurotrophin 3; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor; D020917:Receptor, trkA; D020813:Receptor, trkB; D020812:Receptor, trkC