title: NT-4 protein is localized in neuronal cells in the brain stem as well as the dorsal root ganglion of embryonic and adult rats.
abstract: We have newly established a sensitive, two-site enzyme immunoassay system for neurotrophin-4 (NT-4) and investigated its tissue distribution in the rat nervous system. The minimal limit of detection of the assay is 0.3 pg/0.2 mL of assay mixture. Concentrations of NT-4 were found to be extremely low in all brain regions, irrespective of the animal age, the highest level being found in the brain stem of 40-day-old rats, at 0.12 ng/g wet weight. NT-4 levels in young adult rats were significantly lower in the thalamus and higher in the olfactory bulb, neocortex, hypothalamus and brain stem than respective levels in 1-week-old rats. NT-4 immunoreactivity was strong in large neurons of the red nucleus and pontine reticular nucleus as well as the locus coeruleus, and moderate in cells in the mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus and interstitial nucleus of the medial longitudinal fasciculus. In the rat embryo, stong staining of NT-4 was detected in cells of regions corresponding to the midbrain/pons from E11.5 through E15.5. The intensity was decreased after E13.5 when the cytoplasm of cells in the medulla oblongata, fibers of the cerebellar primordium, and both cells and fibers of the dorsal root ganglion were also stained. Concentrations of NT-4 were detected in regions including the hindbrain and the dorsal root ganglion. Immunoblotting of NT-4-immunoreactive proteins extracted from these two regions revealed a band corresponding to mature NT-4 with a molecular mass of approximately 14 kDa. Kainic acid and another glutamte agonist, (+/-)-alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid did not affect NT-4 levels in the hippocampus. The present results show NT-4 to be localized in very limited brain cells and fibers from the embyonic period through to the young adult, suggesting specific roles in brain functions.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Developmental Research, Aichi Human Service Center, Kasugai, Aichi, Japan. katohsemba@inst-hsc.pref.aichi.jp
authors.forename: Ritsuko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Katoh-Semba
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ichisaka
authors.forename: Yoshio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hata
authors.forename: Tadaharu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsumoto
authors.forename: Kazuyo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Eguchi
authors.forename: Noriko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
authors.forename: Motoko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsuda
authors.forename: Ikuo K
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Takeuchi
authors.forename: Kanefusa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kato
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018728:Entorhinal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009928:Organ Specificity; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013737:Testis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; C073922:neurotrophin 4