title: GDNF increases the survival of developing oculomotor neurons through a target-derived mechanism.
abstract: Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is the most potent motoneuron survival factor. We show here that in the chick oculomotor system, endogenous GDNF is derived largely from extraocular muscle but less from glial cells and not from muscle spindles. Increased levels of GDNF exclusively in the target rescued 30% of oculomotor neurons that would normally die during developmental cell death, a rate of rescue similar to that with systemic GDNF application. Thus, GDNF supports motoneuron survival in a retrograde, target-derived fashion, as opposed to a local paracrine route or an indirect route via sensory afferents. Persephin, another member of the GDNF family, did not increase survival with target delivery, despite its retrograde transport from the target. Unlike GDNF, however, persephin increased neurite outgrowth from oculomotor nuclei in vitro. Thus, one GDNF family member acts as a muscle-derived retrograde survival factor, whereas another one has distinct functions on neurite outgrowth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, MS 352, University of Nevada School of Medicine, Reno, NV 89557, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Rafal
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Butowt
authors.forename: Howard B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Rind
authors.forename: Christopher S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: von Bartheld
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001370:Axonal Transport / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D048429:Cell Size / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002642:Chick Embryo; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D051097:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Receptors; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D016501:Neurites / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000378:metabolism; D009801:Oculomotor Muscles / Q000294:innervation / Q000378:metabolism*; D009802:Oculomotor Nerve / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D051096:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; 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; C110758:persephin; D051096:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases