Growth inhibitory factor prevents degeneration of injured adult rat motoneurons.
We examined neuroprotective effects of growth inhibitory factor (GIF) on injured adult rat facial motoneurons. The right facial nerves of adult rats were avulsed and removed from the stylomastoid foramen, and an adenoviral vector encoding rat GIF and Myc epitope (AxCArGIFM) were injected into the facial canal. Animals treated with AxCArGIFM showed intense immunolabeling for GIF/Myc in injured facial motoneurons. Treatment with AxCArGIFM after avulsion significantly prevented the loss of injured facial motoneurons, improved choline acetyltransferase immunoreactivity and prevented the induction of nitric oxide synthase activity in these neurons. These results indicate that GIF may have therapeutic potential against degeneration of motoneurons in adult humans with motoneuron injury and motor neuron diseases.
Sakamoto
Tsuyoshi
T
Department of Molecular Neuropathology, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Neuroscience, 2-6 Musashidai, Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan.
Kawazoe
Yoko
Y
Uchida
Yoko
Y
Hozumi
Isao
I
Inuzuka
Takashi
T
Watabe
Kazuhiko
K
D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D019556:COS Cells; D002460:Cell Line; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D020220:Facial Nerve Injuries / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D016259:Genes, myc; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000090023:Metallothionein 3; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344
D000090023:Metallothionein 3; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins