title: Vascular endothelial growth factor counteracts NMDA-induced cell death of adult cholinergic neurons in rat basal nucleus of Meynert.
abstract: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays an important role in angiogenesis in the brain and has recently been shown to possess neuroprotective activity. The aim of the present study was to observe if VEGF can counteract the excitotoxic N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-induced cell death of cholinergic neurons of the basal nucleus of Meynert in vivo in adult rats. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect vascular structures (RECA-1 or laminin staining) and cholinergic neurons (choline-acetyltransferase). To compare the in vivo VEGF effects also in vitro, VEGF was applied to axotomized cholinergic neurons in organotypic brain slices with or without NMDA. Our data provide evidence that VEGF counteracted cell death in vivo in adult rats but did not protect cholinergic neurons in developing brain slices. Nerve growth factor protected cholinergic neurons in vivo as well as in vitro. In conclusion, VEGF exhibits neuroprotective activity on adult cholinergic neurons of the basal nucleus of Meynert.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Psychiatry, University-Clinic of Psychiatry, Innsbruck Medical University, Anichstr. 35, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Karma V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Moser
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Humpel
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D019771:Axotomy; D020532:Basal Nucleus of Meynert / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D002799:Cholinergic Fibers / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007797:Laminin / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D016202:N-Methylaspartate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists; D007797:Laminin; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D009498:Neurotoxins; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase