title: BDNF and NT-3 regulation of trkB and trkC mRNA levels in the developing chick spinal cord.
abstract: In this study we investigated the effects of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neurotrophin-3 on mRNA levels of TrkB and TrkC receptors. We used an expression system to supply developing chicks with the neurotrophic factor and then analysed the receptor mRNA levels at embryonic day 8 (E8), E10 and E15 using semi-quantitative RT-PCR. In control chicks, maximal expression levels of both receptors were observed at E10. Treatment with BDNF resulted in significant down-regulation of TrkB mRNA levels (P<0.05) at E10 but not E8 or E15. Treatment with NT-3 showed down-regulation of trkB levels at all developmental stages. TrkC mRNA levels were down-regulated at all developmental stages with NT-3 treatment and at E10 and E15 with BDNF treatment. For both receptors the down-regulation was greater in NT-3-treated chicks than those treated with BDNF. Thus, our data indicate that neurotrophin receptor mRNA levels in the spinal cord are regulated by neurotrophic factors during embryonic development.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, P.O. Box 18, Vic. 3800, Australia.
authors.forename: Andrew S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Gibbons
authors.forename: Karen A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Bailey
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002642:Chick Embryo; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D020933:Neurotrophin 3 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020813:Receptor, trkB / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020812:Receptor, trkC / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D020933:Neurotrophin 3; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D020813:Receptor, trkB; D020812:Receptor, trkC