Chronic alcohol intoxication in rats leads to a strong but transient increase in NGF levels in distinct brain regions.
Nerve growth factor (NGF), a member of the neurotrophin family, is an essential mediator of neuronal activity and synaptic plasticity of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons. In this study NGF-protein levels were determined in areas of the basal forebrain cholinergic system, its projection areas as well as the striatum and the cerebellum after long-term exposure (6 and 9 months) to ethanol and a phase of withdrawal in male Sprague-Dawley rats. 6-month alcohol treatment led to an increase of NGF to 650-850% of controls in the basal forebrain and the septum and to a 210-485% increase in the cholinergic projection areas (anterior cortex, hippocampus and olfactory bulb). After 9 months exposure to ethanol, a decrease of NGF by 16% in the frontal cortex was observed compared to controls. In the other brain regions no differences in NGF expression were detectable at this time-point. These results support the idea of an endogenous neuroprotective mechanism acting through a transient NGF induction followed by a decrease in NGF-levels during the course of further neuronal degeneration.
Gericke
C A
CA
Institute of Health Sciences, Berlin University of Technology, Berlin, Germany.
Schulte-Herbrüggen
O
O
Arendt
T
T
Hellweg
R
R
D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000378:metabolism; D020268:Alcohol-Induced Disorders, Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D020532:Basal Nucleus of Meynert / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000494:pharmacology; D002799:Cholinergic Fibers / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013687:Telencephalon / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D000431:Ethanol; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor; D000109:Acetylcholine