Nerve growth factor eye drop administrated on the ocular surface of rodents affects the nucleus basalis and septum: biochemical and structural evidence.
It has been shown that conjunctivally applied NGF in rats can reach the retina and optic nerve. Whether topical eye NGF application reaches the central nervous system is not known. In the present study, we have addressed this question. It was found that topical eye NGF application affects brain cells. Time-course studies revealed that repeated NGF application leads to high concentration of this neurotrophins after 6 h and normal levels after 24 h. Our results also showed that topical eye application of NGF causes an enhanced expression of NGF receptors and ChAT immunoreactivity in forebrain cholinergic neurons, suggesting that ocular NGF application could have a functional role on damaged brain cells. The present findings suggest that eye NGF application can represent an alternative route to prevent degeneration of NGF-receptive neurons involved in disorders such as Alzheimer and Parkinson.
Lambiase
Alessandro
A
Department of Ophthalmology, University Campus Bio-Medico, G. B. Bietti Eye Foundation, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Rome, Italy.
Pagani
Lucia
L
Di Fausto
Veronica
V
Sposato
Valentina
V
Coassin
Marco
M
Bonini
Stefano
S
Aloe
Luigi
L
D000344:Afferent Pathways / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D020532:Basal Nucleus of Meynert / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002452:Cell Count; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002799:Cholinergic Fibers / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000294:innervation / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020800:Receptor, Nerve Growth Factor / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D012161:Retinal Artery / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D012686:Septal Nuclei / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D020800:Receptor, Nerve Growth Factor; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase