title: Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor gene therapy ameliorates chronic hyperprolactinemia in senile rats.
abstract: Progressive dysfunction of hypothalamic tuberoinfundibular dopaminergic (TIDA) neurons during normal aging is associated in the female rat with chronic hyperprolactinemia. We assessed the effectiveness of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) gene therapy to restore TIDA neuron function in senile female rats and reverse their chronic hyperprolactinemia. Young (2.5 months) and senile (29 months) rats received a bilateral intrahypothalamic injection (10(10) pfu) of either an adenoviral vector expressing the gene for beta-galactosidase; (Y-betagal and S-betagal, respectively) or a vector expressing rat GDNF (Y-GDNF and S-GDNF, respectively). Transgenic GDNF levels in supernatants of GDNF adenovector-transduced N2a neuronal cell cultures were 25+/-4 ng/ml, as determined by bioassay. In the rats, serum prolactin (PRL) was measured at regular intervals. On day 17 animals were sacrificed and neuronal nuclear antigen (NeuN) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunoreactive cells counted in the arcuate-periventricular hypothalamic region. The S-GDNF but not the S-betagal rats, showed a significant reduction in body weight. The chronic hyperprolactinemia of the senile females was significantly ameliorated in the S-GDNF rats (P<0.05) but not in the S-betagal rats. Neither age nor GDNF induced significant changes in the number of NeuN and TH neurons. We conclude that transgenic GDNF ameliorates chronic hyperprolactinemia in aging female rats, probably by restoring TIDA neuron function.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biochemical Research at La Plata (INIBIOLP)-Histology B, Faculty of Medicine, National University of La Plata, La Plata, Argentina.
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Morel
authors.forename: Y E
authors.initials: YE
authors.lastname: Sosa
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Bellini
authors.forename: N G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Carri
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Bohn
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Goya
mesh_terms: D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000235:genetics; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D034961:Antigens, Nuclear / Q000378:metabolism; D001111:Arcuate Nucleus of Hypothalamus / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D002452:Cell Count; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D017930:Genes, Reporter / Q000235:genetics; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D006966:Hyperprolactinemia / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D052682:Lactotrophs / Q000378:metabolism; D008845:Microinjections / Q000379:methods; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D011388:Prolactin / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000235:genetics; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014371:Tuber Cinereum / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D034961:Antigens, Nuclear; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C546339:Rbfox3 protein, rat; D011388:Prolactin; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D001616:beta-Galactosidase