Expression of nestin and glial-derived neurotrophic factor in human endogenous neural stem cells following ischemia.
OBJECTIVE
We investigated the relationship between glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), nestin, and the activation of endogenous neural stem cells (NSCs) following cerebral infarction in humans.


METHODS
Post-mortem brain specimens from patients who  died following cerebral infarction were examined.


RESULTS
Compared with the controls, the number of nestin-positive cells was increased at 4·5-10 hours in the subgranular zone of the hippocampus dentate gyrus and at 24-72 hours in the subventricular zone, reaching  maximum levels at 120-144 hours. Cell numbers decreased at 216-326 hours, but remained elevated compared with controls. Similar results were found when examining the expression of GDNF following ischemia. Furthermore, the expression of nestin and GDNF showed a statistically significant  positive correlation over time.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that, as in other mammals, proliferation of endogenous neural stem cells in the subventricular zone and subgranular zone of the hippocampus dentate gyrus of humans is activated by cerebral infarction and may be related  to increases in GDNF expression.
Duan
Shu-Rong
SR
Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical Colleges, Harbin, China.
Wang
Jianxiu
J
Teng
Wenli
W
Xu
Ran
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D064231:Nestin; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000235:genetics
C495039:GDNF protein, human; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; C577484:NES protein, human; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D064231:Nestin