Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor is expressed by inflammatory cells in the sciatic nerves of Lewis rats with experimental autoimmune neuritis.
Neurotrophic factors, including glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), have been known to play a role in neuroprotection in the injured peripheral nervous system (PNS). To evaluate the involvement of GDNF in experimental autoimmune neuritis (EAN) pathogenesis, the expression of GDNF in rat sciatic nerves with EAN was studied. Western blot analysis showed that the level of GDNF protein significantly increased 1.8-fold at the paralytic stage of EAN at day 12 post-immunization (PI) (p < 0.01), and its level further increased approximately 2.5-fold at day 21 PI (p < 0.001) in the sciatic nerves of EAN-affected rats compared with those of control rats, and then declined thereafter at day 28 PI. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that axons and Schwann cells constitutively contained GDNF in normal controls. In sciatic nerves with EAN at day 12 PI, GDNF was immunostained in infiltrating inflammatory cells including macrophages and T cells. Collectively, we postulate that GDNF plays a regulatory role in EAN paralysis. A paradoxical role of inflammatory cells to ameliorate PNS inflammation remains to be further studied in EAN, an animal model of human demyelinating disease.
Ahn
Meejung
M
Department of Veterinary Anatomy, College of Veterinary Medicine and Veterinary Medical Research Institute, Jeju National University, Jeju, South Korea.
Jin
Jae-Kwang
JK
Moon
Changjong
C
Matsumoto
Yoh
Y
Koh
Chang-Sung
CS
Shin
Taekyun
T
D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism*; D009444:Neuritis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D010641:Phenotype; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000378:metabolism*
D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor