Overexpression of pitx3 upregulates expression of BDNF and GDNF in SH-SY5Y cells and primary ventral mesencephalic cultures.

The transcription factor Pitx3 plays an important role in the development of midbrain to promote the growth and differentiation of dopamine neurons. The present study has demonstrated that overexpression of Pitx3 in SH-SY5Y cells and primary ventral mesencephalic (VM) cultures significantly increased the mRNA levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), and remarkably elevated the protein levels of these two neurotrophic factors. Our data provide the first evidence that pitx3-expressing cells are able to upregulate the expression of BDNF and GDNF. Therefore, Pitx3 might be a good target for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.