Koliatsos V E, Cayouette M H, Berkemeier L R, Clatterbuck R E, Price D L, Rosenthal A
Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1994 Apr 12;91(8):3304-8. doi: 10.1073/pnas.91.8.3304.
The survival of developing motor neurons depends on factors secreted from skeletal muscles and from cells within the central nervous system. Although several members of the nerve growth factor protein family [neurotrophins (NTs)] are able to maintain developing rat motor neurons in vitro, only the brain-derived neurotrophic factor has been shown to have significant effects on the survival of motor neurons in vivo. In the present study, we demonstrate that NT-4/5 also prevents injury-induced death of facial motor neurons in neonatal rats. Furthermore, facial motor neurons express a functional receptor for NT-4/5, whereas mRNA-encoding NT-4/5 can be detected in their environment throughout embryonic and postnatal life. Thus, both NT-4/5 and brain-derived neurotrophic factor may be physiological survival factors for facial motor neurons and may serve as therapeutic agents for motor neuron disease.
发育中的运动神经元的存活依赖于骨骼肌和中枢神经系统内细胞分泌的因子。尽管神经生长因子蛋白家族的几个成员[神经营养因子（NTs）]能够在体外维持发育中的大鼠运动神经元，但只有脑源性神经营养因子已被证明对体内运动神经元的存活有显著影响。在本研究中，我们证明NT-4/5也能预防新生大鼠面部运动神经元的损伤诱导死亡。此外，面部运动神经元表达NT-4/5的功能性受体，而在整个胚胎期和出生后，其周围环境中均可检测到编码NT-4/5的mRNA。因此，NT-4/5和脑源性神经营养因子可能都是面部运动神经元的生理性存活因子，并且可能用作运动神经元疾病的治疗药物。
