Low affinity nerve growth factor receptor, adrenal transplant and Parkinson's disease.

Immunohistochemistry of low-affinity nerve growth factor receptor (LNGFR) was performed postmortem in the striatum and the adrenal gland of a parkinsonian patient with an adrenal to brain transplantation. Few LNGFR-positive fibers were observed in the necrotic graft. By contrast numerous immunostained fibers were detected in a restricted zone of the host striatum adjacent to the graft, corresponding to a selective zone of sprouting of tyrosine hydroxylase-positive fibers. This suggests that nerve growth factor or related growth factors may promote sprouting of catecholaminergic fibers in the host striatum.