Clatterbuck R E, Price D L, Koliatsos V E
Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1993 Mar 15;90(6):2222-6. doi: 10.1073/pnas.90.6.2222.
The neurocytokine ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) was described originally as an activity that supports the survival of neurons of the chicken ciliary ganglia in vitro. The widespread expression of CNTF and its principal binding protein, CNTF receptor alpha, in the central and peripheral nervous systems suggests a broader trophic role for this peptide. In the present study, we report that CNTF prevents axotomy-induced cell death of neurons in the anteroventral and anterodorsal thalamic nuclei of the adult rat. Using the polymerase chain reaction, we also demonstrate the presence of CNTF and CNTF receptor alpha mRNA in these same thalamic nuclei. The coincidence of CNTF and its receptor in a population of neurons responding to the factor suggests a paracrine function for CNTF. The present findings establish that CNTF has significant effects on neurons of the central nervous system in vivo and demonstrate that neurocytokines can prevent cell death in the adult central nervous system.
神经细胞因子睫状神经营养因子（CNTF）最初被描述为一种在体外支持鸡睫状神经节神经元存活的活性物质。CNTF及其主要结合蛋白CNTF受体α在中枢和外周神经系统中的广泛表达表明该肽具有更广泛的营养作用。在本研究中，我们报告CNTF可防止成年大鼠前腹侧和前背侧丘脑核中轴突切断诱导的神经元细胞死亡。使用聚合酶链反应，我们还证明了这些相同丘脑核中存在CNTF和CNTF受体α mRNA。CNTF与其受体在对该因子有反应的神经元群体中的同时存在表明CNTF具有旁分泌功能。本研究结果表明CNTF对体内中枢神经系统的神经元有显著影响，并证明神经细胞因子可防止成年中枢神经系统中的细胞死亡。
