Inhibition of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor expression reduces dopaminergic sprouting in the injured striatum

P. E. Batchelor, G. T. Liberatore, M. J. Porritt, G. A. Donnan, D. W. Howells

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer-review

97 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

After striatal injury, sprouting dopaminergic fibres grow towards and intimately surround wound macrophages which, together with microglia, express the dopaminergic neurotrophic factors glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). To evaluate the importance of these endogenously secreted neurotrophic factors in generating striatal peri-wound dopaminergic sprouting, the peri-wound expression of BDNF or GDNF was inhibited by intrastriatal infusion of antisense oligonucleotides for 2 weeks in mice. Knock-down of both BDNF and GDNF mRNA and protein levels in the wounded striatum were confirmed by in situ hybridization and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. Dopamine transporter immunohistochemistry revealed that inhibition of either BDNF or GDNF expression resulted in a marked decrease in the intensity of peri-wound sprouting. Quantification of this effect using [H3]-mazindol autoradiography confirmed that peri-wound sprouting was significantly reduced in mice receiving BDNF or GDNF antisense infusions whilst control infusions of buffered saline or sense oligonucleotides resulted in the pronounced peri-wound sprouting response normally associated with striatal injury. BDNF and GDNF thus appear to be important neurotrophic factors inducing dopaminergic sprouting after striatal injury.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)3462-3468
Number of pages7
JournalEuropean Journal of Neuroscience
Volume12
Issue number10
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2000
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Antisense
  • BDNF
  • Dopamine
  • GDNF
  • Mice
  • Sprouting
  • Striatal injury

Cite this