Related Experiment Videos
Human platelets contain brain-derived neurotrophic factor
1Department of Cell, Molecular, and Structural Biology, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Illinois 60611.
Summary
Human platelets contain brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) that supports peripheral sensory neuron survival and growth. This discovery suggests platelets may aid nerve injury regeneration.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Molecular Biology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Neurotrophic factors like nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) support peripheral sensory neurons.
- BDNF was previously thought to be exclusive to the central nervous system (CNS).
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize and clone the cDNA for BDNF from human platelets.
- To investigate the biological activity of platelet-derived BDNF on sensory neurons.
Main Methods:
- Biological characterization of BDNF from human platelets using neuron-enriched cultures.
- Molecular cloning of BDNF cDNA from human platelet RNA via reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction.
- DNA sequence analysis to compare human and porcine BDNF.
Main Results:
- Human platelet BDNF demonstrated biological activity similar to porcine brain BDNF.
- Platelet BDNF promoted survival and neurite outgrowth in placodal and neural crest-derived sensory neurons.
- Sequence analysis confirmed complete identity between human and porcine BDNF amino acid sequences (aa 10-108).
Conclusions:
- Human platelets are a source of biologically active BDNF.
- Platelet-derived BDNF supports peripheral sensory neuron regeneration.
- Human platelets may play a role in nerve injury repair.