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Sympathetic neuronal survival factors change after denervation
Brain Research
|June 1, 1985
Summary
Sympathetic neuronal survival factors in rat hearts increase after chemical denervation. These factors, distinct from nerve growth factor (NGF), are elevated alongside NGF following 6-hydroxydopamine treatment.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular biology
- Neuroscience
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Sympathetic nervous system plays a crucial role in cardiac function.
- Chemical sympathectomy using 6-hydroxydopamine is a model to study neuronal survival factors.
- Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a known neurotrophic factor, but other survival factors may exist.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the changes in sympathetic neuronal survival factors in rat hearts after chemical denervation.
- To characterize these factors and compare them to nerve growth factor (NGF).
Main Methods:
- Chemical denervation of rat hearts using 6-hydroxydopamine.
- Biochemical fractionation of heart extracts using affinity chromatography and gel filtration.
- Quantification of neuronal survival factors and NGF concentrations.
Main Results:
- Two major sympathetic neuronal survival factor components were identified in control hearts, distinct from NGF.
- Denervation with 6-hydroxydopamine significantly increased the concentrations of these two components.
- NGF concentrations were also significantly increased in denervated hearts.
Conclusions:
- Chemical denervation induces an increase in specific sympathetic neuronal survival factors in the rat heart.
- These factors are distinct from NGF, suggesting a complex regulatory mechanism for neuronal survival post-denervation.