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Y A Barde

Publications and source records attributed to Y A Barde.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Biochemical and functional interactions between the neurotrophin receptors trk and p75NTR.

Neurotrophins bind to two structurally unrelated receptors, the trk tyrosine kinases and the neurotrophin receptor p75(NTR). Ligand activation of these two types of receptor can lead to opposite actions, in particular the prevention or activation of programmed cell death. Many cells co-express trk receptors and p75(NTR), and we found that p75(NTR) was co-precipitated with trkA, trkB and trkC in cells transfected with both receptor types. Co-precipitation of p75(NTR) was not observed with the epidermal growth factor receptor. Experiments with deletion constructs of trkB (the most abundant trk receptor in the brain) and p75(NTR) revealed that both the extracellular and intracellular domains of trkB and p75(NTR) contribute to the interaction. Blocking autophosphorylation of trkB substantially reduced the interactions between p75(NTR) and trkB constructs containing the intracellular, but not the extracellular, domains. We also found that co-expression of p75(NTR) with trkB resulted in a clear increase in the specificity of trkB activation by brain-derived neurotrophic factor, compared with neurotrophin-3 and neurotrophin-4/5. These results indicate a close proximity of the two neurotrophin receptors within cell membranes, and suggest that the signalling pathways they initiate may interact soon after their activation.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels in the nervous system of wild-type and neurotrophin gene mutant mice.

Although brain-derived neurotrophic factor is the most abundant and widely distributed neurotrophin in the nervous system, reproducible determinations of its levels have been hampered by difficulties in raising suitable monoclonal antibodies. Following immunization of mice with recombinant fish and mammalian brain-derived neurotrophic factor, monoclonal antibodies were generated and used in an immunoassay based on the recognition of two different epitopes. Neither antibody crossreacts with neurotrophin homodimers other than brain-derived neurotrophic factor, although reactivity was detected with brain-derived neurotrophic factor/neurotrophin-3 heterodimers. As both nerve growth factor and neurotrophin-3 are known to affect the development of a variety of neurons expressing the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (bdnf) gene, this assay was used to determine levels in tissues isolated from newborn mice carrying a null mutation in the nerve growth factor (ngf) or the neurotrophin-3 (nt3) gene. Marked differences were observed between mutants and wild-type littermates in the PNS, but not in the CNS, suggesting that neither nerve growth factor nor neurotrophin-3 is a unique regulator of brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels in the newborn mouse CNS.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Genetic evidence for cell death mediated by nerve growth factor and the neurotrophin receptor p75 in the developing mouse retina and spinal cord.

The role of nerve growth factor (NGF) and of the neurotrophin receptor p75 (p75(NTR)) in programmed cell death was investigated in the retina and the spinal cord of mouse embryos. Large numbers of cells express p75(NTR) in and along the developing optic nerve and in the mantle zone of the spinal cord. In embryos carrying deletions in the ngf or the p75(NTR) gene, cell death was reduced in the retina and in the spinal cord. Increased numbers of Islet-1-immunoreactive cells were detected in the dorsal spinal cord, and the mantle zone was enlarged in both mutants. These results indicate that NGF/p75(NTR)-dependent mechanisms are used to remove cells when axonal tracts elongate in developing neuroepithelia.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Nerve growth factor: two receptors, multiple functions.

Nerve growth factor (NGF) was characterized over 4 decades ago, and like the other neurotrophins subsequently discovered, it is best known for its trophic role, including the prevention of programmed cell death in specific populations of neurones in the peripheral nervous system. This property can be accounted for by the activation of a tyrosine kinase receptor. NGF also regulates neuronal function, as illustrated by its role in pain and inflammation, and in synaptic plasticity. Finally, NGF recently was shown to activate the neurotrophin receptor p75 (p75NTR), a receptor with no intrinsic catalytic activity and with similarities to members of the tumor necrosis factor receptor family. During normal development, the activation of p75NTR by NGF actually kills cells in the central nervous system. One remarkable property of NGF is then that it controls cell numbers in opposite ways in the developing nervous system, a result of its unique ability to activate two different receptor types.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Microglia-derived nerve growth factor causes cell death in the developing retina.

While nerve growth factor (NGF) is best known for its trophic functions, recent experiments indicate that it can also cause cell death during development by activating the neurotrophin receptor p75. We now identify microglial cells as the source of NGF as a killing agent in the developing eye. When the retina is separated from the surrounding tissue before colonization by microglial cells, no NGF can be detected, and cell death is dramatically reduced. It is restored by the addition of microglial cells, an effect that is blocked by NGF antibodies. NGF adsorbed at the surface of beads, but not soluble NGF, mimics the killing action of microglial cells. These results indicate an active role for macrophages in neuronal death.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Identification of genes differentially expressed by nerve growth factor- and neurotrophin-3-dependent sensory neurons.

The neurotrophins nerve growth factor (NGF) and neurotrophin-3 (NT3) support the survival of subpopulations of primary sensory neurons with defined and distinct physiological characteristics. Only a few genes have been identified as being differentially expressed in these subpopulations, and not much is known about the nature of the molecules involved in the processing of sensory information in NGF-dependent nociceptive neurons or NT3-dependent proprioceptive neurons. We devised a simple dorsal root ganglion (DRG) explant culture system, allowing the selection of neuronal populations preferentially responsive to NGF or NT3. The reliability of this assay was first monitored by the differential expression of the NGF and NT3 receptors trkA and trkC, as well as that of neuropeptides and calcium-binding proteins. We then identified four differentially expressed sodium channels, two enriched in the NGF population and two others in the NT3 population. Finally, using an optimized RNA fingerprinting protocol, we identified 20 additional genes, all differentially expressed in DRG explants cultured with NGF or NT3. This approach thus allows the identification of large number of genes expressed in subpopulations of primary sensory neurons and opens the possibility of studying the molecular mechanisms of nociception and proprioception.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1997

The neurotrophin receptor p75 binds neurotrophin-3 on sympathetic neurons with high affinity and specificity.

High-affinity neurotrophin-3 (NT3) receptors have been identified on nerve growth factor (NGF)-dependent sympathetic neurons, but their occupancy by NT3 does not lead to neuronal survival. The molecular nature of these NT3 binding sites was investigated in this study. With freshly dissociated embryonic day 11 (E11) chick sympathetic neurons, cross-linking experiments revealed that the main receptor responsible for high-affinity specific binding was the neurotrophin receptor p75 (p75(NTR)), with only a small fraction corresponding to trkC. When E11 sympathetic neurons were cultured in the presence of NGF, trkC transcripts became undetectable, but high-affinity specific NT3 binding persisted. Cross-linking and antibody inhibition experiments indicated that p75(NTR) was the only detectable NT3 receptor protein. These characteristics were not observed when p75(NTR) was expressed in transformed cells. We conclude that p75(NTR) can exist in neurons in a confirmation conferring hitherto unrecognized properties to this receptor.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Reduced size of retinal ganglion cell axons and hypomyelination in mice lacking brain-derived neurotrophic factor.

While brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) delays the death of axotomized retinal ganglion cells in rodents, it is unclear if it affects any aspect of the normal development of these cells. Here we examined the optic nerve of bdnf-/- mice. Axonal numbers were normal, but their diameter, as well as the proportion of myelinated axons, was reduced at postnatal day 20 (P20). In contrast, the facial nerve was not hypomyelinated. Expression levels of mRNAs coding for the myelin proteins PLP and MBP were substantially reduced in the hippocampus and cortex at P20, but not in the sciatic nerve. Intraventricular injections of BDNF into the ventricles of wild-type mice at P10 and P12 up-regulated expression of PLP in the hippocampus at P14. These results indicate a role of BDNF, discussed as indirect, in the control of myelination in the central nervous system.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Signalling through the neurotrophin receptor p75NTR.

Activation specific tyrosine kinase receptors by neurotrophins accounts for the longest known biological actions of the neurotrophins, in particular the promotion of neuronal survival. However, recent studies have revealed that nerve growth factor, the neurotrophin regarded as best understood, also activates a signalling pathway by binding to the neurotrophin receptor p75(NTR). This receptor belongs to the tumor necrosis factor receptor family and lacks intrinsic catalytic activity. The p75(NTR) receptor binds all neurotrophins with nanomolar affinity; however, nerve growth factor seems to be uniquely able to activate it, causing the death of trkA-negative neurons during normal development. Thus, nerve growth factor prevents programmed cell death through its receptor TrkA, but promotes it by signalling through p75(NTR).

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Induction of cell death by endogenous nerve growth factor through its p75 receptor.

During development, neuronal survival is regulated by the limited availability of neurotrophins, which are proteins of the nerve growth factor (NGF) family. Activation of specific trk tyrosine kinase receptors by the neurotrophins blocks programmed cell death. The trkA-specific ligand NGF has also been shown to activate the non-tyrosine kinase receptor p75, a member of the tumour necrosis factor (TNF) receptor and Fas (APO-1/CD95) family. Here we report that, early in development, endogenous NGF causes the death of retinal neurons that express p75 but not trkA. These results indicate that, as with cells of the immune system, the death of neurons in the central nervous system can also be induced by ligands, and that the effect of NGF on cell fate depends on the type of receptor expressed by developing neurons.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Neurotrophin-3 antibodies disrupt the normal development of the chick retina.

When chick embryos are treated with a monoclonal antibody specifically blocking the activity of neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), the development of the retina is profoundly affected. Fewer axons are found in the optic nerve, and the retina shows abnormalities in all layers. Early during retinogenesis, the proportion of dividing cells is higher in NT-3-deprived embryos compared with age-matched controls and that of differentiated neurons is smaller. The NT-3 receptor trkC is expressed early by a majority of retinal cells, and NT-3 is present in the retina at the earliest stage studied. Initially, it is located mainly in the pigmented epithelium, with a shift toward the neural retina as development proceeds. Thus, NT-3 seems to be an essential intrinsic signal acting early in development to promote the differentiation and survival of many retinal neurons.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

A splice variant of the neurotrophin receptor trkB with increased specificity for brain-derived neurotrophic factor.

The trkB gene codes for a receptor tyrosine kinase, which is essential for the development of the peripheral nervous system. This receptor can be activated by three different neurotrophins: BDNF, NT-4/5 and NT-3. The extracellular domain of trkB was found to be encoded in 10 exons corresponding to receptor subdomains previously identified on the basis of protein sequence comparisons. Exon 9 was skipped in a novel tyrosine kinase transcript of the trkB gene, designated ctrkB-Short (ctrkB-S). While the previously described trkB receptor ctrkB-Long (ctrkB-L) and trkB-S receptors were activated similarly by BDNF, trkB-S interacted poorly with NT-4/5 and NT-3 as measured by ligand binding, ligand-induced autophosphorylation and ligand-dependent activation of p21ras. Efficient activation of ctrkB-S by NT-3 was restored by a single amino acid replacement in NT-3 (D15A). Both trkB-L and trkB-S transcripts were detected in embryonic neurons.

Alternative Splicing↗
PubMed1996

Selective activation of NF-kappa B by nerve growth factor through the neurotrophin receptor p75.

Nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) selectively bind to distinct members of the Trk family of tyrosine kinase receptors, but all three bind with similar affinities to the neurotrophin receptor p75 (p75NTR). The biological significance of neurotrophin binding to p75NTR in cells that also express Trk receptors has been difficult to ascertain. In the absence of TrkA, NGF binding to p75NGR activated the transcription factor nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappa B) in rat Schwann cells. This activation was not observed in Schwann cells isolated from mice that lacked p75NTR. The effect was selective for NGF; NF-kappa B was not activated by BDNF or NT-3.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Roles of neurotrophin-3 during early development of the peripheral nervous system.

The neurotrophins are structurally related proteins regulating cell numbers in the developing vertebrate nervous system. They are necessary survival factors preventing the death of specific neuronal populations. Previous experiments have indicated that the administration of nerve growth factor or of brain-derived neurotrophic factor during the formation of sensory ganglia and of target innervation increases the number of neurons by preventing normally occurring neuronal death. These results support the view that during development, neuronal numbers are adjusted to the size of the target tissue by the release of limiting amounts of neurotrophins. However, increasing the levels of neurotrophin-3 during the formation of sensory ganglia results in a marked decrease in neuronal numbers, possibly as a consequence of premature cessation of sensory neuroblast proliferation. In sympathetic ganglia, the application of neurotrophin-3 during the formation of the sympathetic chain causes cell numbers to increase, a result also observed following the application of nerve growth factor. It thus appears that neurotrophin-3 and nerve growth factor can regulate cell numbers well before the period of target-derived control, and that neurotrophin-3 affects neuronal numbers in sensory and sympathetic ganglia in opposite ways.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Physiology of the neurotrophins.

The neurotrophins are a small group of dimeric proteins that profoundly affect the development of the nervous system of vertebrates. Recent studies have established clear correlations between the survival requirements for different neurotrophins of functionally distinct subsets of sensory neurons. The biological role of the neurotrophins is not limited to the prevention of programmed cell death of specific groups of neurons during development. Neurotrophin-3 in particular seems to act on neurons well before the period of target innervation and of normally occurring cell death. In animals lacking functional neurotrophin or receptor genes, neuronal numbers do not seem to be massively reduced in the CNS, unlike in the PNS. Finally, rapid actions of neurotrophins on synaptic efficacy, as well as the regulation of their mRNAs by electrical activity, suggest that neurotrophins might play important roles in regulating neuronal connectivity in the developing and in the adult central nervous system.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

In vivo effects of neurotrophin-3 during sensory neurogenesis.

The neurotrophins nerve growth factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neurotrophin-3 are structurally related proteins regulating the number of neurons in peripheral ganglia of the nervous system. Increased levels of nerve growth factor or of brain-derived neurotrophic factor selectively prevent normally occurring neuronal death, while the targeted elimination of all three genes decreases neuronal numbers. As previous studies indicated that the lack of neurotrophin-3 affects sensory ganglia already during gangliogenesis, the levels of this neurotrophin were increased during selected periods of chick development. We found that early, but not late, applications of neurotrophin-3 lead to a marked decrease in neuronal numbers in peripheral sensory ganglia. This decrease is not seen with BDNF and does not selectively affect subtypes of dorsal root ganglion neurons. It is accompanied by, and might result from, a decrease in the number of proliferating neuroblasts in sensory ganglia of treated embryos.

Animals↗