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The effect of nerve growth factor, ciliary neurotrophic factor, and ACTH analogs on cisplatin neurotoxicity in vitro.

Cisplatin, used to treat ovarian, bladder, and testicular cancers, causes a sensory dose-limiting neuropathy. Preliminary observations in humans and animals suggest that nerve damage may be prevented by ACTH analogs, particularly those belonging to the melanocortin class, and by nerve growth factor (NGF). We established a rat embryo dorsal root ganglion model to study cisplatin neurotoxicity. The drug reproducibly inhibited axonal growth at concentrations similar to that known to produce toxicity in neurons. The inhibition was prevented in a dose-dependent fashion by simultaneous exposure to alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) or ACTH but not by excess NGF or ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF). The ACTH peptides were not effective in preventing suramin-induced neurotoxicity in the same model. Drug interaction and dose-response studies showed that ACTH and alpha-MSH do not act by potentiation of NGF action. ACTH analogs appear to protect against cisplatin-induced neurotoxicity directly at the cellular level.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗

Neuroblastoma cells contain a trophic factor sharing biological and molecular properties with ciliary neurotrophic factor.

Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) is a protein supporting the in vitro survival of a characteristic spectrum of embryonic chicken and rat peripheral neurons. High-speed supernatants of extracts from two neuroblastoma (NB) cell lines--the mouse C 1300 N2a and the human IMR 32--mimic the effects of CNTF on identical target neurons. Promotion of survival is dose-dependent with an ED50 of 80 micrograms (IMR 32) and 140 micrograms (C 1300 N2a) of protein per ml and saturable at plateau values for surviving neurons identical to those achieved with purified CNTF. Small amounts of a CNTF-like material are also detectable in medium conditioned by NB cells. The activity is destroyed by heat and trypsin and not blocked by antibodies to (mouse) nerve growth factor. Unlike the neurite-promoting and neuronal-survival modulating agent laminin, it cannot be depleted on poly(L-alpha-ornithine)-coated plastic surfaces. NB IMR 32 cell extracts were electrophoresed using NaDodSO4/PAGE and transferred to nitrocellulose. Ciliary ganglion neurons seeded on the blotting paper in culture medium lacking CNTF ("cell blot") exclusively survive on two distinct bands with apparent molecular masses of 24 and 48 kDa. Twenty-four kilodaltons is the molecular mass of a CNTF purified from rat sciatic nerve. These results suggest that NB cells may contain a CNTF-like protein and provide further evidence that neurons may store neurotrophic factors. Purified (chicken) CNTF failed to affect proliferation and neurite growth of NB cells. The biological relevance of CNTF for NB cells, therefore, remains to be elucidated.

Animals↗

Adenoviral gene transfer of ciliary neurotrophic factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor leads to long-term survival of axotomized motor neurons.

The neurotrophic factors ciliary neurotrophic factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor can prevent motor neuron cell death during development and after nerve lesion in neonatal rodents. However, local and systemic application of these factors to newborn rats with damaged motor nerves rescues motor neurons only transiently during the first two weeks after axotomy. In order to test the effect of continuous delivery of these factors, the effect of localized injection of CNTF- or BDNF-transducing recombinant adenoviruses into the lesioned nerves was investigated. Under such conditions, survival of axotomized motor neurons is maintained for at least 5 weeks. This way of delivery corresponds to the physiological situation in adult rodents, under which endogenous CNTF is present in the cytosol of Schwann cells and BDNF expression is upregulated after nerve lesion, making these factors available to the damaged motor neurons. Recent results show that overexpression of muscle-derived neurotrophin-3 prevents degeneration of axons and motor endplates, but has only little effect on the number of motor neuron cell bodies in a murine animal model of motor neuron disease. Therefore, techniques suitable for tonic exposure to both nerve- and muscle-derived neurotrophic factors may have implications for the design of future therapeutic strategies against human motor neuron disease.

Adenoviridae↗

Central nervous system-initiated inflammation and neurotrophism in trauma: IL-1 beta is required for the production of ciliary neurotrophic factor.

Injury to the CNS results in the production and accumulation of inflammatory cytokines within this tissue. The origin and role of inflammation within the CNS remains controversial. In this paper we demonstrate that an acute trauma to the mouse brain results in the rapid elevation of IL-1beta. This increase is detectable by 15 min after injury and significantly precedes the influx of leukocytes that occurs hours after. To confirm that IL-1beta up-regulation is initiated by cells within the CNS, in situ hybridization for cytokine transcript was combined with cell type immunohistochemistry. The results reveal parenchymal microglia to be the sole source of IL-1beta at 3 h postinjury. A role for CNS-initiated inflammation was addressed by examining the expression of the neurotrophic factor, ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF). Analysis of their temporal relationship suggests the up-regulation of CNTF by IL-1beta, which was confirmed through three lines of evidence. First, the application of IL-1 receptor antagonist into the lesion site attenuated the up-regulation of CNTF. Second, the examination of corticectomized animals genetically deficient for IL-1beta found no CNTF up-regulation. Third, the lack of CNTF elevation in IL-1beta null mice was rescued through exogenous application of IL-1beta into the lesion site. These findings provide the first evidence of the requirement for IL-1beta in the production of CNTF following CNS trauma, and suggest that inflammation can have a beneficial impact on the regenerative capacity of the CNS.

Animals↗

Identification of functional receptors for ciliary neurotrophic factor on chick ciliary ganglion neurons.

Ciliary neurotrophic factor and an avian homolog, growth promoting activity, are members of the cytokine/neurokine family of trophic factors and have been proposed to function as survival and developmental factors for ciliary ganglion neurons in vivo. Here we identify for the first time functional receptors for ciliary neurotrophic factor and growth promoting activity on cultured ciliary ganglion neurons. [(125)I]Rat ciliary neurotrophic factor binding studies indicate that rat ciliary neurotrophic factor and growth promoting activity bind to these receptors with a single affinity, while human ciliary neurotrophic factor recognizes both a high- and low-affinity site. Comparison of the relative potency of human ciliary neurotrophic factor and avian growth promoting activity in biological assays indicates that growth promoting activity is three to five times more active in promoting survival and in regulating acetylcholine receptors. The binding of ciliary neurotrophic factor is specific, sensitive to phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C and partially inhibited by leukemia inhibitory factor, but not inhibited by other members of the human neurokine family, including interleukin-6, interleukin-22 and oncostatin M. Cross-linking of [(125)I]rat ciliary neurotrophic factor to ciliary neurons results in the specific labeling of three proteins with estimated molecular masses of 153,000, 81,000 and 72,000. Only the 81,000 molecular weight component is released from the cells after treatment with phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C, suggesting a membrane attachment via a glycosylphosphatidylinositol linkage. Stimulation with ciliary neurotrophic factor or growth promoting activity, but not by other neurokines, results in the rapid tyrosine phosphorylation of a 90,000 molecular weight protein that is inhibited by pretreatment with phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C. In conclusion, we report here the pharmacological and functional properties of ciliary neurotrophic factor receptors on embryonic ciliary ganglion neurons. These results provide the means for elaborating the molecular mechanisms of ciliary neurotrophic factor action and understanding its physiological role in a defined neuronal population.

Animals↗

Induction of motor neuron sprouting in vivo by ciliary neurotrophic factor and basic fibroblast growth factor.

Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) were tested for effects on sprouting by motor neurons innervating the adult mouse gluteus muscle. Factors were delivered by subcutaneous injection directly over the surface of the superior gluteus muscle once daily for 7 d and then end plates and axons were visualized by combined silver and cholinesterase staining. CNTF (500 ng daily) induced sprouting both from end plates and from the subset of nodes of Ranvier that are closest to the end plate. The effect of CNTF was potentiated twofold by coadministration of bFGF at doses of 2-20 ng daily, whereas treatment with bFGF alone failed to induce sprouting from either end plates or nodes of Ranvier. The sprouting stimulus delivered by the factors showed limited penetrance into the muscle and restricted lateral spread from the injection site.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Axonal regeneration stimulated by the combination of nerve growth factor and ciliary neurotrophic factor in an end-to-side model.

The aim of this study was to investigate the potential for stimulating axonal regeneration in the context of end-to-side coaptation using a combination of nerve growth factor and ciliary neurotrophic factor in the rat sciatic nerve model. Four experimental groups (n = 8) were used: end-to-side coaptation only, end-to-side coaptation plus growth factor injection, primary repair, and nontransferred gap control. Twenty weeks after surgery histologic analysis showed that the ratio of axon density was significantly increased for the growth factor injection group. Histologic evidence suggested contamination from the proximal peroneal stump. Electrical stimulation and muscle weights showed that the target muscles had been reinnervated in all groups except the nontransferred gap control group. These data support the conclusion that the use of nerve growth factor and ciliary neurotrophic factor in combination may enhance regeneration in the peripheral nervous system. This is consistent with previous reports on the central nervous system and suggests a potential application in future studies aimed at improving peripheral nerve regeneration. Another conclusion is that contamination from the proximal peroneal stump may explain the regeneration observed in the end-to-side model. Further study using retrograde labeling is needed to establish the origin of the regenerating axons. Finally, evidence suggests that regenerating axons can use the epineurium of an intact nerve to bridge a gap in continuity.

Anastomosis, Surgical↗

Leukemia inhibitory factor and ciliary neurotrophic factor in sensory neuron development.

Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), and related proteins are potentially involved in several aspects of sensory neuron development. There is evidence that LIF promotes the differentiation of sensory neurons from progenitor cells of neural crest origin. Later in development, LIF, CNTF, oncostatin M and interleukin-6 promote the survival of cultured neurons. Some neurons, like those of the nodose ganglion, respond early in their development to these factors, whereas other neurons, like those of the trigeminal ganglion, respond much later. In addition to promoting sensory neuron survival, there is some evidence that LIF is able to influence neurotransmitter and neuropeptide expression in these neurons. These observations suggest that several kinds of sensory neurons may be influenced in various ways by LIF and related factors at different stages of their development.

Animals↗

Preparation and biological properties of native and recombinant ciliary neurotrophic factor.

CNTF (ciliary neurotrophic factor), purified from rabbit sciatic nerves by a relatively simple procedure, is bioactive in tissue culture at low picomolar concentration and appears as a doublet on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). In these nerves, CNTF accounts for more than one-half of the survival-promoting activity on ciliary neurons. The concentration of CNTF in rabbit sciatic nerves is estimated to be 5 nmol/kg, more than 1000 times higher than would seem to be required to support neurons if the neurotrophic factor were homogeneously distributed. With recombinant DNA technology, rat CNTF has been synthesized in Escherichia coli, purified without denaturating agents, and found to be bioactive at a slightly lower concentration than CNTF extracted from rabbit sciatic nerves. After radioiodination, CNTF retains biological activity but is not specifically internalized and retrogradely transported in motor and sensory axons. In peripheral nerves, ciliary neurotrophic factor differs biologically from nerve growth factor (NGF) by its much higher tissue concentration and apparent lack of internalization by peripheral nerve axons.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Sexual dimorphism in the spinal cord is absent in mice lacking the ciliary neurotrophic factor receptor.

Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) has potent survival-promoting effects on motoneurons in vitro and in vivo. We examined knockout mice with null mutations of the gene for either CNTF itself or the alpha-subunit of the CNTF receptor (CNTFRalpha) to assess whether CNTF and/or its receptors are involved in the development of a sexually dimorphic neuromuscular system. Male rodents have many more motoneurons in the spinal nucleus of the bulbocavernosus (SNB) than do females. This sex difference is caused by hormone-regulated death of SNB motoneurons and their target muscles. Sexual dimorphism of SNB motoneuron number developed completely normally in CNTF knockout (CNTF -/-) mice. In contrast, a sex difference in the SNB was absent in CNTFRalpha -/- animals: male mice lacking a functional CNTF alpha-receptor had fewer than half as many SNB motoneurons than did wild-type males and no more than did their female counterparts. Size of the bulbocavernosus and levator ani muscles, the main targets of SNB motoneurons, was not affected in either CNTF or CNTFRalpha knockout males. These observations suggest that signaling through the CNTF receptor is involved in sexually dimorphic development of SNB motoneuron number and that target muscle survival per se is not sufficient to ensure motoneuron survival in this system. In addition, our observations are consistent with the suggestion that CNTF itself is not the only endogenous ligand for the CNTF receptor. A second, as yet unknown, ligand may be important for neural development, including sexually dimorphic motoneuron development.

Androgens↗

Regulation of tyrosine hydroxylase gene expression in IMR-32 neuroblastoma cells by basic fibroblast growth factor and ciliary neurotrophic factor.

The actions of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) on tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) gene expression were studied using IMR-32 neuroblastoma cells. Treatment of these cells with bFGF for 3 days induced the expression of detectable levels of immunoreactive TH protein and TH mRNA. In contrast, CNTF did not affect TH expression unless bFGF was present. In the presence of saturating amounts of bFGF, CNTF increased TH protein and mRNA levels of TH two-to threefold over those found in bFGF-treated cultures. The effects of CNTF on TH expression diminished with increasing culture time, and after 6 days of incubation CNTF no longer enhanced TH levels. The requirement for bFGF as cofactor in the effects of CNTF on TH was specific, as CNTF did not affect TH when it was coadministered with 8-(4-chlorophenylthio)-cyclic AMP, another agent that stimulates TH development in this cell line, and bFGF was not required for CNTF to stimulate the development of choline acetyltransferase. Moreover, cotreatment with bFGF reduced the ability of CNTF to enhance choline acetyltransferase. These results demonstrate that bFGF and CNTF can enhance expression of TH and that bFGF can modify the effects of CNTF on neurotransmitter phenotype.

Base Sequence↗

Centrally mediated inhibition of local inflammation by ciliary neurotrophic factor.

Since ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) inhibits the production of TNF and activates the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA), we investigated whether CNTF can produce antiinflammatory actions and whether it may act through a central mechanism, using the murine air pouch model of inflammation. In this model, inflammation is evaluated by measuring the induction of TNF and IL-6 as well as cell recruitment in the pouch fluid 24 h after carrageenan. Intracerebroventricular injection, but not intravenous or local injection of CNTF markedly inhibited inflammation. This was associated with high serum corticosterone levels, and antiinflammatory action was not observed in adrenalectomized mice, indicating that an intact HPAA is required. A CNTF receptor antagonist increased carrageenan inflammation, suggesting that endogenous CNTF might have a centrally mediated antiinflammatory role.

Adrenalectomy↗

Binding interactions of leukemia inhibitory factor and ciliary neurotrophic factor with the different subunits of their high affinity receptors.

Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) share common components in their multimeric receptors. Both cytokine receptors contain gp130/interleukin-6-receptor transducer as well as gp190/low affinity LIF receptor. For CNTF, addition of a third subunit, or alpha subunit, defines the high-affinity CNTF receptor. In the present study, we analyzed the binding interactions of LIF and CNTF in human cell lines and showed a mutual displacement for LIF and CNTF toward the trimeric high-affinity CNTF receptor. Similar results were obtained in the JEG cell line, which only expressed the gp130/gp190 high-affinity LIF receptor, by adding a soluble form of the alpha CNTF receptor to the system to reconstitute the high-affinity-type CNTF receptor. The different receptor subunits were then expressed separately in transfected cells and their binding capacities analyzed. The results showed that the heterocomplex CNTF/alpha CNTF receptor bound to gp130 with an affinity of 3-5 x 10(-10)M, whereas LIF interacted mainly with gp190. In summary, the observed competition between LIF and CNTF does not result from the binding to a common site or receptor subunit, but rather to the interaction of the three receptor components to create a conformational site common to both LIF and CNTF.

Animals↗

Purification, cloning, and expression of ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF).

Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) is one of a small number of proteins with neurotrophic activities distinct from nerve growth factor (NGF). CNTF has now been purified and cloned and the primary structure of CNTF from rabbit sciatic nerve has been determined. Biologically active CNTF has been transiently expressed from a rabbit complementary DNA clone. CNTF is a neural effector without significant sequence homologies to any previously reported protein.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

D1 cap region involved in the receptor recognition and neural cell survival activity of human ciliary neurotrophic factor.

Human ciliary neurotrophic factor (hCNTF), which promotes the cell survival and differentiation of motor and other neurons, is a protein belonging structurally to the alpha-helical cytokine family. hCNTF was subjected to three-dimensional structure modeling and site-directed mutagenesis to analyze its structure-function relationship. The replacement of Lys-155 with any other amino acid residue resulted in abolishment of neural cell survival activity, and some of the Glu-153 mutant proteins had 5- to 10-fold higher biological activity. The D1 cap region (around the boundary between the CD loop and helix D) of hCNTF, including both Glu-153 and Lys-155, was shown to play a key role in the biological activity of hCNTF as one of the putative receptor-recognition sites. In this article, the D1 cap region of the 4-helix-bundle proteins is proposed to be important in receptor recognition and biological activity common to alpha-helical cytokine proteins reactive with gp130, a component protein of the receptors.

Amino Acids↗

Rapid protein kinase C-dependent reduction of rat skeletal muscle voltage-gated sodium channels by ciliary neurotrophic factor.

The ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), known to exert long-term myotrophic effects, has not yet been shown to induce a rapid biological response in skeletal muscles. The present in vitro study gives rise to the possibility that CNTF could affect the sodium channel activity implied in the triggering of muscle fibre contraction. Therefore, we investigated the effects of an external CNTF application on macroscopic sodium current (I(Na)) in rat native fast-twitch skeletal muscle (flexor digitorum brevis, FDB) by using a cell-attached patch-clamp technique. The I(Na) peak amplitude measured at a depolarizing pulse from -100 to -10 mV is rapidly reduced in a time- and dose-dependent manner by CNTF (0.01-20 ng ml(-1)). The maximal decrease is 25% after 10 min incubation in 2 ng ml(-1) CNTF. There was no alteration in activation or inactivation kinetics, or in activation curves constructed from current-voltage relationships in the presence of CNTF. In contrast, the relative I(Na) inhibition induced by CNTF is accompanied by a hyperpolarizing shift in the midpoint of the inactivation curves: -6 and -10 mV for the steady-state fast and slow inactivation, respectively. Furthermore, CNTF induces a 5 mV hyperpolarization of the resting membrane potential of the fibres. The effects of CNTF are similar to those of 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycerol (OAG), a protein kinase C (PKC) activator, when no effect is observed in the presence of chelerythrine, a PKC inhibitor. These results suggest that, in skeletal muscle, CNTF can rapidly decrease sodium currents by altering inactivation gating, probably through an intracellular PKC-dependent mechanism that could lead to decreased membrane excitability. The present study contributes to a better understanding of the physiological role of endogenous CNTF.

Animals↗

Expression of Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor and the Neurotrophins-Nerve Growth Factor, Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Neurotrophin 3-in Cultured Rat Hippocampal Astrocytes.

Cultured astrocytes are known to possess a range of neurotrophic activities in culture. In order to examine which factors may be responsible for these activities, we have examined the expression of the genes for four known neurotrophic factors-ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neurotrophin 3 (NT3)-in purified astrocyte cultures derived from neonatal rat hippocampus. Hippocampal astrocytes were found to express mRNA for three neurotrophic factors-CNTF, NGF and NT3-at significantly higher levels than other cultured cell types or cell lines examined. BDNF messenger RNA (mRNA), however, was undetectable in these astrocytes. The levels of CNTF, NGF and NT3 mRNA in astrocytes were largely unaffected by their degree of confluency, while serum removal caused only a transient decrease in mRNA levels, which returned to basal levels within 48 h. Astrocyte-derived CNTF was found to comigrate with recombinant rat CNTF at 23 kD on a Western blot. Immunocytochemical analysis revealed strong CNTF immunoreactivity in the cytoplasm of astrocytes, weak staining in the nucleus, but no CNTF at the cell surface. NGF and NT3 were undetectable immunocytochemically. CNTF-like activity, as assessed by bioassay on ciliary ganglion neurons, was found in the extract of cultured astrocytes but not in conditioned medium, whereas astrocyte-conditioned medium supported survival of dorsal root ganglion neurons but not ciliary or nodose ganglion neurons. This conditioned medium activity was neutralized with antibodies to NGF. Astrocyte extract also supported survival of dorsal root ganglion and nodose ganglion neurons, but these activities were not blocked by anti-NGF. Part, but not all, of the activity in astrocyte extracts which sustained nodose ganglion neurons could be attributed to CNTF.

Journal Article↗

Long-term protection of axotomized neurons in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus in the rat following a single administration of basic fibroblast growth factor or ciliary neurotrophic factor.

We have studied the long-term effects of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) on axotomy-induced cell death in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) of adult rats. LGN neurons were axotomized by a visual cortex lesion in 31 adult rats. A gelatin sponge soaked in a solution of bFGF, CNTF, or saline (control) was placed on the surface of the lesion, and the animals were allowed to survive for 1-12 weeks. Compared with controls, no major improvement was noted in the mean cross-sectional area of surviving LGN neurons in rats treated with bFGF or CNTF at any survival time. However, treatment with either factor significantly increased the number of surviving neurons at each survival time. At 1 week, the survival of LGN neurons in rats treated with bFGF or CNTF was 136% and 131% greater, respectively, than in controls. At 12 weeks, the number of surviving LGN neurons in bFGF- and CNTF-treated rats exceeded that seen in controls by 114% and 58%, respectively. Thus, a single administration of bFGF or CNTF following axotomy reduced neuronal death for long periods of time, but could not prevent atrophy. A single treatment with bFGF or CNTF, therefore, may block the full execution of a cell death program, but cannot prevent its initiation. Alternatively, the transduction pathways for maintaining cell size and preventing cell death may not be identical, and bFGF and CNTF applied as described above may be effective in activating one pathway but not the other.

Animals↗