NT-3 and nervous system disease research - from Sweden

[Guest guest]

(Abstract mentions NT-3 and at the very end nervous system disorders -

just read beyond the 'teeth' part) ~ G

1: Cell Tissue Res 2002 Nov;310(2):177-87

Expression patterns of neurotrophic factor mRNAs in developing human

teeth.

Nosrat I, Seiger A, Olson L, Nosrat CA.

Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm,

Sweden, inosrat@...

Neurotrophic factors regulate survival, differentiation, growth and

plasticity in

the nervous system. In addition, based on their specific and shifting

temporospatial expression patterns, neurotrophic factors have been

implicated in morphogenetic events during tooth development in rodents.

To determine whether these findings in rodents could be related to

humans, we have now studied nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived

neurotrophic factor(BDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), neurotrophin-4 (NT-4),

glial cell-line derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), and neurturin (NTN)

mRNA expression patterns in developing human teeth during gestational

weeks 6.5-11. Using in situ of neurotrophin and GDNF mRNA expression in

the developing human teeth.

NGF mRNA labeling was weak and confined predominantly to the dental

papilla. BDNF mRNA labeling was stronger than NGF mRNA and was seen in

the mesenchyme located lateral to the dental organ, as well as in

epithelial structures (inner dental epithelium and enamel knot). NT-3

mRNA was observed in the dental papilla and in the area of the cervical

loop. NT-4 mRNA was expressed in both oral and dental epithelia in all

stages studied. GDNF mRNA was found in the dental follicle and at

different sites in the inner dental epithelium. Weak NTN mRNA labeling

was also found in the developing teeth. Based on these findings, we

suggest that neurotrophins, GDNF and NTN might be involved in

morphogenetic events during early stages of tooth development in humans.

Protein gene product (PGP) 9.5-immunoreactive nerve fibers were observed

in the dental follicle by 11 weeks coinciding with the labeling for

neurotrophic factor mRNAs in this structure. This suggests that these

neurotrophic factors might be involved in

the innervation of dental structures. The rich expression of

neurotrophic factors in developing dental tissues suggests that

developing, or possibly adult, dental tissue might be used as an

allograft source of trophic support for diseases of the nervous system.