Abstract
Activity-dependent neurotrophic factor is a potent, neuroprotective protein released from astroglia by VIP and accounts in part for the neuroprotective properties of this neuropeptide. The growth-regulatory actions of VIP during embryogenesis may also occur indirectly through the release of activity-dependent neurotrophic factor. Whole cultured day-9 mouse embryos treated with activity-dependent neurotrophic factor (10(-13) M) for 4 hr grew 3.1 somites, compared with 1.6 somites in control embryos. Treated embryos appeared morphologically normal and exhibited significant increases in cross-sectional area, protein, and DNA content and bromodeoxyuridine incorporation. Anti-activity-dependent neurotrophic factor significantly inhibited growth. Co-treatment of embryos with anti-activity-dependent neurotrophic factor inhibited VIP-stimulated growth; however, anti-VIP did not inhibit activity-dependent neurotrophic factor-induced growth. These data indicate that an activity-dependent neurotrophic factor-like substance is an endogenous embryonic growth factor and that VIP-regulated growth occurs, at least in part, through activity-dependent neurotrophic factor.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 92-100 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences |
| Volume | 897 |
| Publication status | Published - 1999 |
Keywords
- Animals
- Embryonic and Fetal Development
- Humans
- Mice
- Nerve Growth Factors
- Nerve Tissue Proteins
- Neuropeptides
- Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide