Growth factors and lymphokines: modulators of cholinergic neuronal activity.

It is well known that various markers of the cholinergic synapse are altered in Alzheimer's Disease. Much interest is currently focussing on the evaluation of the possible efficacy of certain growth factors, especially nerve growth factor (NGF), to reduce or reverse cholinergic neuronal losses. Here we report that other growth factors (epidermal growth factor and insulin-like growth factor I) and a lymphokine, interleukin-2, are able to block acetylcholine release in the rat hippocampus. This suggests that while certain growth factors like NGF may have positive effects on the cholinergic neuron, others may act as "negative" factors on this neuronal population.