A significant fraction of mice deficient in either glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) or its co-receptors (Gfrα1, Ret), undergoes ureteric bud (UB) outgrowth leading to the formation of a rudimentary kidney. Previous studies using the isolated Wolffian duct (WD) culture indicate that activation of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptor signaling, together with suppression of BMP/Act...

PURPOSE We previously demonstrated that exogenous glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) induces histological and functional protection of photoreceptors in the retinal degeneration (rd1) mouse model. The mechanisms underlying such neuroprotection remain elusive. In parallel to this work, we provided evidence for the occurrence of glutamate-mediated excitotoxic phenomena contributin...

primary neuronal cultures, as well as in lesioned animal models, have provided evidence that GDNF is a survival factor for embryonic midbrain dopaminergic neurons shown to promote the survival of cultured dopaminergic Bute Medical Building, St. Andrews and motor, but not peripheral, neurons (Milbrandt et al., United Kingdom 1998). 6 Deltagen, Incorporated The essential physiological role of the...

Background: Some clinical studies have reported the alteration of serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) level before and after the antidepressant treatments in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). We evaluated serum BDNF and GDNF levels before and after the 12-week antidepressant treatments in MDD outpatients. Methods: Se...

Background: Some clinical studies have reported the alteration of serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) level before and after the antidepressant treatments in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). We evaluated serum BDNF and GDNF levels before and after the 12-week antidepressant treatments in MDD outpatients. Methods: Se...

Background: Some clinical studies have reported the alteration of serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) level before and after the antidepressant treatments in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). We evaluated serum BDNF and GDNF levels before and after the 12-week antidepressant treatments in MDD outpatients. Methods: Se...

Regulation of the intestinal epithelial barrier is a differentiated process, which is profoundly deranged in inflammatory bowel diseases. Recent data provide evidence that the glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is critically involved in intestinal epithelial wound healing and barrier maturation and exerts antiapoptotic effects under certain conditions. Furthermore, not only the ...

We describe the cloning of the mouse glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) gene and its expression during embryogenesis. GDNF is a distant member of the superfamily of TGF-beta related genes that was originally identified on the basis of its striking neurotrophic activity. GDNF is expressed in a highly dynamic pattern in the anterior neuroectoderm during early stages of neurogenesi...

We report ELISA studies of the glycosaminoglycan binding properties of recombinant human GDNF. We demonstrate relatively high affinity binding, as soluble heparin competes with an IC50 of 0.1μg/ml. The binding of GDNF to heparin is particularly dependent on the presence of 2-O-sulphate groups. Highly sulphated heparan sulphate is also an effective competitor for GDNF binding. We further show th...

We previously reported that glial cell line-derived neurotropic factor (GDNF) receptor alpha1 (GFRalpha1) is a direct target of apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (Ape1/Ref-1). In the present study, we further analyzed the physiological roles of Ape1/Ref-1-induced GFRalpha1 expression in Neuro2a mouse neuroblastoma cells. Ape1/Ref-1 expression caused the clustering of GFRalpha1 immunoreactivi...