Tumor necrosis factor-alpha is thought to be one of the most important inflammatory cytokines associated with the demyelinating disease multiple sclerosis. We determined whether neurotrophins could protect oligodendrocytes from tumor necrosis factor-alpha-mediated cytotoxicity. Among the neurotrophins tested, nerve growth factor was most effective at preventing cell death. Nerve growth factor a...

Tyrosine hydroxylase is synthesized de nouo in rat superior cervical ganglia in organ culture. The differential rate of synthesis is not increased significantly by the addition of nerve growth factor to the culture. Prior administration of nerve growth factor in vim. however, leads to an augmented synthesis of tyrosine hydroxylase in ganglia subsequently cultured in vitro. The differential rate...

It is generally agreed that sympathetic innervation of vascular tissues in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) is greater than that existing in vascular tissues from normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. One factor responsible for regulation of the growth of peripheral sympathetic nerves is the peptide nerve growth factor, which is released from effector cells. In the present study, an enzyme...

Clinical trials with cholinergic agents suggest that cholinergic hypertrophy may be beneficial in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recent findings substantiate the view that nerve growth factor (NGF) selectively acts on cholinergic neurons. In adult rats and primates, intraventricular administration of nerve growth factor produces trophic actions on cholinergic neurons and prevents ag...