Complete and long-term rescue of lesioned adult motoneurons by lentiviral-mediated expression of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor in the facial nucleus.

ABSTRACT: To date, delivery of neurotrophic factors has only allowed to transiently protect axotomized facial motoneurons against cell death. In the present report, long-term protection of these neurons was evaluated by continuously expressing the neurotrophic factor glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) within the facial nucleus using a lentiviral vector system. The viral vector was injected unilaterally into the facial nucleus of 4-month-old Balb/C mice. In contrast to axotomy in other adult rodents, facial nerve lesion in these animals leads to a progressive and sustained loss and/or atrophy of >50% of the motoneurons. This model thus represents an attractive model to evaluate potential protective effects of neurotrophic factors for adult-onset motoneuron diseases, such as amyotrophi

SUBMITTER: Hottinger AF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6772542 | biostudies-literature | 2000 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature