HOMEPRODUCTSCOMPANYCONTACTFAQResearchDictionaryPharmaSign Up FREE or Login

Isolation and characterization of a new immortal rat astrocyte with a high expression of NGF mRNA.

Abstract
We have established a new line of immortalized rat astrocytes through transfection of plasmid pSV3-neo encoding the large T antigen of simian virus 40 into normal astrocytes. One of these immortalized astrocytes (ACT-57) with a flat and polygonal cell shape, exhibited stable growth in a chemically defined medium (modified N-2 medium) as well as in medium containing ordinary serum. ACT-57, retained a detectable level of expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and its mRNA, and exhibited a stronger expression of nerve growth factor (NGF) mRNA than that of normal rat astrocytes or C6 glioma cells. NGF mRNA was significantly up-regulated by phorbol ester (12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate, TPA) and gamma-amino-n-butyric acid (GABA) but not by hydrocortisone. None of stimulants (TPA, dibutyryl cyclic AMP (db-cAMP), hydrocortisone, L-glutamate, carbacol, GABA, dopamine, or isoproterenol) changed the expression level of either brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) or neurotrophin-3 (NT-3). There was a discrete difference between ACT-57 and normal astrocytes in the response to GABA and isoproterenol. These findings imply that normal cortical astrocytes possess a functional heterogeneity whereas the clonal astrocyte, ACT-57, does not, indicating that ACT-57 cells may be useful for in vitro studies of neuron-astrocyte interactions involving the induction of neurotrophic factors such as NGF.
AuthorsM Morikawa, K Asai, M Kokubo, K Fujita, K Yoneda, N Yamamoto, Y Inoue, J Iida, T Kishimoto, T Kato
JournalNeuroscience research (Neurosci Res) Vol. 39 Issue 2 Pg. 205-12 (Feb 2001) ISSN: 0168-0102 [Print] Ireland
PMID11223466 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
Chemical References
  • Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor
  • Neurotrophin 3
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Nerve Growth Factor
Topics
  • Animals
  • Astrocytes (cytology, metabolism)
  • Brain (cytology, metabolism)
  • Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (genetics)
  • Cell Culture Techniques (methods)
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Embryo, Mammalian
  • Karyotyping
  • Nerve Growth Factor (genetics)
  • Neurotrophin 3 (genetics)
  • RNA, Messenger (genetics)
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Transcription, Genetic

Join CureHunter, for free Research Interface BASIC access!

Take advantage of free CureHunter research engine access to explore the best drug and treatment options for any disease. Find out why thousands of doctors, pharma researchers and patient activists around the world use CureHunter every day.
Realize the full power of the drug-disease research graph!


Choose Username:
Email:
Password:
Verify Password:
Enter Code Shown: