Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Nerve growth factor regulates expression of neuropeptide genes in adult sensory neurons

Nature volume 337, pages 362–364 (1989)Cite this article

Abstract

Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a trophic molecule essential for the survival of sympathetic and sensory neurons during ontogeny1. The extent to which NGF is involved in the maintenance or regulation of the differentiated phenotypes of mature peripheral neurons is much less clear, however. Biochemical analysis of the actions of NGF upon peripheral neurons has been hampered by the lack of a preparation of neuronal cells that are responsive to NGF but do not require it for survival. We report here that in adult dorsal root ganglion neurons, which can be isolated, enriched and maintained in culture in the absence of neuronal growth factors2, the expression of mRNAs encoding the precursors of two neuropeptides, substance P and calcitonin gene-related peptide is regulated by NGF. Our results provide the first direct evidence of a continuous dynamic role for NGF in regulation of peptide neurotransmitter/neuromodulator levels in mature sensory neurons.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Thoenen, H. & Barde, Y.-A. Physiol. Rev. 60, 1284–1335 (1980).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Lindsay, R. M. J. Neurosci. 8, 2394–2405 (1988).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Gibson, S. J. et al. J. Neurosci. 4, 3101–3111 (1984).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Lindsay, R. M., Lockett, C. & Winter, J. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 13, 518 (1987).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Johnson, E. M., Rich, K. M. & Yip, H. K. Trends Neurosci. 9, 33–37 (1986).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Lindsay, R. M. in The Making of the Nervous System (eds Parnavelas, J. G., Stern, C. D. & Stirling, R. V.) 149–165 (Oxford University Press, 1988).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Fitzgerald, M., Wall, P. D., Goedert, M. & Emson, P. C. Brain Res. 332, 131–141 (1985).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Rich, K. M., Luszczynski, J. R., Osborne, P. A. & Johnson, E. M. Jr J. Neurocytol. 16, 261–8 (1987).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Kessler, J. A., Bell, W. O. & Black, T. B. J. Neurosci. 3, 1301–1307 (1983).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Nielsen, U. & Keen, P. Eur. J. Pharmac. 138, 193–198 (1987).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Greene, L. A., Liem, K. & Shelanski, M. L. J. Cell Biol. 96, 76–83 (1983).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. McTigue, M., Cremins, J. & Halegoua, S. J. biol. Chem. 260, 9047–9056 (1985).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Matsuda, Y., Nakanishi, N., Dickens, G. & Guroff, G. J. Neurochem. 47, 1728–1734 (1986).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Milbrandt, J. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 83, 4789–4793 (1986).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Milbrandt, J. Science 238, 797–799 (1987).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Milbrandt, J. Neuron 1, 183–188 (1988).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Leonard, D. G. B., Ziff, E. B. & Greene, L. A. Molec. cell. Biol. 7, 3156–3167 (1987).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Harmar, A. J. et al. FEBS Lett. 208, 67–72 (1986).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Krause, J. E., Chirgwin, J. M., Carter, M. S., Xu, Z. S. & Hershey, A. D. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 84, 881–885 (1987).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Harmar, A. J., Schofield, J. G. & Keen, P. Neurosci. 6, 1917–1922 (1981).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Edbrooke, M. R. et al. EMBO J. 4, 715–724 (1985).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Amara, S. G., Evans, R. M. & Rosenfeld, M. G. Molec. cell. Biol. 4, 2151–2160 (1984).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sandoz Institute for Medical Research, 5 Gower Place, London, WC1E 6BN, UK

    Ronald M. Lindsay

  2. MRC Brain Metabolism Unit, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh, EH10 5HF, UK

    Anthony J. Harmar

Authors
  1. Ronald M. Lindsay
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Anthony J. Harmar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lindsay, R., Harmar, A. Nerve growth factor regulates expression of neuropeptide genes in adult sensory neurons. Nature 337, 362–364 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1038/337362a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/337362a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing