EFFECT OF A LONG-TERM NERVE GROWTH-FACTOR TREATMENT ON BODY-WEIGHT, BLOOD-PRESSURE, AND SERUM CORTICOSTERONE IN RATS

Nerve growth factor is a well-characterized neurotrophin essential for the development and maintenance of certain central and peripheral neu rons. As many neurons affected by aging depend for their survival on a constant supply of neurotrophins, nerve growth factor has been propos ed as a possible treatment to prevent aging-associated neurodegenerati on. There is evidence that nerve growth factor also plays a role in th e immune system and modulates certain aspects of endocrine function. H ere we have determined the effects of prolonged peripheral (intraperit oneal) treatment with nerve growth factor on body weight, blood pressu re, and serum corticosterone levels in the rat. Our data indicate that intraperitoneally-injected nerve growth factor can affect body weight gain in rats, This effect may not be mediated by nerve growth factor- induced increases in serum corticosterone levels, as exogenous adminis tration of corticosterone did not result in a similar body weight loss . These results show that, as previously reported for intracerebrovent ricular treatment with nerve growth factor, intraperitoneally-injected nerve growth factor also reduces body weight gain in rats. The data a lso suggest that exogenous delivery of nerve growth factor as part of therapeutic regimens is likely to have several effects. (C) 1997 ISDN.