PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF PLATELET-DERIVED GROWTH-FACTOR AGAINST 6-HYDROXYDOPAMINE-INDUCED LESION OF RAT DOPAMINERGIC-NEURONS IN CULTURE

The effects of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-AA and -BB on 6-h ydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced degeneration of dopaminergic (DA) neur ons were studied in cultures of dissociated fetal rat mesencephalon. T he 6-OHDA lesion (0.3% for 4 h) caused a selective 75% loss of tyrosin e hydroxylase (TH)-positive DA neurons. The neuronal death was signifi cantly decreased (to about 25%) by addition of 1, 10 or 30 (but not 0. 1) ng/ml of PDGF-BB 24 h prior to the insult. In contrast, treatment w ith PDGP-AA (30 ng/ml) for 24 h before the lesion or addition of PDGF- BB (30 ng/ml) simultaneously with or 1 h after 6-OHDA did not promote the survival of TH-positive neurons. We conclude that PDGF-BB can coun teract 6-OHDA-induced degeneration of mesencephalic DA neurons.