CHARACTERIZATION OF NEUROTROPHIC FACTORS PRODUCED BY IMMORTALIZED MOUSE-BRAIN GLIAL-CELLS (VR-2G)

We analyzed the neurotrophic factors secreted by immortalized fetal mo use brain glial cells (VR-2g). Concentrated conditioned medium of VR-2 g cells were applied to a gel filtration column and the trophic activi ties of the fractions were determined by the bioassay method with prim ary fetal rat striatal neurons. Several peaks of neurotrophic activity were detected, the most prominent of which was found in a fraction of molecular weight 5-7 kDa. In peak fractions of molecular weight 13-26 kDa, molecules reactive to anti-NGF antibodies were detected by Weste rn blotting only in non-reduced condition of SDS-PAGE. Anti-NGF antibo dies absobed 40% of the neurotrophic activities in the conditioned med ium of VR-2g cells.