INCREASED LEVELS OF NERVE GROWTH-FACTOR (NGF) PROTEIN AND MESSENGER-RNA AND REACTIVE GLIOSIS FOLLOWING KAINIC ACID INJECTION INTO THE RAT STRIATUM

After excitotoxic lesion of the rat striatum, the time courses of loca l nerve growth factor (NGF) and NGF mRNA contents were investigated us ing a sensitive immunoassay (ELISA) and reverse transcription coupled to polymerase chain reaction (RT/PCR). To investigate a possible corre lation of increased NGF expression and excitotoxin-induced reactive gl iosis, striata were also analysed by immunohistochemistry with glial m arkers. We found elevated striatal NGF protein after lesion over the w hole observation period. NGF mRNA showed a biphasic increase 10 h and 10 days after lesion, the latter co-inciding with an increased astrogl iosis. These results indicate that NGF accumulation after excitotoxin- induced neurodegeneration is partly due to local reactive astrocytes.