NEUROTROPHIC EFFECTS OF ANNEXIN-V ON CULTURED NEURONS FROM EMBRYONIC RAT-BRAIN

Recombinant human annexin V showed survival promoting activity in embr yonic rat neocortical and mesencephalic neurons in vitro. The neurotro phic effect was observed from a relatively low dose and in a dose-depe ndent manner. The neurotrophic activity of annexin V was completely bl ocked by anti-annexin V antibody. Northern blot analysis demonstrated that annexin V mRNA is expressed in non-neuronal cells in the CNS. The se results suggest that annexin V plays certain roles in the CNS as a paracrine-type neurotrophic factor.