BDNF MAKES CULTURED DENTATE GRANULE CELLS MORE RESISTANT TO HYPOGLYCEMIC DAMAGE

THE aim of this study was to explore whether brain-derived neurotrophi c factor (BDNF) can improve neuronal survival in cell cultures of rat dentate gyrus subjected to a hypoglycaemic insult. Glucose deprivation for 15 h caused severe neuronal loss (about 70%). BDNF added either 2 4 h before or 4 h after onset of hypoglycaemia completely protected gr anule cells against this insult-induced damage. Nerve growth factor (N GF) had similar effects. These findings support the hypothesis that th e rapid upregulation of BDNF mRNA in dentate granule cells after brief periods of hypoglycaemic coma and other insults is a local protective mechanism.