PRENATAL EXPOSURE TO ETHANOL INDUCES CHANGES IN THE NERVE GROWTH-FACTOR AND ITS RECEPTOR IN PROLIFERATING ASTROCYTES IN PRIMARY CULTURE

We have analyzed the effect of prenatal exposure to alcohol on the bin ding, internalization and secretion of NGF as well as on the content o f the NGF receptor (NGFr) in cortical rat astrocytes in primary cultur e. Secretion of NGF was approximately 1.8-fold greater in 6-day contro l astrocytes than in 13-day cells. Intracellular content of NGF was ve ry low. Astrocytes in 6-day cultures from control fetuses expressed a relatively large number of NGFr on the cell surface with a steady-stat e constant in the low nanomolar range. NGF was internalized by astrocy tes at a slow rate. Prenatal exposure to ethanol induces a moderate in crease in the number of NGFr on the cell surface as well. as an increa se in the intracellular pool of both NGF and NGFr which is accompanied by an important reduction in the secretion of this factor. We specula te that this decrease in NGF secretion could alter the neuronal migrat ion pattern during development, resulting in the presence of ectopic n eurons in the cortex.