PERSEPHIN, A NOVEL NEUROTROPHIC FACTOR-RELATED TO GDNF AND NEURTURIN

A novel neurotrophic factor named Persephin that is similar to 40% ide ntical to glial eel line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and neurtu rin (NTN) has been identified using degenerate PCR. Persephin, like GD NF and NTN, promotes the survival of ventral midbrain dopaminergic neu rons in culture and prevents their degeneration after 6-hydroxydopamin e treatment in vivo. Persephin also supports the survival of motor neu rons in culture and in vivo after sciatic nerve axotomy and, like GDNF , promotes ureteric bud branching. However, in contrast to GDNF and NT N, persephin does not support any of the peripheral neurons that were examined. Fibroblasts transfected with Ret and one of the core-ceptors GFR alpha-1 or GFR alpha-2 do not respond to persephin, suggesting th at persephin utilizes additional, or different, receptor components th an GDNF and NTN.