Neurturin enhances the survival of intrastriatal fetal dopaminergic transplants

WE investigated here the effect of the novel glial cell line-derived neurot rophic factor (GDNF)-family member neurturin (NTN) on transplanted fetal do pamine (DA) neurons. Three groups of rats with complete unilateral C-hydrox ydopamine (6-OHDA) lesions of the nigrostriatal DA system received intrastr iatal grafts of embryonic ventral mesencephalic tissue. Following transplan tation animals received repeated injections of vehicle or NTN (0.3 mu g or 3.0 mu g) over three weeks posttransplantation. NTN-treated animals had sig nificantly (1.8-fold) more tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive (TH-IR) neur ons. Graft volume, TH-IR cell volume and overall dopaminergic host reinnerv ation remained unchanged. Amphetamine-induced rotation was rapidly compensa ted in all grafted rats. We conclude that administration of NTN may be a po werful way to increase survival of transplanted fetal DA neurons. NeuroRepo rt 10:1783-1787 (C) 1999 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.