Vascular endothelial cells synthesize and secrete brain-derived neurotrophic factor

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is an abundant neurotrophin in bra in and peripheral nerves, where it affects neural development, survival and repair after injury, BDNF has been detected in rat and human blood, but th e source of circulating BDNF is not established, BDNF messenger and peptide were detected in cultured cells and in the culture medium of human umbilic al vein endothelial cells, The expression of BDNF was up-regulated by eleva tion of intracellular cAMP and down-regulated by Ca2+ ionophore, bovine bra in extract and laminar fluid shear stress. These results suggest that vascu lar endothelial cells may contribute to circulating BDNF. (C) 2000 Federati on of European Biochemical Societies.