Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor in the substantia nigra from control and parkinsonian brains

Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) was measured for the fir st time in the brain (substantia nigra, caudate nucleus, putamen, cerebellu m, and frontal cortex) from control and parkinsonian patients by highly sen sitive sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In both groups, the leve ls of GDNF in the various brain regions were lower (pg/mg protein) than tho se of brain-derived growth factor (ng/mg order), and were significantly hig her in the nigro-striatal dopaminergic regions (substantia nigra, caudate n ucleus, putamen) than in the cerebellum and frontal cortex (P < 0.05). Howe ver, the content of GDNF in the dopaminergic regions showed no significant difference between parkinsonian and control patients. (C) 2001 Elsevier Sci ence Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.