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Effects of nerve growth factor in experimental model of focal microgyria

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Abstract

Aim

The effects on neural repair of intraparenchymal nerve growth factor (NGF) administration were evaluated in neonate Wistar rats with experimentally induced focal microgyria.

Methods

A freezing focal polymicrogyric lesion was induced on the frontal cortex in 35 newborn Wistar rats on postnatal day 1. NGF was administered in 15 cases, with 20 pups as controls. Animals were sacrificed at 72 h and 7 days after NGF administration. Real-time PCR was used for the quantification of the expression of TrkA, p75, and doublecortin (DCX) at the level of the cortical lesion in seven different groups of animals: control 72 h (n = 5), control 7 days (n = 5), microgyria 72 h (n = 5), microgyria 7 days (n = 5), microgyria + NGF 72 h (n = 5), microgyria + NGF 7 days (n = 5), and control + NGF (n = 5).

Results

A significant increase in TrkA expression was found in the microgyria + NGF 7 days group compared to the others. TrkA upregulation was already visible 72 h after NGF administration. Unlike TrkA, p75 expression increased in animals subjected to the experimental focal microgyria and decreased markedly after NGF administration. DCX expression in injured animals was observed to increase strongly 7 days after NGF administration compared with other groups.

Conclusions

NGF administration interferes with neural repair mechanisms at the polymicrogyric lesion site by means of TrkA and DCX upregulation which possibly counteracts the process of apoptosis caused by the brain injury.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Ian McGilvray for helping to review the English language of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatric Neurosciences, Gemelli Hospital, Catholic University Medical School, Largo F. Vito, 1-00168, Rome, Italy

    Antonio Chiaretti, Alessia Antonelli & Claudia Fantacci

  2. Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Catholic University Medical School, Rome, Italy

    Alessandro Narducci, Concezio Di Rocco & Gianpiero Tamburrini

  3. Department of Neurosurgery, Tor Vergata Hospital, Rome, Italy

    Federica Novegno

  4. Department of Pediatric Oncology, Catholic University Medical School, Rome, Italy

    Filomena Pierri

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  1. Antonio Chiaretti
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  2. Alessandro Narducci
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  3. Federica Novegno
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  4. Alessia Antonelli
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  8. Gianpiero Tamburrini
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Correspondence to Antonio Chiaretti.

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Chiaretti, A., Narducci, A., Novegno, F. et al. Effects of nerve growth factor in experimental model of focal microgyria. Childs Nerv Syst 27, 2117–2122 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-011-1516-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-011-1516-8

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