A nerve growth factor peptide retards seizure development and inhibits neuronal sprouting in a rat model of epilepsy

Lesion-induced axonal sprouting and hyperexcitability in the hippocampus in vitro: implications for the genesis of posttraumatic epilepsy

The delayed development of recurring seizures is a common consequence of traumatic head injury; the cause of such epilepsy is unknown. We demonstrate here that transection of the mature axons of CA3 pyramidal cells in hippocampal slice cultures leads to the formation by CA3 pyramidal cells of new axon collaterals that are immunoreactive with the growth-associated protein GAP-43. Individual CA3 cell axons had an elevated number of presynaptic boutons 14 days after the lesion, and dual intracellular recordings revealed an increased probability that any two CA3 pyramidal cells were connected by an excitatory synapse. Lesioned cultures were hyperexcitable and synaptic responses often displayed unusual prolonged polysynaptic components. We thus demonstrate that recurrent axon collaterals are newly sprouted by pyramidal cells as a consequence of axonal injury and suggest that this underlies the development of posttraumatic epilepsy.

Zinc alters conformation and inhibits biological activities of nerve growth factor and related neurotrophins

A role for Zn2+ in a variety of neurological conditions such as stroke, epilepsy and Alzheimer's disease has been postulated. In many instances, susceptible neurons are located in regions rich in Zn2+ where nerve growth factor (NGF) levels rise as a result of insult. Although the interaction of Zn2+ with this neurotrophin has previously been suggested, the direct actions of the ion on NGF function have not been explored. Molecular modeling studies predict that Zn2+ binding to NGF will induce structural changes within domains of this neurotrophin that participate in the recognition of TrkA and p75NTR. We demonstrate here that Zn2+ alters the conformation of NGF, rendering it unable to bind to p75NTR or TrkA receptors or to activate signal transduction pathways and biological outcomes normally induced by this protein. Similar actions of Zn2+ are also observed with other members of the NGF family, suggesting a modulatory role for this metal ion in neurotrophin function.

Nerve growth factor accelerates seizure development, enhances mossy fiber sprouting, and attenuates seizure-induced decreases in neuronal density in the kindling model of epilepsy

Recurrent seizure activity induced during kindling has been reported to produce a functional synaptic reorganization of the mossy fibers in the hippocampus. To date, it is unclear whether this kindling-induced growth is secondary to decreases in hilar neuron density, which are presumed to reflect hilar neuronal cell loss, or whether it is related specifically to an activation-dependent plasticity. We recently demonstrated that blocking nerve growth factor (NGF) biological activity retards seizure development and inhibits the sprouting of mossy fibers. We now demonstrate that intraventricular administration of NGF itself accelerates the progression of kindling epileptogenesis, increases mossy fiber sprouting in the CA3 region and in the inner molecular layer (IML), but reduces seizure-induced decreases in hilar cell density. These findings provide support for a role of NGF in kindling and kindling-induced mossy fiber sprouting. In addition, the results dissociate this form of epileptogenesis from hilar cell loss or decreases in hilar cell density attributable to increases in hilar area, thereby supporting seizure-induced mossy fiber sprouting as being primarily attributable to the combined effects of neuronal activation and the activation-induced upregulation of growth factors.

NGF antibodies impair long-term depression at the mossy fibre-CA3 synapse in the developing hippocampus

Nerve growth factor (NGF) and other neurotrophins are proteins involved in neuronal survival and differentiation. Much experimental evidence is now drawing attention into a role of neurotrophins in activity-dependent synaptic plasticity processes. We now show that slices from rats chronically deprived of NGF, by intraventricular injection of alpha D11 hybridoma cells, which produce monoclonal antibodies against NGF, display a reduced probability of induction of long-term depression at the mossy fibre-CA3 synapse.

Nerve growth factor accelerates seizure development, enhances mossy fiber sprouting, and attenuates seizure-induced decreases in neuronal density in the kindling model of epilepsy

Recurrent seizure activity induced during kindling has been reported to produce a functional synaptic reorganization of the mossy fibers in the hippocampus. To date, it is unclear whether this kindling-induced growth is secondary to decreases in hilar neuron density, which are presumed to reflect hilar neuronal cell loss, or whether it is related specifically to an activation-dependent plasticity. We recently demonstrated that blocking nerve growth factor (NGF) biological activity retards seizure development and inhibits the sprouting of mossy fibers. We now demonstrate that intraventricular administration of NGF itself accelerates the progression of kindling epileptogenesis, increases mossy fiber sprouting in the CA3 region and in the inner molecular layer (IML), but reduces seizure-induced decreases in hilar cell density. These findings provide support for a role of NGF in kindling and kindling-induced mossy fiber sprouting. In addition, the results dissociate this form of epileptogenesis from hilar cell loss or decreases in hilar cell density attributable to increases in hilar area, thereby supporting seizure-induced mossy fiber sprouting as being primarily attributable to the combined effects of neuronal activation and the activation-induced upregulation of growth factors.

Suppressed kindling epileptogenesis and perturbed BDNF and TrkB gene regulation in NT-3 mutant mice

In the kindling model of epilepsy, repeated electrical stimulations lead to progressive and permanent intensification of seizure activity. We find that the development of amygdala kindling is markedly retarded in mice heterozygous for a deletion of the neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) gene (NT-3+/- mice). These mice did not reach the fully kindled state (3rd grade 5 seizure) until after 28 +/- 4 days of stimulation compared to 17 +/- 2 days in the wild-type animals. The deficit in the NT-3+/- mice reflected dampening of the progression from focal to generalized seizures. The number of stimulations required to evoke focal (grade 1 and 2) seizures did not differ between the groups, but the NT-3 mutants spent a considerably longer period of time (13 +/- 3 days) than wild-type mice (2 +/- 1 days) in grade 2 seizures. As assessed by test stimulation 4-12 weeks after the 10th grade 5 seizure, kindling was maintained in the NT-3 mutants. In situ hybridization showed 30% reduction of basal NT-3 mRNA levels and lack of upregulation of TrkC mRNA expression at 2 h after a generalized seizure in dentate granule cells of the NT-3+/- mice, whereas the seizure-evoked increase in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and TrkB mRNA levels was enhanced. These results indicate that endogenous NT-3 levels can influence the rate of epileptogenesis, and suggest a link between NT-3 and BDNF gene regulation in dentate granule cells.

Is cell death necessary for hippocampal mossy fiber sprouting?

To examine the relationship between cell death and sprouting of the mossy fibers, repeated seizures of the hippocampal-parahippocampal circuit were elicited in anesthetized rats. The presence of mossy fiber growth was assessed with the Timm's stain for zinc. At 4 weeks, after 18 repeated seizures, there was a significant increase in the degree of zinc containing granules in the inner molecular layer of the dentate gyrus. The amount of sprouting was less than that seen four weeks after a single injection of kainic acid. A silver impregnation stain and an assay for damaged DNA were used to detect damaged or dying neurons and immunohistochemistry for a 72 kDa heat shock protein was used to detect any neurons that had suffered potentially injurious stress. The same number of repeated seizures that caused sprouting of the mossy fibers did not cause detectable cell death or severe stress in any cells within the hippocampus, subicular region or adjacent entorhinal cortex. These experiments demonstrate that repeated seizures of the hippocampal-parahippocampal circuits can cause sprouting of mossy fibers in the absence of evidence of cell death. This supports the hypothesis that alterations in intrinsic neural excitability and impulse activity from the dentate gyrus can result in growth of axonal processes in the adult rat brain.

Basic fibroblast growth factor is highly neuroprotective against seizure-induced long-term behavioural deficits

Basic fibroblast growth factor has been reported to protect neurons of various structures from excitotoxic damage. To study the effects of basic fibroblast growth factor on seizure-induced brain damage we infused the growth factor into the lateral ventricles of 35-day-old rats receiving convulsant dosages of kainic acid. Artificial cerebrospinal fluid or basic fibroblast growth factor at dosages of 0.5 ng/h or 2.5 ng/h was infused into the lateral ventricle continuously for seven days starting two days before and continuing for five days after the animals had kainic acid-induced status epilepticus. At age 80 days the animals underwent behavioural testing using the water maze, open field, and handling tests and at age 95 days were tested for seizure threshold using flurothyl inhalation. Neither artificial cerebrospinal fluid or basic fibroblast growth factor modified the latency or duration of the acute seizures following kainic acid. However, rats infused with 2.5 ng/h, but not 0.5 ng/h of basic fibroblast growth factor, had fewer spontaneous recurrent seizures, a higher seizure threshold, better performance in the handling, open field and water maze test, and less cell loss in the hippocampus when compared to rats receiving artificial cerebrospinal fluid or 0.5 ng/h of basic fibroblast growth factor. These results show that basic fibroblast growth factor has a dose-related neuroprotective effect against seizure-induced long-term behavioural deficits when administered by osmotic pump prior to seizure onset. This neuroprotective effect is not related to an anticonvulsant effect.

A requirement for local protein synthesis in neurotrophin-induced hippocampal synaptic plasticity

Two neurotrophic factors, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), are able to produce a long-lasting enhancement of synaptic transmission in the hippocampus. Unlike other forms of plasticity, neurotrophin-induced plasticity exhibited an immediate requirement for protein synthesis. Plasticity in rat hippocampal slices in which the synaptic neuropil was isolated from the principal cell bodies also required early protein synthesis. Thus, the neurotrophins may stimulate the synthesis of proteins in either axonal or dendritic compartments, allowing synapses to exert local control over the complement of proteins expressed at individual synaptic sites.