2009 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Study for accelerating effect of brain-derived neurotrophic factor on methylmercury-induced neuronal death

Research Project

Project/Area Number	20780221
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Research Field	Applied veterinary science
Research Institution	Azabu University
Principal Investigator	SAKAUE Motohara Azabu University, 獣医学部, 准教授 (60348589)
Project Period (FY)	2008 – 2009
Keywords	脳由来神経影響因子 / 神経細胞死 / 小脳顆粒細胞 / TrkB / 初代培養系 / 神経芽細胞腫由来B35細胞 / ラット
Research Abstract	Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a maintenance protein for neuronal function and survive, but also stimulate methylmercury-induced neuronal cell death. In the present study, to expose mechanisms of the BDNF stimulation, we investigate using rat cerebellar granular cell culture system. Neurotrophin-4, another TrkB ligand, stimulated methylmercury-induced cell death. The stimulating effect of BDNF on the cell death was inhibited by treatment of anti-BDNF antibody that prevents BDNF from binding to TrkB. The results indicated that the stimulation by BDNF needs the BDNF binding to TrkB, which suggested BDNF/TrkB play as a sensitivity determiant factor.