Sexually dimorphic effects of anti-NGF treatment in neonatal rats

Brain Res Dev Brain Res. 1997 Jul 18;101(1-2):273-6. doi: 10.1016/s0165-3806(97)00055-2.

Abstract

This study investigated how chronic perinatal reduction of nerve growth factor (NGF) affected brain cholinergic markers in the two sexes. Rats received anti-NGF on postnatal days (PNDs) 2-12, and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity was measured on PND 16. Anti-NGF significantly reduced cortical ChAT activity in males, but not in females; no sex-dependent effects were found in hippocampus or striatum. These data suggest sexual dimorphism in cholinergic responsiveness to NGF.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Newborn / physiology*
  • Brain / enzymology
  • Brain / growth & development*
  • Brain Chemistry / physiology
  • Cerebral Cortex / enzymology
  • Cerebral Cortex / growth & development
  • Cerebral Cortex / metabolism
  • Choline O-Acetyltransferase / metabolism
  • Female
  • Hippocampus / enzymology
  • Hippocampus / growth & development
  • Hippocampus / metabolism
  • Male
  • Neostriatum / enzymology
  • Neostriatum / growth & development
  • Neostriatum / metabolism
  • Nerve Growth Factors / physiology*
  • Parasympathetic Nervous System / drug effects
  • Parasympathetic Nervous System / growth & development
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Sex Characteristics

Substances

  • Nerve Growth Factors
  • Choline O-Acetyltransferase