The effects of pretreatment with interleukin-1 (IL-1) on neurite growth and cell survival of rat superior cervical ganglion (SCG) explants were examined. Neonate rat SCG explants were cultured with serum-containing growth media. Pretreatment with IL-1 beta (30 U/ml) for 3 hours stimulated neurite outgrowth of the SCG explant, which was inhibited by the addition of anti-nerve growth factor (NGF) antibody to the growth medium. Adult rat autologous SCG with the same pretreatment and non-treated ganglia were transplanted into the lateral ventricle. Histological evaluation of the grafts 2 weeks after transplantation revealed that the pretreated SCG cells survived better. Pretreatment with IL-1 may achieve the NGF-mediated neurotrophic effect in sympathetic ganglionic neurons resulting in enhanced graft survival.
Autologous transplantation of the superior cervical ganglion (SCG) into the caudate nuclei of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-induced parkinsonian monkey was studied in regard to animal behavior and catecholamine (CA) metabolites in cerebrospinal fluid. Monkeys which had undergone autotransplantation of the SCG revealed an apparent improvement in motor activity. The homovanillic acid content in cerebrospinal fluid increased following the SCG transplantation and was correlated with an increase in motor activity. CA histofluorescence studies confirmed the long-term survival of the SCG graft in which many CA fibers and cells were observed. The present experiment indicates that dopamine released from the graft improved the symptoms of parkinsonism in the monkey.
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