Disease relevance of Gdf5

• We investigated the effects of intracerebral administration of GDF5 on a rat model of Parkinson's disease [1].

High impact information on Gdf5

• Here, the effects of GDF5 and GDNF on dopaminergic neuronal and astroglial survival and differentiation in embryonic rat midbrain cultures were examined [2].
• GDF5 was administered just above the substantia nigra and into the lateral ventricle immediately before ipsilateral injection of 6-hydroxydopamine into the medial forebrain bundle [1].
• OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the intracavernosal application of growth differentiation factor-5 (GDF-5) influences nerve regeneration and erectile function after cavernosal nerve injury in a rat model [3].
• A significant increase was also observed in the numbers of astrocytes in GDF5-treated cultures [4].
• GDF5 treatment also had significant effects on the morphology of dopaminergic neurones in these cultures; total neurite length, number of branch points and somal area were all significantly increased after six days in vitro [4].

Anatomical context of Gdf5

• Analysis of neurite length and numbers of branch points at each level of the neuritic field revealed that the most pronounced effects of GDF5 were on the secondary and tertiary levels of the neuritic field [4].

Associations of Gdf5 with chemical compounds

• Post-mortem studies showed that GDF5 spared dopamine levels in the striatum and tyrosine hydroxylase positive neurones in the midbrain [1].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of Gdf5

• There was no significant difference between the survival of dopaminergic neurons in glia-depleted cultures treated with GDF5 and that in mixed cell cultures treated with GDF5, suggesting that GDF5 acts directly on dopaminergic neurons in exerting its neurotrophic effect [2].
• GDF5 prevented the development of amphetamine-induced rotations and preserved the integrity of striatal dopaminergic nerve terminals, as measured by positron emission tomography [1].
• GDF5 has been shown to increase the survival of dopaminergic neurones in animal models of Parkinson's disease [4].

References