Neuroreport · 1994 · 195 citations · 0 references
Life SciencesNeurobiologyNeuroscienceGene ExpressionMolecular NeurobiologyMolecular NeuroscienceAstrocyte BiologyNeurotrophic FactorsVitamin BiochemistryVitamin DVitamin D MetabolismVitamin PhysiologyNeurotrophin Gene ExpressionVitamin D Physiology
The effect of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 on neurotrophin mRNA expression was studied in primary cultures of astrocytes. In addition to its known effects on NGF expression, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 was shown to upregulate NT-3 mRNA levels, while NT-4 expression was slightly but significantly downregulated. No effect was observed on BDNF mRNA expression. These data clearly show a differential regulation of the four neurotrophins by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 in primary cultures of astrocytes and suggest that 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 may participate in the expression of NGF, NT-3 and NT-4 in the central nervous system.