Effects of senescence on the expression of BDNF and TrkB receptor in the lateral geniculate nucleus of cats

• Published in: Dōngwùxué yánjiū Vol. 36; no. 1; pp. 48 - 53
• Main Authors: Tong, Chuan-Wang, Wang, Zi-Lu, Li, Peng, Zhu, Hui, Chen, Cui-Yun, Hua, Tian-Miao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: China Kunming Institute of Zoology, The Chinese Academy of Sciences 18.01.2015
• Subjects: Aging; Aging - physiology; Animals; BDNF; Brain-derived neurotrophic factor; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor - genetics; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor - metabolism; Cats; Cats - physiology; Geniculate Bodies - cytology; Geniculate Bodies - metabolism; Kinases; Morphology; Neurons; Neurons - metabolism; Protein expression; Receptor, trkB - genetics; Receptor, trkB - metabolism; TrkB; Visual impairment; 受体酪氨酸激酶; 外侧膝状体; 平均密度; 成年猫; 脑源性神经营养因子; 衰老; Age-related change; TrkB; Lateral geniculate nucleus; BDNF; Cat
• ISSN: 0254-5853
• DOI: 10.13918/j.issn.2095-8137.2015.1.48

To explore the neural mechanisms mediating agingrelated visual function declines, we compared the expressions of brain-derived neurotrophic factor（BDNF） and its high affinity receptor-tyrosine kinase B（Trk B） between young and old adult cats. Nissl staining was used to display neurons in each layer of the lateral geniculate nucleus（LGN）. The BDNF- and Trk B receptor-immunoreactive neurons were labeled immunohistochemically, observed under optical microscope and photographed. Their neuronal density and immunoreactive intensity were measured. Results showed that the mean density of the Nissl stained neurons in each LGN layer were comparable between old and young adult cats, and their BDNF and Trk B proteins were widely expressed in all LGN layers. However, compared with young adult cats, both the density and optical absorbance intensity of BDNF- and Trk B-immunoreactive cells in each LGN layer in old cats were significantly decreased. These findings indicate that the decreased expressions of BDNF and Trk B proteins in the LGN may be an important factor inducing the compromised inhibition in the central visual nucleus and the functional visual decline in senescent individuals.