Identification of the Pro-Angiogenic Capacity of Neurotrophin 3

摘要: Neurotrophin 3 (NT-3) is a member of the neurotrophin family, a class of growth factors characterized as critical regulators of neural survival and growth. NT-3 was shown to be involved in mammalian pre-natal heart development. We hypothesize that the cardiovascular actions of NT-3 extend to the adult life. The present study, that was developed in a mouse limb ischemia model, is the first to document the pro-angiogenic activity of NT-3. Anaesthetized CD1 mice underwent left femoral artery occlusion and NT-3 was over-expressed in the ischemic adductor by local injection of an adenoviral vector carrying the rat NT-3 gene (Ad.NT-3, 10^8 PFU). Control mice received Ad.Null. Blood flow (BF) recovery to the ischemic foot was measured at 7d and 14d from ischemia by laser Doppler flowmetry. Limb muscles were then harvested to analyse capillary and arteriole density and expression of trkC (receptor of NT-3) in …