Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) promotes survival and differentiation of the cells of the central and peripheral nervous systems. BDNF has been identified in non-neural tissue, including the heart, lung, platelets, lymphocytes, and lacrimal glands. Immobilization stress modifies BDNF mRNA expression in some organs. The present study examines the effect of immobilization stress on BDNF, and its receptor TrkB, in male rat submandibular glands. Increased BDNF mRNA and protein expression were observed in duct cells as a result of immobilization stress, as demonstrated by real-time PCR, Western blot, immunohistochemistry, and analysis by microdissection. TrkB mRNA was not detected in salivary gland tissue, or oral or esophageal mucosa, by RT-PCR. Rat submandibular gland was thus identified as an organ which expresses BDNF. Furthermore, the results of this study suggest that increased salivary BDNF expression occurs following immobilization stress.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Adlard PA, Cotman CW (2004). Voluntary exercise protects against stress-induced decreases in brain-derived neurotrophic factor protein expression. Neuroscience124:985–992.
2.
Aloe L, Alleva E, Böhm A, Levi-Montalcini R (1986). Aggressive behavior induces release of nerve growth factor from mouse salivary gland into the bloodstream. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA83:6184–6187.
3.
De Vicente JC, Garcia-Suárez O, Esteban I, Santamaria J, Vega JA (1998). Immunohistochemical localization of neurotrophins and neurotrophin receptors in human and mouse salivary glands. Ann Anat180:157–163.
4.
Egan MF, Kojima M, Callicott JH, Goldberg TE, Kolachana BS, Bertolino A, et al. (2003). The BDNF val66met polymorphism affects activity-dependent secretion of BDNF and human memory and hippocampal function. Cell112:257–269.
5.
Ernfors P, Wetmore C, Olson L, Persson H (1990). Identification of cells in rat brain and peripheral tissues expressing mRNA for members of the nerve growth factor family. Neuron5:511–526.
6.
Ghinelli E, Johansson J, Ríos JD, Chen LL, Zoukhri D, Hodges RR, et al. (2003). Presence and localization of neurotrophins and neurotrophin receptors in rat lacrimal gland. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci44:3352–3357.
7.
Givalois L, Marmigère F, Rage F, Ixart G, Arancibia S, Tapia-Arancibia L (2001). Immobilization stress rapidly and differentially modulates BDNF and TrkB mRNA expression in the pituitary gland of adult male rats. Neuroendocrinology74:148–159.
8.
Givalois L, Arancibia S, Alonso G, Tapia-Arancibia L (2004). Expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and its receptors in the median eminence cells with sensitivity to stress. Endocrinology145:4737–4747.
9.
Hori N, Yuyama N, Tamura K (2004). Biting suppresses stress-induced expression of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) in the rat hypothalamus. J Dent Res83:124–128.
10.
Hori N, Lee MC, Sasaguri K, Ishii H, Kamei M, Kimoto K, et al. (2005). Suppression of stress-induced nNOS expression in the rat hypothalamus by biting. J Dent Res84:624–628.
11.
Karege F, Schwald M, Cisse M (2002). Postnatal developmental profile of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in rat brain and platelets. Neurosci Lett328:261–264.
12.
Konturek SJ, Brzozowski T, Konturek PK, Majka J, Dembinski A (1991). Role of salivary glands and epidermal growth factor (EGF) in gastric secretion and mucosal integrity in rats exposed to stress. Regul Pept32:203–215.
13.
Leibrock J, Lottspeich F, Hohn A, Hofer M, Hengerer B, Masiakowski P, et al. (1989). Molecular cloning and expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Nature341:149–152.
14.
Lewin GR, Barde YA (1996). Physiology of the neurotrophins. Annu Rev Neurosci19:289–317.
15.
Pan W, Banks WA, Fasold MB, Bluth J, Kastin AJ (1998). Transport of brain-derived neurotrophic factor across the blood-brain barrier. Neuropharmacology37:1553–1561.
16.
Radka SF, Holst PA, Fritsche M, Altar CA (1996). Presence of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in brain and human and rat but not mouse serum detected by a sensitive and specific immunoassay. Brain Res709:122–130.
17.
Shibayama E, Koizumi H (1996). Cellular localization of the Trk neurotrophin receptor family in human non-neuronal tissues. Am J Pathol148:1807–1818.
18.
Sobue G, Yamamoto M, Doyu M, Li M, Yasuda T, Mitsuma T (1998). Expression of mRNAs for neurotrophins (NGF, BDNF, and NT-3) and their receptors (p75NGFR, trk, trkB, and trkC) in human peripheral neuropathies. Neurochem Res23:821–829.
19.
Timmusk T, Palm K, Metsis M, Reintam T, Paalme V, Saarma M, et al. (1993). Multiple promoters direct tissue-specific expression of the rat BDNF gene. Neuron10:475–489.
20.
Tokuyama W, Hashimoto T, Li YX, Okuno H, Miyashita Y (1998). Highest trkB mRNA expression in the entorhinal cortex among hippocampal subregions in the adult rat: contrasting pattern with BDNF mRNA expression. Brain Res Mol Brain Res62:206–215.
21.
Tsukinoki K, Yasuda M, Miyoshi Y, Mori Y, Otsuru M, Saruta J, et al. (2005). Role of hepatocyte growth factor and c-Met receptor in neoplastic conditions of salivary glands. Acta Histochem Cytochem38:25–30.
22.
Ueyama T, Kawai Y, Nemoto K, Sekimoto M, Tone S, Senba E (1997). Immobilization stress reduced the expression of neurotrophins and their receptors in the rat brain. Neurosci Res28:103–110.
23.
Yamamoto H, Gurney ME (1990). Human platelets contain brain-derived neurotrophic factor. J Neurosci10:3469–3478.
