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A role for BDNF in mechanosensation

Nature Neuroscience volume 1, pages 42–46 (1998)Cite this article

Abstract

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a survival factor for certain sensory neurons during development. Using electrophysiology in BDNF-deficient mice, we show here that slowly adapting mechanoreceptors (SAM), but not other types of cutaneous afferents, require BDNF in postnatal life for normal mechanotransduction. Neurons lacking BDNF did not die, but instead showed a profound and specific reduction in their mechanical sensitivity, which was quantitatively the same in BDNF -/- and BDNF +/- animals. Postnatal treatment of BDNF +/- mice with recombinant BDNF completely rescued the mechanosensitivity deficit. Therefore BDNF is important for regulating SAM mechanosensitivity, independent of any survival-promoting function.

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Figure 1: Response properties of SAM afferents in wild-type and BDNF -/- and +/- mice.
Figure 2: Mechanical thresholds of slowly adapting (SAM) but not rapidly adapting Aβ fibers are impaired in BDNF +/- mice.
Figure 3: Frequency distribution of myelinated axon diameters in adult and juvenile mice.
Figure 4: Response properties of SAM afferents in BDNF +/- mice with (▪) and without (□) treatment with exogenous recombinant BDNF.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Sonderforschungsbereich 353 (MK). GRL was supported during the first stages of this work by an Alexander von Humboldt fellowship. The technical assistance of Anke Scheer (MDC) is acknowledged. We wish to thank Dr. Ilka Bergmann for her help with the confocal imaging and Dr. Cheryl Stucky for critical reading of the manuscript.

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Author notes

  1. Patrick Carroll

    Present address: INSERM Unit 328, IBDM, Case 907, Luminy, F-13288, Marseille, France

  2. The first three authors contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurobiochemistry, Max-Planck-Institute for Neurobiology, Planegg-Martinsried, D-82152, Germany

    Patrick Carroll, Gary R. Lewin & Hans Thoenen

  2. Growth Factor and Regeneration Group, Max Delbrück Institute for Molecular Medicine, Berlin-Buch, D-13122, Germany

    Gary R. Lewin

  3. Department of Neurology, University of Würzburg, Fosef-Schneider-Str. 11, Würzburg, D-97080, Germany

    Martin Koltzenburg & Klaus V. Toyka

Authors
  1. Patrick Carroll
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Correspondence to Martin Koltzenburg.

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Carroll, P., Lewin, G., Koltzenburg, M. et al. A role for BDNF in mechanosensation. Nat Neurosci 1, 42–46 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1038/242

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