Protective effect of platelet-derived growth factor against 6-hydroxydopamine-induced lesion of rat dopaminergic neurons in culture

The effects of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-AA and -BB on 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced degeneration of dopaminergic (DA) neurons were studied in cultures of dissociated fetal rat mesencephalon. The 6-OHDA lesion (0.3% for 4 h) caused a selective 75% loss of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive DA neurons. The neuronal death was significantly decreased (to about 25%) by addition of 1, 10 or 30 (but not 0.1) ng/ml of PDGF-BB 24 h prior to the insult. In contrast, treatment with PDGP-AA (30 ng/ml) for 24 h before the lesion or addition of PDGF-BB (30 ng/ml) simultaneously with or 1 h after 6-OHDA did not promote the survival of TH-positive neurons. We conclude that PDGF-BB can counteract 6-OHDA-induced degeneration of mesencephalic DA neurons.