Neurotrophins alter the numbers of neurotransmitter-ir mature vagal/glossopharyngeal visceral afferent neurons in vitro.

Abstract Mature nodose and petrosal ganglia neurons (placodally derived afferent neurons of the vagal and glossopharyngeal nerves) contain TrkA and TrkC, and transport specific neurotrophins [nerve growth factor (NGF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), neurotrophin-4 (NT-4)]. This study evaluated neurotrophin influences on the presence of neuropeptides and/or neurotransmitter enzymes in these visceral sensory neurons. NGF, NT-3 and NT-4 (10–100 ng/ml) were applied (5 days) to dissociated, enriched, cultures of mature nodose/petrosal ganglia neurons, and the neurons processed for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and neurofilament (NF-200) immunocytochemistry. Addition of NGF to nodose/petrosal ganglia neuron-enriched cultures significantly increased the number of TH-immunoreactive (ir) neurons, decreased the number of VIP-ir neurons in the cultures, and did not affect the numbers of CGRP-ir neurons. The addition of an NGF neutralizing antibody attenuated the effects of NGF on TH and VIP-ir neurons. NT-3 increased the number of VIP-ir neurons in the nodose/petrosal ganglia cultures and did not alter the numbers of TH-, or CGRP-ir neurons. The addition of an NT-3 neutralizing antibody attenuated the effects of NT-3 on VIP-ir neurons. NT-4 had no significant effects on the numbers of TH, VIP and CGRP-ir neurons. The absence of neurotrophin-induced changes in the numbers of NF-200-ir neurons in culture showed the lack of neurotrophin-mediated changes in survival of mature vagal afferent neurons. These data demonstrate that specific neurotrophins influence the numbers of neurons labeled for specific neurochemicals in nodose/petrosal ganglia cultures. These data, coupled with previous evidence for the presence of TrkA and TrkC mRNA and of the retrograde transport of NGF and NT-3, suggest important roles for NGF and NT-3 in the maintenance of transmitter phenotype of these mature visceral afferent neurons.