Transplantation of novel human GDF5-expressing CHO cells is neuroprotective in models of Parkinson's disease.

Growth/differentiation factor 5 (GDF5) is a neurotrophic factor that promotes the survival of midbrain dopaminergic neurons in vitro and in vivo and as such is potentially useful in the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD). This study shows that a continuous supply of GDF5, produced by transplanted GDF5-overexpressing CHO cells in vivo, has neuroprotective and neurorestorative effects on midbrain dopaminergic neurons following 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced lesions of the adult rat nigrostriatal pathway. It also increases the survival and improves the function of transplanted embryonic dopaminergic neurons in the 6-OHDA-lesioned rat model of PD.

Neuroprotective effects of delayed administration of growth/differentiation factor-5 in the partial lesion model of Parkinson's disease.

Neurotrophic factors have the potential for therapeutic use in Parkinson's disease (PD) to support the remaining dopaminergic neurons and protect them against the ongoing disease process. We have examined the effects of the neurotrophin growth and differentiation factor-5 (GDF-5) in a rat model of Parkinson's disease, the intrastriatal 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesion. GDF-5 (25 microg) was injected into either the striatum or substantia nigra (SN) of adult rats at 1 or 2 weeks after 6-hydroxydopamine administration.