GDNF-expressing macrophages mitigate loss of dopamine neurons and improve Parkinsonian symptoms in MitoPark mice.

Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is the most potent neuroprotective agent tested in cellular and animal models of Parkinson's disease (PD). However, CNS delivery of GDNF is restricted by the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Using total body irradiation as transplant preconditioning, we previously reported that hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation (HSCT)-based macrophage-mediated gene therapy could deliver GDNF to the brain to prevent degeneration of nigrostriatal dopamine (DA) neurons in an acute murine neurotoxicity model.

Development of a fluorescent F-actin blot overlay assay for detection of F-actin binding proteins.

Interactions between cellular proteins and filamentous (F) actin are key to many cellular functions, e.g., cell motility, endocytosis, cell:cell adhesion, and cell:substrate adhesion.