Journal of Neuroscience, Vol 13, 733-743, Copyright © 1993 by Society for Neuroscience
Characterization and topography of high-affinity 125I-neurotrophin-3 binding to mammalian brain
CA Altar, MR Criden, RM Lindsay and PS DiStefano
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Tarrytown, New York 10591.
The binding of biologically active and 125I-labeled neurotrophin-3 (NT- 3)
was studied with both dry film and emulsion autoradiography to compare with
NGF binding and discover areas where NT-3 may function in vivo. The
equilibrium binding of 300 pM 125I-NT-3 to rat brain sections was
reversible and inhibited by unlabeled NT-3 (IC50, 420 pM). 125I-NT- 3 bound
in a saturable manner, with high affinity (Kd, 227-269 pM), and with a
capacity (Bmax, 26 fmol/mg protein) that exceeded that of NGF by threefold.
As with NGF, 125I-NT-3 also bound to a second population of sites with
lower affinity (Kd, 2.8 nM) and higher capacity (Bmax, 170 fmol/mg
protein). 125I-NT-3 binding was not blocked by NGF, or serum proteins, and
brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) competed for it in a distinctly
biphasic manner (IC50 values of 230 pM and 37 nM). Microdensitometry
confirmed graphically and by Hill analysis the monophasic displacement of
125I-NT-3 and the biphasic displacement of 125I-NT-3 binding by BDNF in
hippocampus, caudate-putamen, neocortex, and olfactory tubercle. In rat or
cat, the topography of 125I-NT-3 binding differed from that reported for
125I-NGF binding or for the low- affinity NGF receptor. The highest binding
densities were found in neocortical layers 1 and 2, the stratum oriens and
radiatum of hippocampus, molecular layer of the dentate gyrus, nucleus of
the lateral olfactory tract, entorhinal cortex, anterior olfactory nucleus,
anteromedial thalamic nucleus, and amygdala. Moderate densities were found
in neocortical layers 4-6, the neostriatum, amygdala, the dorsal root
ganglia, and the central gray of spinal cord. Emulsion autoradiography also
revealed binding in nerve terminal-rich regions of superficial neocortex
and hippocampus but not on neural cell bodies. Binding was absent in many
other brain regions, including cholinergic nuclei, and in all peripheral
organs studied including liver, kidney, pancreas, heart, and skeletal
muscle. 125I-NT-3 binding to sections of human basal ganglia resembled that
seen in rat or cat, including high densities in the caudate, putamen, and
superficial neocortex. The unique distribution and pharmacology of
125I-NT-3 binding to BDNF- sensitive and -insensitive sites in brain
predict predominantly neuronal actions for these factors that are likely to
be more widespread and distinct from those of NGF.