Effects of nerve growth factor and heart cell conditioned medium on neurite regeneration of aged sympathetic neurons in culture.

The effects of nerve growth factor (NGF) and heart-cell-conditioned medium (HCM) on the neurite regeneration of aged sympathetic neurons were investigated in culture. Investigation of HCM was carried out by two different methods: one was the use of whole HCM on collagen substratum, which reflected component(s) effective in solution (HCM-S); the other was the use of polyornithine (PORN)-binding component(s) (P-HCM). Superior cervical ganglion neurons prepared from male mice from 6 to 30 months of age were cultured in MEM-10% FCS on collagen or gelatin-PORN substratum for 3 days. The number of neurons with neurites and the length of neurites were quantified as neurite production and elongation, respectively. Neuronal survival was not affected by addition of NGF, HCM-S or P-HCM. Neurite production of early adult neurons was enhanced by NGF, HCM-S or P-HCM. In contrast, neurite production of aged neurons was enhanced by only HCM-S, but not NGF or P-HCM. HCM-S did not promote neurite elongation in neurons at any age. Neurite elongation of early adult neurons was enhanced by NGF or P-HCM. Neurite elongation of aged neurons was enhanced by P-HCM. However, responsiveness of NGF for neurite elongation varied according to substrata. No age-related difference was found in neurite production and elongation in the absence of NGF, HCM-S or P-HCM. These results indicate that responsiveness of aged sympathetic neurons is various in different growth factors.