Nerve growth factor-enhanced reinnervation of surgically denervated canine heart.

Nerve growth factor (NGF) was administered in doses of 25,000 U daily for the first 5 postoperative days to dogs subjected to cardiac denervation. These dogs and untreated cardiac-denervated dogs were killed at 1, 2, 3, and 6 mo postoperatively. Tritiated norepinephrine ([3H]NE) was administered prior to death, after which the hearts were removed and eight segments (right and left atria, right ventricular conus and sinus, left ventricular base and apex and high and low ventricular septum) analyzed to determine myocardial NE content and uptake of [3H]NE. Our data demonstrated enhanced cardiac reinnervation of the left ventricular base in NGF-treated dogs.