Modulation of neurotransmitter release induced by brain-derived neurotrophic factor in rat brain striatal slices in vitro

This study examined the influence of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) on the basal and depolarisation-induced release of the neurottansmitters GABA. dopamine and serotonin from rat striatal brain slices in vitro. BDNF potentiated the potassium or veratrine-stimulated release of GABA. dopamine and serotonin. This potentiation was shown to he dependent on activation of the high-affinity tyrosine kinase-linked receptor TrkB. as K252a (a potent TrkB antagonist) largely prevented the effects. BDNF potentiated the release of each neurotransmitter to similar extents irrespective of the type of depolarising stimulus used. In all cases the potentiation of neurotransmitter release caused by BDNF was dependent on membrane depolarisation as BDNF alone was incapable of causing potentiation. These results, obtained using striatal slices in vitro. suggest that BDNF may he acting via file specific receptor TrkB to modulate synaptic performance in the corpus striatum in vivo. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.