Neurotrophic factor-like effect of FPF1070 on septal cholinergic neurons after transections of fimbria-fornix in the rat brain

Abstract

FPF1070 is an aqueous protein-free solution, which consists of 85% free amino acids and 15% small peptides. Our previous study showed a potent neurotrophic factor-like activity in cultured embryonic cells of dorsal root ganglia. The present study investigated whether FPF1070 regenerated the cholinergic cells in the media1 septal nucleus after axonal transections by cutting the fimbria-fornix. Fimbrial transections reduced the number of septal cholinergic cells by 30 + 3.6%, compared with the number on contralateral sides at 4 weeks. Intrapretioneal injections of FPF1070 caused 49.9 * 6.3% of the cholinergic neurons to survive. Furthermore, the cell sizes of the cholinergic neurons were significantly different: 16.4 + 4.2 pm, 14.3 I3. 8 pm in FPF1070 treatment and vehicle treatment, respectively. These results indicated that FPF1070 prevents the degeneration and atrophy of impaired cholinergic neurons by systemic administration.