Functional analysis of PDGF in suppression of neuronal cell death and promotion of synaptogenesis

The roles of platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta (PDGFR-beta) in synaptogenesis were examined using primary cultured mouse hippocampal neurons. PDGFR-beta conditional knockout hippocampal neurons showed lower motility of dendritic filopodia and lower numbers of spine as compared with PDGFR-beta preserved control neurons. mRNA expressions of RhoA, VASP, PAL1, ARPC3 in PDGFR-beta knockout neurons were significantly lower than those of control cells. It is suggested that PDGFR-beta has important role in synaptogenesis through these cytoskeleton related genes. We also demonstrated the neuroprotective effects of PDGF-B against oxidative stress using cultured mouse cortical neurons. PDGF-B significantly suppressed intracellular Calcium-ion overload and inactivation of calpain induced by oxidative stress. Present study supports the notion that PDGF-B/PDGFR-beta may be a potential therapeutic target of neurological diseases and synaptogenesis.