Neurotrophin-3-like immunoreactivity and Trk C expression in human spinal motoneurones in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

We have demonstrated neurotrophin-3 (NT-3)-like immunoreactivity and tyrosine kinase C (Trk C) receptor expression in motoneurones in postmortem amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and control human spinal cord sections. We report that NT-3-like immunoreactivity in motoneurones is decreased in ALS when compared to control tissue. Trk C is expressed in low abundance in both control and ALS motoneurones. These findings are of importance in developing therapeutic strategies for ALS.