PURIFIED CILIARY NEUROTROPHIC FACTOR

摘要

The present invention provides highly purified mammalian Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor (CNTF) having a specific activity greater than 2x10<7> TU/mg protein and a method for obtaining such highly purified CNTF. In addition to having an activity greater than 2x10<7>, highly purified CNTF is characterized by a molecular weight of about 28 kD as determined by SDS-PAGE under either reducing or non-reducing conditions; a PI of about 5.0 to about 5.4; not being inactivated by anti-NGF antibodies; not being inactivated by SDS or reducing agents; and supporting in vitro survival of E8 chick ciliary ganglion neurons, E12 sympathetic ganglion neurons, E10 chick dorsal ganglion neurons and neonatal mouse dorsal root ganglion neurons but not E8 chick dorsal root ganglion neurons; and being sensitive to trypsin and chymotrypsin digestion. The highly purified CNTF may be attached to a solid support, which may in turn be used, for example, to promote the survival of neurons.