Figure 5. Deoxygedunin activates TrkB in a BDNF-independent manner and prevents vestibular ganglion loss.

(A) Deoxygedunin triggers TrkB activation in BDNF conditional knockout cortex. 2–3 months old BDNF cortex conditional knockout mice were intraperitoneally injected with 5 mg/kg deoxygedunin. In 4 h, the mice were sacrificed and brain lysates were analyzed by immunoblotting. (B & C) Deoxygedunin and 7,8-DHF prevent vestibular ganglion loss in BDNF −/− pups. BDNF +/− mice were mated with the same genotypes of mice. At E7.5 days, the pregnant mothers were administrated with 5 mg/kg deoxygedunin or 7,8-DHF until birth. The neonatal pups continued on drug treatment for 1 or 2 days till death. The inner ear sections were stained with toluidine blue.