title: Fos RNA accumulation in multiple sclerosis white matter tissue.
abstract: In order to better characterize the molecular events that accompany lesion development in multiple sclerosis (MS), we studied the accumulation of RNA specific to the nuclear proto-oncogenes c-fos and c-myb in post mortem white matter brain tissue. RNA was prepared from plaque and periplaque regions of 6 different MS brains, from "normal" white matter regions of 3 MS brains and from 6 normal control samples. Quantitation of specific RNA corresponding to each proto-oncogene was performed by Northern blot hybridization and by scanning densitometry. Results indicate a 2-fold increase in c-fos RNA in MS white matter, compared to control tissue. No c-myb signal was identified in any sample. In situ hybridization studies confirmed the selective upregulation of c-fos RNA levels in MS tissue, and suggested that glial cells and not inflammatory cells were responsible for the enhanced c-fos signal. These results suggest that persistent glial cell activation is present within chronic MS lesions irrespective of whether the lesions are active (e.g., inflammatory) or inactive.
authors.affiliation: Neuroimmunology Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Seboun
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Sklar
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Doolittle
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Hauser
mesh_terms: D015152:Blotting, Northern; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D006801:Humans; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C000715470:MAS1 protein, human; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D012313:RNA