Motor neurons in human and rat spinal cord synthesize fibroblast growth factor-9.
Fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-9, initially referred to as a glia-activating factor, is a recently identified member of the FGF family. In the present study we demonstrated that spinal cord motor neurons and dorsal root ganglion neurons were strongly immunostained with specific antibodies to FGF-9 in human and rat tissues. By in situ hybridization using digoxigenin-labeled antisense probe to FGF-9 mRNA, we found specific signals in these neurons in rat. By immunoblotting analysis, we detected a 30/29 kDa doublet band in human spinal cord proteins, which corresponded to the doublet band of originally isolated FGF-9 from culture media. Our results indicate that these neurons synthesize FGF-9.
Nakamura
S
S
Department of Ultrastructure and Histochemistry, Tokyo Institute of Psychiatry, Kamikitazawa, Setagaya, Japan. snakamu@prit.go.jp
Todo
T
T
Haga
S
S
Aizawa
T
T
Motoi
Y
Y
Ueki
A
A
Kurokawa
T
T
Ikeda
K
K
D000818:Animals; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism; D051525:Fibroblast Growth Factor 9; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000378:metabolism; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014981:Xenopus
C496459:FGF9 protein, human; C496461:Fgf9 protein, rat; D051525:Fibroblast Growth Factor 9; D006133:Growth Substances; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors