FGF-20, a novel neurotrophic factor, preferentially expressed in the substantia nigra pars compacta of rat brain.
We have isolated cDNA encoding a novel FGF (212 amino acids) from rat brain. Because this is the 20th documented member of the FGF family, we tentatively term it FGF-20. Among FGF family members, FGF-20 is most similar to FGF-9 and FGF-16 (70 and 62% amino acid identity, respectively). Human FGF-20 gene was found in the human genomic sequence mapped to the 8p21.3-p22 region. Human FGF-20 is highly identical to rat FGF-20 (95% amino acid identity). FGF-20 mRNA was preferentially expressed in rat brain among the adult major tissues examined. The localization of FGF-20 mRNA in rat brain was also examined by in situ hybridization. FGF-20 mRNA was preferentially expressed in the substantia nigra pars compacta. To examine the biological activity of FGF-20, recombinant rat FGF-20 was produced by insect cells infected with recombinant baculovirus containing rat FGF-20 cDNA. Recombinant rat FGF-20 enhanced the survival of midbrain dopaminergic neurons. The present results indicate that FGF-20 is a novel neurotrophic factor preferentially expressed in the substantia nigra pars compacta of rat brain.
Ohmachi
S
S
Department of Genetic Biochemistry, Kyoto University Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan.
Watanabe
Y
Y
Mikami
T
T
Kusu
N
N
Ibi
T
T
Akaike
A
A
Itoh
N
N
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D016367:Baculoviridae; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D002898:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 8; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000378:metabolism; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D051525:Fibroblast Growth Factor 9; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000633:toxicity; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D007313:Insecta; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000378:metabolism*; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014162:Transfection
D018076:DNA, Complementary; C416003:FGF20 protein, human; C496459:FGF9 protein, human; C110776:Fgf16 protein, rat; C498813:Fgf20 protein, rat; C496461:Fgf9 protein, rat; D051525:Fibroblast Growth Factor 9; D006133:Growth Substances; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors; D004298:Dopamine