title: Preserved expression of fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-2 and FGF receptor 1 in brain and spinal cord of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients.
abstract: Impaired trophic support of motor neurons appears to be an important pathogenic factor in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We investigated the mRNA expression of the pluripotent fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) and its receptors in post mortem spinal cord of ALS and control patients. FGF-2 and FGF receptor (FGFR) 1 and 2 transcripts were first studied in the spinal cord using RT-PCR. The cellular distribution of FGF-2 and FGFR mRNA in the spinal cord, motor cortex and brain stem was then assessed by in situ hybridization histochemistry. RT-PCR revealed the presence of FGF-2 and FGF receptor 1 and 2 transcripts with no obvious differences between ALS and control spinal cord. Comparing mRNA expression in the motoneuron-containing ventral horn with the clinically and neuropathologically spared dorsal horn of ALS spinal cord displayed similar expression levels. At the cellular level, we found a prominent neuronal expression of FGF-2 and FGFR1. Interestingly, both morphologically intact and damaged motoneurons showed positive staining for FGF-2 and FGFR1 transcripts. The distribution of cells expressing FGF-2 and FGFR1 transcripts showed no differences between ALS and controls. Our data suggest that FGF-2 and FGFR1 expression is preserved in the motor system in end stage ALS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30623 Hannover, Germany. petri.susanne@mh-hannover.de
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Petri
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Krampfl
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kuhlemann
authors.forename: Reinhard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dengler
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Grothe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051496:Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 1 / Q000502:physiology*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D051496:Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 1