Fibroblast growth factor-2 and its receptor expression in proliferating precursor cells of the subventricular zone in the adult rat brain

• Published in: Neuroscience letters Vol. 447; no. 1; pp. 20 - 25
• Main Authors: Frinchi, Monica, Bonomo, Alessandra, Trovato-Salinaro, Angela, Condorelli, Daniele F., Fuxe, Kjell, Spampinato, Marcello G., Mudò, Giuseppa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 2008; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult Stem Cells - metabolism; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Brain - anatomy & histology; BrdU; Bromodeoxyuridine - metabolism; Cell Proliferation; Cerebral Ventricles - cytology; FGF receptors; FGF-2; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 - genetics; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 - metabolism; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Expression - physiology; Male; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Precursor cells; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 1 - genetics; Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 1 - metabolism; Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 2 - genetics; Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 2 - metabolism; Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 3 - genetics; Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 3 - metabolism; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; SVZ; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; FGF-2; Precursor cells; SVZ; FGF receptors; BrdU; Fibroblast growth factor; Rat; Rodentia; Central nervous system; Precursor cell; Basic fibroblast growth factor; Encephalon; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Animal; Biological receptor
• ISSN: 0304-3940; 1872-7972
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2008.09.059

Several findings have suggested the existence in the subventricular zone (SVZ) from sagittal sections of adult rat brain of a trophic mechanism, mediated by fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) and its multiple high-affinity FGF receptors (FGFRs), regulating neurogenesis mainly by controlling precursor cell proliferation. However, no clear data are available on the expression of FGF-2 and FGFRs in proliferating precursor cells of the SVZ. To address these questions we examined FGF-2 mRNA and its FGFR mRNA expression in proliferating precursor cells of the SVZ by using a double labeling procedure, combining in situ hybridization for FGF-2 and its FGFR mRNA with immunohistochemistry for bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), a marker for proliferating cells. The results showed that FGFR1 and FGFR2 mRNAs were expressed in BrdU-labeled proliferating precursor cells, whereas FGFR3 and FGF-2 mRNAs were not, suggesting that in the SVZ the proliferating precursor cells express FGFR1 or FGFR2 and they may respond to FGF-2 released by non-proliferating cells. The FGFR4 mRNA was not found expressed in the SVZ. In the future, by identifying the cell types expressing FGFRs, it will be possible to gain insight into the functional activity of FGF2 within the SVZ.