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1: Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2000 Oct 22;277(2):355-60.Click here to read Links

FGF-20, a novel neurotrophic factor, preferentially expressed in the substantia nigra pars compacta of rat brain.

Ohmachi S, Watanabe Y, Mikami T, Kusu N, Ibi T, Akaike A, Itoh N.

Department of Genetic Biochemistry, Kyoto University Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan.

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. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

PMID: 11032730 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]