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FGF-20, a Novel Neurotrophic Factor, Preferentially Expressed in the Substantia Nigra Pars Compacta of Rat Brain

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Abstract

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.

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      Citation Excerpt :

      Of these, FGF20 has a more restricted distribution (Ernfors et al., 1990; Jeffers et al., 2001) so it presents a more attractive target. FGF20 is selectively expressed in the adult brain, with little to no expression in healthy peripheral tissues (Jeffers et al., 2001; Kirikoshi et al., 2000; Ohmachi et al., 2000). Within the brain, mRNA encoding FGF20 shows further regional selectivity, with highest levels of expression in the cerebellum and substantia nigra (SN) (Jeffers et al., 2001).

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    The nucleotide sequences reported in this paper have been submitted to the GenBank/EBI Data Bank with the Accession Nos. AB020021 and AB030648.

    1

    To whom correspondence should be addressed at Department of Genetic Biochemistry, Kyoto University Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Yoshida-Shimoadachi, Sakyo, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan. Fax: 81-75-753-4600. E-mail: [email protected].

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