Effects of acidic and basic fibroblast growth factors (aFGF and bFGF) on the proliferation and the glutamine synthetase expression of rat astroblasts in culture

• DOI: 10.1002/glia.440010204
• Publication Date: 2005-01-01T12:01:53Z
• Authors: Frédéric Perraud; François Besnard; Brigitte Pettmann; Monique Sensenbre...; Gérard Labourdette
• Keywords: Fibroblast Growth Factors; 0301 basic medicine; 03 medical and health sciences; Time Factors; Glutamate-Ammonia Ligase; Heparin; Astrocytes; Idoxuridine; Animals; Cell Division; Cells, Cultured; Rats

AbstractThe two fibroblast growth factors called acidic and basic FGF (aFGF and bFGF) show a strong homology (55%) of their amino acid sequence (Esch et al.: Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA 85:6507–6511, 1985). The effects of these factors on the rate of proliferation of rat astroblasts and on the expression of glutamine synthetase activity in cells grown in primary culture were investigated and compared under various culture conditions. In all the experimental conditions used, both growth factors triggered the proliferation of the cells to the same extent and with similar dose dependence. The mitogenic activities of aFGF and bFGF were potentiated similarly by heparan sulfate and by heparin, with a maximum stimulation of about 100% at 100 μg/ml heparin. Treatment of the cells with either of the two factors resulted in identical enhancement of the activity of glutamine synthetase relative to total proteins. These results suggest that both factors act either through the same membrane receptors or through different receptors that mediate nearly identical effects.