Acidic Fibroblast Growth Factor Distribution in Normal Human Eye and Possible Implications in Ocular Pathogenesis

Abstract

Using a rabbit anti-acidic fibroblast growth factor (anti-aFGF) antiserum, we tried to establish a precise mapping of aFGF localization in normal human ocular structures, from samples obtained by autopsies. Cell cultures of retinal pigment epithelium and ciliary pigment epithelium were also established and immunofluorescence studies were performed after 1 month. Corneal and conjunctival epithelia were strongly positive for anti-aFGF antibodies as well as the subcapsular epithelium of the lens. The cortical fibers were weakly reactive and the lens nucleus negative. A strong intracytoplasmic reactivity was observed in the pigmented and nonpigmented epithelial cells of ciliary processes and pars plana, both ex vivo and in vitro. Retina was brightly positive, mostly in the photoreceptor and plexiform layers. The possible involvement of aFGF in normal eye growth and in various ocular diseases was then discussed.

Acidic FGF and Other Growth Factors in Preretinal Membranes from Patients with Diabetic Retinopathy and Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy

“…Sections were washed in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), and reaction with each antibody accord ing to previously described indirect immunofluores cence procedures [5,8] was induced. Briefly, primary antibodies were layered for 1 h before washing in PBS.…”

“…Since Michaelson [1] first postulated that chemical reagents might control the development and regulation of retinal vasculature, numerous studies have shown the presence in ocular structures of mediators promoting cell mi gration and proliferation [2][3][4], Some of them, such as epidermal growth factor (EGF), acidic or basic fibroblast growth fac tors (FGF), insulin-like growth factor (IGF) or platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), are now well characterized, but their eventual implication in intraocular prolifer ative processes remains poorly understood. In a previous work [5], we investigated acidid FGF localization in normal human ocular structures, and showed its wide distri bution in the eye, mainly within the retina, in the photoreceptor and plexiform layers. We hypothetized the possible involvement of this growth factor in various ocular dis eases, such as proliferative diabetic retinopa thy and proliferative vitreoretinopathy after retinal detachment.…”

Stem cells and corneal epithelial regeneration

“…Furthermore, most of the poly peptide growth factors investigated by us have been proved to exist in the limbal and corneal epithelium. [83][84][85][86][87][88] Interestingly, a recent investigation by Li and Tseng89 described significant regional differences concerning the distribution of growth factors in human limbal and corneal epithelium as well as underlying stroma. Several of the investigated factors (e.g.…”

Retinal degeneration in transgenic mice with photoreceptor-specific expression of a dominant-negative fibroblast growth factor receptor

“…Among those factors implicated are members of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family. Acidic FGF, basic FGF, and FGF-5 have been demonstrated in both the retina and retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) (Schweigerer et al, 1987;Baudouin et al, 1990;Connolly et al, 1992;Gao and Hollyfield, 1992;Raymond et al, 1992;Kitaoka et al, 1994). Basic and acidic FGFs promote the expression of differentiation markers in photoreceptors and RPE in vitro (Hicks and Courtois, 1992;Campochiaro and Hackett, 1993) and they also influence retinal progenitor cell fate determination (Guillemot and Cepko, 1992).…”