Suppression of fibroblast growth factor 2 expression by antisense oligonucleotides inhibits embryonic chick neural retina cell differentiation and survival in vivo

FGF-8 in the ventral pharynx alters development of myocardial calcium transients after neural crest ablation

“…A 225-bp fragment of FGF-2 was cloned using the primers as described by Désiré et al (17) and cDNA from stage 18 whole embryos.…”

Endogenous and Exogenous Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 Support Survival of Chick Retinal Neurons by Control of Neuronal Neuronal bcl‐xL and bcl‐2 Expression Through a Fibroblast Berowth Factor Receptor 1‐ and Erk‐Dependent Pathway

“…Müller cell viability was determined in parallel cultures enriched in Müller cells using the 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay (Mosmann, 1983), whereas total cell numbers were determined after counterstaining with crystal violet (0.1% in 0.1 M citric acid). Apoptotic cells were visualized using the TUNEL method (Boehringer‐Mannheim, Meylan, France) as previously described (Désiré et al., 1998 a , b ). The DNA fragmentation assay was performed following the protocol from Zhu and Wang (1997), and DNA was electrophoresed on 2% agarose gels containing ethidium bromide (0.2 μg/ml).…”

“…RT‐PCR experiments were performed essentially as previously described (Désiré et al, 1998 a , b ). One microgram of total RNA was reverse‐transcribed, and resulting cDNAs were amplified in 50 μl of 1 × reaction buffer, 2.5 m M MgCl 2 , 200 μ M deoxynucleotide triphosphate mix, and each specific primer at 100 ng/μl with 1.5 units of Taq polymerase (Goldstar ; Eurogentec).…”

“…To demonstrate clearly that transiently up‐regulated endogenous FGF2 is involved in the maintenance of bcl‐x L and bcl‐2 levels and in the survival of retinal neurons, FGF2 expression was down‐regulated using an FGF2‐specific AS ODN (Sugi et al, 1993 ; Désiré et al, 1998 a , b ). Cells were treated for 24 h with ODNs at 10 μ M in the absence of serum, and Bcl‐x L , Bcl‐2, and Bax levels were examined by western blot.…”

“…FGF2 promotes retinal neuron survival in vitro and in vivo (Lipton et al, 1988 ; Désiré et al, 1998 a , b ). Its up‐regulation following retinal injury (Faktorovich et al, 1990, 1992 ; La Vail et al, 1991, 1992) and before photoreceptor apoptosis in retinal pathological models (Portera‐Cailliau et al, 1994 ; Gao and Hollyfield, 1995, 1996, suggests that FGF2 induction represents an endogenous neuroprotective mechanism in the retina.…”