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Biomedical subjects

D Raulais

Publications and source records attributed to D Raulais.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Endogenous aFGF expression and cellular changes after a demyelinating lesion in the spinal cord of adult normal mice: immunohistochemical study.

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are known to act on glial cells in vitro. At the present time, their involvement in the remyelinating process of the adult central nervous system (CNS) is still unknown. In the present study, using immunohistochemistry (IHC), we investigated the evolution in time and space of acidic FGF (aFGF) expression and CNS cell changes occurring after a chemically induced demyelinating lesion. In a first early period, aFGF immunostaining was shown to decrease around the demyelinated area. A dramatic increase was then observed and was accompanied by an increase of cell density around and inside the lesion. This was correlated with the beginning of remyelination. Late after demyelination, while remyelination was still in progress, aFGF immunostaining of the lesion and unlesioned spinal cord were comparable. A role of aFGF in remyelination is proposed.

Animals

Acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF) in developing normal and dystrophic (mdx) mouse muscles. Distribution in degenerating and regenerating mdx myofibres.

Affinity purified polyclonal antibodies directed against human recombinant acidic FGF (aFGF), were used in immunofluorescence studies to localize this growth factor in several normal and dystrophic (mdx) mouse skeletal muscles. The expression of aFGF was detected throughout the life of both the control and mdx mice. In striated muscles, examined up to 3 weeks postnatal, aFGF was localized around the myofibres and this pattern was consistent in both mdx and the normal counterpart strain. However, the intensity of the signal was much stronger in the mdx strain. In mdx mouse skeletal muscles, examined during the acute phase of degeneration and regeneration (3-14 weeks) aFGF was localized around the myofibres, in approximately 60% of the nuclei of newly formed or regenerated myofibres and also in the pockets of necrosis which represented actively degenerating myofibres. In normal mouse skeletal muscles, studied over the same period, the antibodies localized aFGF mainly to the periphery of the muscle fibres. The augmentation of aFGF observed by immunofluorescence in mdx mouse muscles was confirmed by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) analysis of the same muscles over the same period of time. The data from the EIA indicated a 3.5-fold increase in aFGF in mdx as compared to normal muscles at 3 weeks, and an approximate 26-fold increase during the period of active degeneration-regeneration. This increased concentration of aFGF noted in the mdx muscles suggests that this endogenous aFGF may participate in the high level of regenerative activity observed in mdx mouse.

Animals

Immunolocalization of acidic and basic fibroblast growth factors during mouse odontogenesis.

Acidic and basic fibroblast growth factors (aFGF and bFGF), are both known to bind to extracellular matrix components, particularly proteoheparin sulfates, and to regulate in vitro proliferation, differentiation and morphology of cells of neuroectodermal and mesodermal origins. Their patterns of distribution were studied during mouse odontogenesis by means of indirect immunofluorescence and immunoperoxidase histochemistry on frozen fixed sections and after Bouin's fixative and paraffin embedding. Localization of aFGF on frozen fixed sections was observed in the oral epithelium, dental lamina and oral mesenchyme (day-12 of gestation), the stellate reticulum and oral epithelium (day-14), the stratum intermedium and at the basal and apical poles of preameloblasts at bell stage. After birth aFGF epitopes were localized within the predentin-dentin area, the stratum intermedium and at the secretory pole of ameloblasts. There was no staining with anti-aFGF antibodies after Bouin's fixative and paraffin embedding. In contrast, using this protocol, intense stainings were found with anti-bFGF antibodies predominantly within dental and peridental basement membranes and mesenchyme: staining of the dental basement membranes was transient (bud and cap stage) and discontinuous; a preferential concentration of bFGF epitopes in the condensed dental mesenchyme of incisors (cap stage) and the dental papillae mesenchymal cells of molars (bell stage) was observed in the posterior and the cervical part of tooth germs. An intense immunostaining of the stellate reticulum with anti-bFGF antibodies was also found on paraffin sections from bud to bell stage.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals

Acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF)-like immunoreactivity in the optic nerve.

Acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF)-like immunoreactivity was examined in the optic nerves of 1- to 25-month-old Wistar rats, 0.5- to 7-year-old bovine animals and normal human adults (24 and 35 years old), using cryostat sections incubated with a rabbit polyclonal antibody specific for aFGF. The immunoreactivity was associated with glial cells, and was localized predominantly in the nucleus. The presence of endogenous aFGF in the optic nerve of adult subjects and 'old' rats suggests that aFGF could play a role in the survival of retinal ganglion cells and their axons during aging.

Adult

A new heparin binding protein regulated by retinoic acid from chick embryo.

A 19 KDa heparin binding protein was previously purified from chicken embryos. Essentially localized within basement membranes in early embryonic tissues, this protein is very rich in basic and cystein residues. Its N-terminal fragment is similar to corresponding fragment of two other proteins expressed during embryogenesis and postnatal period. Its synthesis and secretion are induced by retinoic acid in chicken myoblasts and fibroblasts. This new retinoic acid induced heparin binding protein (RI-HB) does stimulate neurite outgrowth and proliferation on PC12 cells. These results suggest that retinoic acid could regulate some aspect of differentiation and development by inducing the synthesis of a new family of growth and neurotrophic factors.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms

Localization of acidic fibroblast growth factor in proliferative vitreoretinopathy membranes.

The pathogenesis of proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) membranes remains poorly understood. We have studied the presence of acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF), a potent mitogen for many cells, within these membranes. We have used affinity purified monospecific anti-aFGF polyclonal antibodies, in conjunction with highly sensitive immunofluorescence techniques. The labelling was exclusively localized to cell bodies and was absent from the extracellular matrix. Double labelling techniques revealed that all cytokeratin positive cells (probably pigmented epithelial cells) and macrophages contained aFGF-like immunoreactivity, whilst glial cells were unlabelled. Appropriate controls indicated the specificity of the antibodies. Hence, the presence of this mitogenic molecule within certain cell types constituting PVR membranes may contribute to the pathogenesis.

Animals

[A new family of proteins with high activity for heparin and regulated by retinoic acid].

An heparin binding protein (RIHB) was purified from chick embryos. Essentially expressed during early embryogenesis it is mainly localized within basement membranes. Its synthesis and that of the RIHB mRNA are induced by retinoic acid in chicken myoblasts cell culture. This protein belongs to the same family that HBGAM or Pleiotropin and MK protein two other heparin binding proteins exhibiting growth and/or neurotrophic activities.

Animals

Heparin-binding sites of rat rhabdomyosarcoma cells with low and high metastatic capacity.

Proteins able to bind the iduronate containing glycosaminoglycans: heparin, heparan sulfate and dermatan sulfate, were detected in strongly (RMS 0) and weakly (RMS 8) metastatic rat rhabdomyosarcoma cell lines. The 35S-methionine-labeled proteins solubilized from the cell membranes were chromatographed on Heparin-Ultrogel affinity column. The main retained protein migrated with an apparent molecular size of 19 kDa on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis from both cell lines. The 19 kDa protein exhibited a higher affinity for iduronate containing glycosaminoglycans than for the glucuronate containing chondroitin sulfates. It was immunologically distinct from acid and basic fibroblast growth factors. The membranes of the RMS 8 cells contained about a two times higher amount of labeled 19 kDa protein than the membranes of the RMS 0 cells. The decreased amount of the labeled heparin-binding proteins in the highly metastatic cell line is in agreement with the previously evidenced decreased receptor-mediated binding of the iduronate containing glycosaminoglycans by these cells.

Animals

Basic fibroblast growth factor expression in human omental microvascular endothelial cells and the effect of phorbol ester.

The human omentum contains a potent, not yet identified angiogenic activity. The omentum is very vascularized. Therefore, we investigated whether human omental microvascular endothelial cells (HOME cells) express the angiogenic peptide basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). Cytosol prepared from HOME cells stimulated DNA synthesis in bovine epithelial lens cells (BEL cells). The mitogenic activity could be neutralized by an anti-bFGF antibody. Basic FGF-like material from the HOME cell cytosol was bound onto a heparin-Sepharose column at 0.6 M and was eluted at 3 M NaCl. The 3 M NaCl eluted material reacted with the specific anti-bFGF antibody in an ELISA and stimulated DNA synthesis. It did not react with a specific anti-acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF) antibody. Western blotting experiments using the same bFGF antibody showed the presence of a major band of 17 Kd and a doublet of 20-22 Kd. Northern blotting of non-stimulated HOME cells using a specific 1.4 kb bFGF probe showed the presence of 5 molecular species of 6.6, 3.7, 2.2, 2.0, and 1.0 kb. No aFGF mRNA was detected with a specific previously characterized 4.04 kb probe. 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) did not influence significantly the expression of bFGF at the protein and mRNA level in HOME cells. Thus, protein kinase C activation by TPA did not appear to modulate significantly the expression of bFGF for that cell type. Contrastingly, human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVE cells), which expressed no bFGF and aFGF mRNA at a basal level, were induced to express bFGF but not aFGF mRNA when stimulated by TPA. These results suggest that the described angiogenic activity could be the bFGF-like mitogen contained in HOME cells and that these cells are different from endothelial cells derived from large vessels (HUVE cells) regarding the expression of bFGF.

Biological Assay

Identification of a new heparin-binding protein localized within chick basement membranes.

A protein with a molecular mass of 19 kDa has been purified to homogeneity from 11-day-old chick embryos using a procedure involving chromatography on heparin - Sepharose, immunoaffinity resin and C4 reversed-phase. Indirect immunofluorescence studies, using polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies raised against this protein, indicate that it is essentially localized within the basement membranes in early embryonic tissues. After the 18th day of embryonic life and in post-hatched chicken, this protein could only be detected in some eye basement membranes. It appears to be bound to heparan sulfate chains of the proteoglycan present in these structures. Thus, the protein exhibits similar properties to those previously described for fibroblast growth factors (FGF), such as heparin affinity, molecular mass and localization in the basement membranes. In contrast, this protein is present in much larger amounts than FGFs, at least in 11-day-old embryos. Furthermore, the first 17 amino acid residues of the N-terminal sequence show that it does not strictly correspond to any previously described protein.

Amino Acid Sequence

Fibroblast growth factor phosphorylation and receptors in rod outer segments.

Acidic and basic fibroblast growth factors (aFGF and bFGF) have been isolated and purified from rod outer segments (ROS). aFGF is tightly bound to ROS membranes and can be specifically released by ATP. We show that this mechanism is dependent on the phosphorylation of aFGF itself. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) enhances this phenomenon independently of rhodopsin phosphorylation. This demonstrates that aFGF release from ROS membranes is dependent on its phosphorylation by endogenous kinase C. In addition specific binding sites for exogenous FGFs have been identified on ROS and disc membranes. A single high affinity site with a Kd of 40 pM was present in intact ROS while an additional low affinity site with a Kd of 300-600 pM was present in leaky ROS or in disc membranes. Light or ATP modified neither these Kd nor the apparent number of sites. The presence of specific receptors for FGFs and the kinase C dependent release of endogenous membrane bound aFGF suggest an autocrine mechanism which may be involved in photoreceptor cell biology.

Animals

Epitopes of the 44-68 human parathyroid hormone fragments: the importance of specific hydrophilic peptide sequences.

Several pentapeptides included in the 44-68 sequence of human parathyroid hormone (hPTH) were synthesized simultaneously on benzhydrylamine and m-nitrobenzhydrylamine resins. The first polymer gave the free peptide and the second the peptidyl-resin complex. An ELISA test carried out with each peptidyl-resin complex showed that all the anti-44-68 hPTH antibodies raised in different animal species are directed against the same hPTH pentapeptidic sequence. This sequence is very hydrophilic and is specific to the hormone. This study demonstrates the importance of specific peptide chains in an epitope.

Amino Acid Sequence

Immunochemical studies on rabbit calcitonin.

Cross reaction studies using radioimmunoassays specific for human and porcine calcitonin showed that rabbit calcitonin is structurally more closely related to human than to porcine calcitonin.

Animals