Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and its receptor flk-1 in cultured peripheral ganglia
Field:	Development and regeneration
Authors:	Sondell, M Kanje, M
Address of presenting author:	Lund University Dept. of Animal Physiology Helgonav. 3 B S-223 62 Lund
E-mail:	Mariann.Sondell@zoofys.lu.se
Phone:	046/222 93 54
Fax:	046/222 45 39
Text of abstract:	Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is an angiogenic factor which we have found stimulates axonal outgrowth and enhance survival of neurons and satellite cells in cultured superior cervical ganglia (SCG) and dorsal root ganglia (DRG) from adult mice.Here we used immunocytochemistry to study the expression of VEGF and its receptor flk-1 in the SCG and DRG. Immunoreactivity for VEGF was found in virtually all nerve cells in the SCG but only in a subpopulation representing around 30% of the neurons in DRG. In excised and cultured ganglia the number of VEGF positive neurons remained the same but an increase in the intensity of the immunoreactivity was observed in many neurons. In contrast the number of neurons that expressed the VEGF receptor flk-1 increased in culture. In DRG, approximatly half of the flk-1 positive neurons belonged to the population of calcitonin gene-related peptide expressing neurons and the other half were positive for RT97. In SCG, but not in DRG, double immunostaining for flk-1 and VEGF revealed a coexpression in many neurons, implying that VEGF may exert both autocrine and paracrine actions. These results demonstrate temporal changes of VEGF and its receptor flk-1 during regeneration, which are consistent with a neurotrophic function of VEGF.
Keywords:	DRG, mouse, nerve regeneration, SCG, VEGF

Created 2000-04-03