Expression of hepatocyte growth factor in primary sensory neurons of adult rats

Brain Res Mol Brain Res. 2001 Dec 16;97(1):83-8. doi: 10.1016/s0169-328x(01)00284-4.

Abstract

We examined the expression of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) mRNA and its receptor, c-met mRNA, in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and spinal cord of naive adult rats using in situ hybridization histochemistry (ISHH) and the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique. HGF mRNA was expressed in 25.0% of DRG neurons and 80.5% of HGF mRNA-positive neurons expressed trkA mRNA. In the lumbar spinal cord, c-met mRNA signals were observed in the superficial layer of dorsal horn. These results suggest that the HGF/cMet system may be involved in sensory transmission.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Ganglia, Spinal / cytology
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Hepatocyte Growth Factor / biosynthesis*
  • Hepatocyte Growth Factor / genetics
  • In Situ Hybridization
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / biosynthesis*
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics
  • Neurons, Afferent / metabolism*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met / biosynthesis
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / biosynthesis
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Receptor, trkA / biosynthesis
  • Receptor, trkA / genetics
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Sensation / physiology
  • Spinal Cord / cytology
  • Synaptic Transmission / physiology

Substances

  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Hepatocyte Growth Factor
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met
  • Receptor, trkA