CORTICAL BASIC FIBROBLAST FACTOR EXPRESSION AFTER HEAD-INJURY - PRELIMINARY-RESULTS

Growth factors are important for normal development and maturation of the CNS. Recently, interest has centred on the role of these factors in response to the CNS injury. Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor (bFCF) stimulates mitogenesis of neuroectodermal tissues, potentially promoting neuronal survival and astrocytic growth suggesting a possible role following injury. We have studied expression of bFCF in male Sprague-Dawley rats subjected to a fluid percussion head injury of 4 atmospheres. Sham operated controls and injured animals were perfused 48 h after injury. 50 micron frozen sections of fixed tissue were immunohistochemically analysed for bFCF expression using the avidin-biotin complex technique with antibodies to bFCF. In the cortex, bFCF expression on astrocytes was enhanced in the injured hemisphere as compared with the contralateral uninjured hemisphere or controls (914 vs. 334 cells/mm(2)). bFCF expression in the hippocampal (CA2) neurons was the same for both normal and injured rats. The finding of enhanced bFCF in the cortex is consistent with the pathologic astrocytic responses found 48 h after injury and may correlate with later gliosis. These results suggest further study of bFCF, its temporal expression and relationship to other gowth factors is warranted.