Quantification of vascular endothelial growth factor and neuropilins mRNAs during rat brain maturation by real-time PCR.

1. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been related with several brain functions such as angiogenesis, neuroprotection, and neurogenesis. 2. We studied the mRNA expression of the two most important isoforms of VEGF (VEGF120 and VEGF164) as well as one type of VEGF receptors, neuropilins (NRP), during maturation in the rat brain using real-time PCR. 3. Today, real-time PCR is the method of choice for rapid and reliable quantification of mRNA transcription. 4. VEGF120 has little changes in its expression between P5 and P30. 5. However, VEGF164 increased its expression 2-folds at P15 in comparison to P5, remaining at this level in the adult brain (P30). 6. Both types of NRP, NRP-1 and NRP-2, which only bind VEGF164, increased their expression about 2-folds only at P30, at levels similar to those observed for VEGF164.