OBJECTIVES: Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is one of the most potent survival-promoting factors for motor neurons. Overexpression of neuronal HGF has been shown to result in the attenuation of neuronal cell death and progression of disease in a familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) transgenic mouse model. HGF might be beneficial for motor neuron survival and is a good candidate agent for the treatment of ALS. So far, studies of the skin of ALS have shown unique pathological and biochemical abnormalities. However, there has been no study of HGF in ALS skin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We made a quantitative immunohistochemical study of the expression of HGF in the skin from 19 patients with sporadic ALS and 16 controls. RESULTS: Hepatocyte growth factor immunoreactivity was positive in the epidermis, some dermal blood vessels, and glands in patients with ALS. These findings became more conspicuous as ALS progressed. The optical density for HGF immunoreactivity of the nucleus and the cytoplasm in the epidermis in ALS was significantly higher (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001) than in controls. There was a significant positive relation (r = 0.53, P < 0.02 and r = 0.73, P < 0.001) between HGF immunoreactivity and duration of illness in the nucleus and the cytoplasm in the epidermis in patients with ALS. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that changes in HGF in ALS skin are related to the disease process and that metabolic alterations of HGF may take place in the skin of patients with ALS.
OBJECTIVES:Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is one of the most potent survival-promoting factors for motor neurons. Overexpression of neuronal HGF has been shown to result in the attenuation of neuronal cell death and progression of disease in a familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) transgenic mouse model. HGF might be beneficial for motor neuron survival and is a good candidate agent for the treatment of ALS. So far, studies of the skin of ALS have shown unique pathological and biochemical abnormalities. However, there has been no study of HGF in ALS skin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We made a quantitative immunohistochemical study of the expression of HGF in the skin from 19 patients with sporadic ALS and 16 controls. RESULTS:Hepatocyte growth factor immunoreactivity was positive in the epidermis, some dermal blood vessels, and glands in patients with ALS. These findings became more conspicuous as ALS progressed. The optical density for HGF immunoreactivity of the nucleus and the cytoplasm in the epidermis in ALS was significantly higher (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001) than in controls. There was a significant positive relation (r = 0.53, P < 0.02 and r = 0.73, P < 0.001) between HGF immunoreactivity and duration of illness in the nucleus and the cytoplasm in the epidermis in patients with ALS. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that changes in HGF in ALS skin are related to the disease process and that metabolic alterations of HGF may take place in the skin of patients with ALS.
Authors: Wolfgang Lieb; Ming-Huei Chen; Martin G Larson; Radwan Safa; Alexander Teumer; Sebastian E Baumeister; Honghuang Lin; Holly M Smith; Manja Koch; Roberto Lorbeer; Uwe Völker; Matthias Nauck; Henry Völzke; Henri Wallaschofski; Douglas B Sawyer; Ramachandran S Vasan Journal: Circ Cardiovasc Genet Date: 2014-12-31
Authors: D Michal Freedman; Rochelle E Curtis; Sarah E Daugherty; James J Goedert; Ralph W Kuncl; Margaret A Tucker Journal: Cancer Causes Control Date: 2012-10-23 Impact factor: 2.506
Authors: John A Kessler; A Gordon Smith; Bong-Soo Cha; Sung Hee Choi; James Wymer; Aziz Shaibani; Senda Ajroud-Driss; Aaron Vinik Journal: Ann Clin Transl Neurol Date: 2015-03-05 Impact factor: 4.511