Elevation of acidic fibroblast growth factor mRNA in lesioned rat brain

A 40-base oligodeoxynucleotide probe is described which has been prepared corresponding to the amino acid sequence 9-22 of acidic fibroblast growth factor. Following electrophoretic separation of rat brain mRNA under denaturing conditions the probe hybridizes to a major polyadenylated mRNA species of approximately 4.8 kb. This mRNA is the same size as that reported for acidic fibroblast growth factor mRNA. The relative abundance of the hybridizing 4.8 kb mRNA species increases in rat brain 3 days after cortical lesion indicating increased expression of the gene for acidic fibroblast growth factor.