Vascular endothelial growth factor: tissue distribution and size of multiple mRNA splice forms in SHR and WKY

1. We have determined the optimal polymerase chain reaction (PCR) conditions for the amplification and detection of mRNA for a new vascular growth factor-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-and determined its size and tissue distribution in genetically normotensive and hypertensive rats. 2. Multiple VEGF mRNA subtypes were obtained which were 625, 520 and 480 base pairs in length. 3. All three species of VEGF mRNA were found in heart, kidney, aorta, adrenal and brainstem and the size and tissue distribution of VEGF mRNA subtypes were not different between spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) of the Okamoto strain and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) controls. 4. Thus multiple forms of VEGF mRNA can be readily detected by PCR in a variety of tissues. While these preliminary results suggest no difference in size and tissue distribution between SHR and WKY, sequencing and quantitative studies will be required to confirm this.