AUTHOR=Itoh Nobuyuki , Ohta Hiroya 

TITLE=Roles of FGF20 in dopaminergic neurons and Parkinson's disease

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience

VOLUME=6

YEAR=2013

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/molecular-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnmol.2013.00015

DOI=10.3389/fnmol.2013.00015

ISSN=1662-5099

ABSTRACT=<p>The fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family comprises 22 members with diverse functions in development and metabolism. <italic>Fgf20</italic> was originally identified as a new <italic>Fgf</italic> preferentially expressed in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc). Fgf20, which acts on proximal cells, significantly enhanced the survival of cultured dopaminergic neurons by activating the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway through Fgf receptor 1c. In the rat model of Parkinson's disease, Fgf20 afforded significant protection against the loss of dopaminergic neurons. The significant correlation of Parkinson's disease with single-nucleotide polymorphisms in <italic>FGF20</italic> indicates that the genetic variability of <italic>FGF20</italic> can be a Parkinson's disease risk. Neural and embryonic stem (ES) cells have been considered as cell resources for restorative transplantation strategies in Parkinson's disease. Fgf20 promoted the differentiation of these stem cells into dopaminergic neurons, which attenuated neurological symptoms in animal models of Parkinson's disease. These findings indicate the importance of FGF20 for the differentiation and survival of dopaminergic neurons and the etiology and therapy of Parkinson's disease.</p>