Expression of bfgf and differential expression of fgf receptors in normal human myoblasts and rhabdomyosarcomas

In an attempt to investigate the expression and possible function(s) of bFGF and the four members of the fibroblast growth factor receptor family, FGFR-1 -4, in a mesenchymal-derived cell system, we analyzed normal human myoblasts and rhabdomyosarcomas. RT-PCR analysis revealed expression of both the ligand bFGF and the FGF receptors, FGFR-1, FGFR-2, FGFR-3 and FGFR-4, in myoblasts and rhabdomyosarcomas; with FGFR-3 at comparably lower levels of detection. Antisense oligodeoxynucleotides targeted against the translation start site and splice-donor acceptor sites of human bFGF and FGFR-1 did not exert proliferation-inhibitory effects in either cell type. Thus, unlike previous studies which demonstrated the importance of bFGF and FGFR-1 as major contributors in sustaining,the proliferation of normal and malignant cells of neuroectodermal origin, the data presented here, indicate that cells of mesenchymal origin may rely on additional, if not altogether different, growth factors and growth factor receptors for their proliferation.